Winter Crappie Fishing

[Boone]

Hi Guys . Have a couple of questions about Winter Crappie Fishing Methods and Lakes in Kentucky.

Question 1: In live in Jamestown, KY (that's on Lake Cumberland (LC)) and I'm thinking about a little Winter Time crappie fishing, but LC is not rated as one of the better lakes, with maybe the exception of the upper East end. Looking for your comments/recommendations on lakes in central Kentucky which are within reasonable driving (say 2 hrs) from Jamestown, KY. The latest KYDFW report http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/2010fishingforecast.pdf list both Green River Lake and Nolin as being Good/Excellent crappie lakes. I would appreciate your thoughts on these and others?

Question 2: I fish the "float and fly" (FNF) method for smallmouth bass during the winter months on LC and DH. Also, it is my understanding that FNF was orginally developed as a method for crappie fishing. So, do any of you guys fish FNF for crappie? If so, do you mind sharing type of jigs used, leader length and general fishing patterns you recommend?

Any and all comments are appreciated,
Gary

[Sledge]

I can't help you on crappie fishing Lake Cumberland, but the float n fly is a great way to catch crappie. This was really the first way I learned to catch crappie. I had so much fun and enjoyed it so much I couldn't help but want to try the same techniques for smallies when it gained popularity. I use it more in early winter through spring. I am sure it could be used year round but if your fishing brushpiles, say in early fall there would be a lot of adjusting that would have to be done, because I am usually fishing deeper. I will have brush in several different depths and go from one to another, and its easier to just fish a jig or drop a minnow, for me. I use tube, bass assasin, or popeye's for my float n fly with a oval shape bobber or small stick bobber. It helps to just hook the bottom of your floaters, not the top and bottom. You will have better action with just the bottom. Depths range anywhere to 1 foot to 6-7 feet for me. Like I said you can fish it a lot deeper, but for me I use it more for shallower applications. Wally Marshall makes a good oval shape bobber that rattles which are great. I fish this a lot in the winter in the creek channels, where the water is a lot lower due to winter pool. If you get some fairly warm days, the fish will move up next to stumps, and sometimes they will come up chasing baitfish on flats, and just suspend. This is probably my favorite way to catch them in the spring, on shallow brush. In clearer lakes like Dale and Cumberland you probably would want to try a little deeper. Always, experiment with colors of jigs and depths. Look for signs of birds, baitfish, etc. Hope this helps.

[ekySlabber]

If you live in Jamestown I would spend the time to learn where they hang on Cumberland. There are enuf good crappie there IMO to not warrant a 2 hr drive to another lake, unless you are talking about KY/Barkley. I know it doesn't get much press about the crappie fishing, but there are plenty of slabs in LC and from what Ive seen the quality of fish is really good. Might not be a numbers lake but I think it's a real sleeper spot for big crappie. Smallies and stripers get all the attention there so if you could figure out some nice honey-holes then Id say you will have many great catches in years to come. Another reason I would stick with LC is since the water is down, you have a great chance of building some prime brushpiles before they bring the lake back up. When they do bring it back up, the crappie fishing should be phenomenal for a few years following them raising the lake back up due to all the new cover they will have thats been growing on the banks. Hope you get on em'!

[it's a goodn]

I agree with what ekySlabber said about LC. I am sure there are some super slab's in LC all of the fish that I have seen that come from there look realy healthy. There will alway's be a better lake to fish some where but try to make the most of your home lake. Putting out brush will only help your fishing that much better. I fish Nolin Lake and I couldn't catch that many until I put some bed's out and my long slow day's started to become faster with more fish. Nolin has a good number of crappie if you are up for the drive. send me a pm if you are thinking of comeing to nolin and I will try to help.

[Boone]

Thanks guys. Appreciate all your comments. Certainly will do some exploring and fishing on Cumberland, but also interested in visiting Green and Nolin.

Bobber Down,
Gary