Thread: Top 3 tips/advice

Pay attention to what others are doing(that are catching fish).

Always use quality equipment, you'll catch quality fish.

Remember where to start
Pre-Spawn - on ledges (not too deep, not too shallow)
Spawn - Usually shallow (4'), look in coves & on lay downs on banks.
Post spawn - look at underwater cover (brush, stumps, ledges, etc)
Winter - Look deep for suspended fish

1st off, as a novice crappie fisherman myself, always try as many different techniques possible. That way you will always have some new "trick" to try.

Best time to fish... any time you can, but especially when the water temp is coming up from 55-60. then hit every bush you can find.

Lures.... minnows, jigs, crickets... whatever works for you. as for jigs... some people are big on orange, some on red. I like black/chartreuse. That is probably one of the most popular choices out there.

Try to avoid bumping into your bushes, that will spook them.

avoid corks in brush also, learn how to tightline with long poles.

I wish I knew more tricks. My freezer would be full then. Of course, every time i haul in a mess, I wind up eating fish. Probably the best advice i can give is become a regular on this board, because there will be a lot of information that will help. Best of all, you will make some good aquaintances here.

1) Time

Just finding time in the busy schedule of life to go fishing is the biggest hurdle I face in getting on the water. If your stuck with honey do's and a busy social schedlule your not going to be able to go when they are biting.

2) Wife

Make sure she is ok with you going fishing and make sure you are ok with her going to do what it is she likes to do and you don't. If both of those terms are not met no fishing trip is worth the scorn she can dish out between fishing trips.

2) Comfort.

If your stuck sitting on a bucket in a small boat with no snacks the fish better be biting or your going to be miserable. I don't boat as many crappie as others, but we eat better than everyone. I would say that the vast majority of us have more zero than hero days so you might as well be comfortable while your fishing and not catching.

gooch,

The wife advice sounds like a voice of experience. I also adhere to the "if momma ain't happy, nobody's happy" philosophy. You might wake up with a face full of hot rice!

Depth Control
Boat Control
Go as often as you can

1. Don't pound the banks if they aren't there. Make a 180 and try a little bit deeper.

2. My best fishing is on days with an approaching warm front.

3. Hook up with some folks off this board and find you a few new spots to fish.

1. Create habitat for fish to live in. When you launch your boat you will automatically have several places to try.

2. Good electronics are a must. Learn the contours of your favorite lake, so you can understand what the fish are doing. Imagine the lake with all of the water drained out of it.

3. Don't get burned out trying to catch spawning fish. They are constantly on the move and most people can't stay on them for more than a day or two. Summer time really produces the largest numbers and the largest crappie.

1. RELAX - I caught more fish when I was a levee jumper, but it was WORK.
2. RELAX- If you don't enjoy being on the water...you're not a fisherman,
3. RELAX- If they don't cooperate today...there's always tomorrow.

I'm sure there are more than three points, but they all begin with RELAX!!!

Titleman