Want to learn southern Illinois strip pit deep water skills

[garylubbes]

I recently joined a strip pit club in southern Illinois near Sparta that has giant crappie and would like to learn some deep water skills to be able to catch them all year round. I can find them shallow during the spawn and fall but have no clue how to locate and catch them when they go deep after the spawn. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Maybe recommend a book or DVD series?

[Gobob]

I assume you fish it from a boat ? If you have electronics find the deep water structure, find the thermocline Now find a flat or ledge with structure at the same depth as the thermocline . I will assume the water is very clear that being said mark the structure with a bouy marker back off as far as you can cast and pitch jigs around the marker or cast a crank past the marker and work it over the structure. Hope this helps If not I'm always willing to travel for some slabs lol good luck

[garylubbes]

I assume you fish it from a boat ? If you have electronics find the deep water structure, find the thermocline Now find a flat or ledge with structure at the same depth as the thermocline . I will assume the water is very clear that being said mark the structure with a bouy marker back off as far as you can cast and pitch jigs around the marker or cast a crank past the marker and work it over the structure. Hope this helps If not I'm always willing to travel for some slabs lol good luck

Yes, boat. I don;t have sophisticated electronics but on what I have I have noticed fish hanging in thermoclines in various parts of the lake. But I don;t know what they are, bass, crappie, catfish, etc. The most dominant structure are submerged piles left behind from the strip mining. You can be going along and bottom will be 30+ ft and then a spike will appear up to maybe 15 ft or so and then go back down to the 30+. it is between the spikes that I see fish. In the spring they were sitting@ 24 ft. Last weekend they were @ 17 ft. This last weekend I stumbled on some in some buckbrush in 6 ft of water in a shallower section of the lake. I caught them in that area in the spring as well. No thermocline in that area. Where do you live? Is southern Illinois close?

[Gobob]

No near Peoria Mapleton

[garylubbes]

gotcha. went there again today. brought home 4 giants including 2 over 14 inch. couldn;t locate any thermoclimes today. crappie came out of buck brush .