Thread: Welcome new members

Hi everyone, my name is Larry and I love crappie fishing.
I use a 19' boat make by Lowe 1996 model with a 4S Mercury 115hp.
Electronics are HDS 12 touch and a HDS 7 touch but I use two LSS xducers, one up front on a stick and one on the transom.
I am retired but not really as I do Minn Kota trolling motor repair as an Authorized Service Center.
Happy to join and anxious to learn more about this great sport.
Good fishing
Larryb227

Welcome to the site. I fish with Off Shore planerboards for Crappie. Good to know there is a place to get Minn Kota's fixed.

Howdy y'all, from the eastern side of Spartanburg County. Signed up years ago when I did a lot of bass, crappie, and cat fishing with family and friends. Haven't really been fishing in years, but I think this years I'll start going again, seeing as things have somewhat settled down in my life. I've probably fished just about every lake, and most public ponds, in South Carolina, as well as a little in GA and NC. I live in the upstate, but my favorite lake is Murray. I have some family down there, as well as an old trailer on the water. Just thought I'd pop in and introduce myself. Y'all take care now, hear?

Well, hello. Brand new here and just had to come and tell you all a little story.

I'm in the far NW suburbs of Chicago and living on a private pond. Never really did much crappie fishing in my life. Beeen living in the Rocky Mountains most of my life until last fall.

Anyway, the kid next door tells me there are big bass, and big crappie in this pond. So, a couple weeks ago I buy a cheap Shakespeare Ugly Stick ultra light little rod and reel and some plastic bait... senko worms, crappie magnets, fish attractant, floats, jigheads... everything in every color. Figured I'll be passing a lot of time with my dogs down on this pond. A few weeks ago, I was walking my dogs and saw a neighbor cutting down a tree and letting it fall right into the water, so I've been fishing there a few times. Been catching a ton of LM bass and a few crappie, here and there, mostly on jigs (black curly tail grub and green/chartreuse Leland crappie magnet on 1/32th oz pink jigheads.).

Now, for the reason I'm posting here. Three days ago, I got up early and found the crappie.. went nuts catching 17 crappie, all black at least 6 of them true "slabs"... over a foot long and FAT. Most of the big ones were dark and had egg sacks on the bottom. There were a few small ones and a couple a bass mixed in (one nice one).

Yesterday, I fished in the early morning and caught a dozen in about a half hour, first three casts caught three crappie, then, a few huge ones that really fought and I'm using factory 4 lb line on a tiny rig. Went back out after a little rain in the evening and was catching them every cast. Total yesterday of at least 40 fish. I didn't have a bucket, or a stringer or anything and just released them all.

Memorial Day 2014. Most fun and best fishing I've ever done. Period. Sun is coming out and I'm going back out, this time with dinner in mind. This is like a dream. I feel like a kid again.


Found this site and had to post to tell somebody who cares about my good fortune. I have questions.

How long is this gonna last? After they spawn are they as aggressive and easy to catch?

Great story. Weather is looking fine for Iowa City area today. Hope to get out on my local lake and nab some slab.

Fished for barely over an hour and caught 10 crappie, two very big over a foot ... only put four in the bucket and like an idiot left had no lid and too close to water. The biggest one jumped the bucket shortly after I put it in and made her way back into the water. So, I just poured the other three back out into the pond. I had dinner, but not even worried, I'll get more later. Yesterday the action was good all day but great during the drizzle and after the rain in the evening.

Confidence is sky high and these jigs are working great. Both the Garlands and Lelands. I've found that the lighter the head, the better it seems. Pink works best for some reason and I know this sounds crazy but the float might matter. I had a rocket bobber and got hung up and lost it and switched to a 2.0 crappie float, grabbed the pink one.. the slabs hit my jig before it even has a chance to sink the 20 or so inches below the float. The lighter foam pink float lands softer and doesn't spook the fish. The only weight I have is the 1/16th and 1/32 oz heads.. I'm finding the lighter 1/32nd oz are best right now. I'm just casting from shore into this little cove where I can see the vegetation growing. My bait is just above the weeds and if they don't hit it on the first drop, I just pop it twice and wait a minute, uf nothing, pop it again. The fish are just inhaling these jigs.

Originally Posted by IAKid52

Great story. Weather is looking fine for Iowa City area today. Hope to get out on my local lake and nab some slab.

Thanks, and Good luck to you. I think the extreme cold winter made for a late spawn around here. Things just started getting crazy a few days ago for me. Exciting.

Jamie K outdoors told me that you guys where at fishin creek and meeting at 8:00 pm ,sorry I missed you! Maybe we can get together another time and swap stories and I can learn new strategies . I prefer crappie on the table above any other fish. Holler at y'all soon and where do I find out where your tournaments are.thx