Thread: Westbranch

Nice cooler of fish. Congratulations and thanks for sharing

Nice mess of fish

That's my home lake! Fish there weekly! I was there this past Saturday all day and Sunday. That doesn't look like a weekend as I don't see any boats in your pics . I was anchored in the no wake zone too all weekend.

We did 149 on Saturday and I took a newbie from work who grew up in Rhode Island on Sunday. We put 40 in the boat on Sunday. I had to do a lot of teaching instead of fishing on Sunday as he has never fished before.

Does your brother live up here in Ohio and fish West Branch regularly? WB is a hard lake to fish successfully if you are not familiar with the lake.

Originally Posted by Opie1

That's my home lake! Fish there weekly! I was there this past Saturday all day and Sunday. That doesn't look like a weekend as I don't see any boats in your pics . I was anchored in the no wake zone too all weekend.

We did 149 on Saturday and I took a newbie from work who grew up in Rhode Island on Sunday. We put 40 in the boat on Sunday. I had to do a lot of teaching instead of fishing on Sunday as he has never fished before.

Does your brother live up here in Ohio and fish West Branch regularly? WB is a hard lake to fish successfully if you are not familiar with the lake.

He does not fish it regularly, probably would like to.
We rented a boat and just went hunting for them, casting and trolling the jigs.
It was last Friday when we went, and not too many people were there. Seems like there are a ton of crappie in the lake.

Sent from my SM-A125U using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

The Branch continues to produce. July and August are the best! 151 crappie in the boat and 15 taken home in the cooler. Shootin for 200 in the boat again this year. We should make it sometime in early August on a nice hot day.

Originally Posted by Opie1

The Branch continues to produce. July and August are the best! 151 crappie in the boat and 15 taken home in the cooler. Shootin for 200 in the boat again this year. We should make it sometime in early August on a nice hot day.

How cool is that.
I would love to fish it with my boat. Lot more versatile than the rental.
I'll have to tell my brother to bug his buddie about going back out there.

Sent from my SM-A125U using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Just ran across this old post. The same July/August crappie pattern still produces. I was at West Branch this past Saturday and pulled in 86 crappie by myself (plus channels, LM bass, Bgills and yellow perch). Drove out to the mid-lake hump, anchored down and didn't move all day. The thermocline sets up at 15fow and this structure/hump is normally 12.5fow.
So, the crappie gather and set up on this hump and they are there for the taking. This pattern works anywhere. Find the depth the thermocline is at. Look for structure 1-2' above the thermocline and start catching.

I use slip bobbers and drop shot rigs straight over the side of the boat. Vast majority of the fish came on dropshot last weekend. Many people would be surprised that you can catch crappie using a dropshot in 3 to 4 fow.

Then hit Lake Erie for walleye last Monday and going back for more walleye tomorrow. Filling the freezer for the fall and winter.