There’s Mega Schools of Black Crappie - by Brad

[Slab]

I feel like it’s the beginning of a movie and an old wise man in an older Tracker boat surrounded by fog turns to a young kid and says, “Boy,” the man continues, “Boy, that’s a mega school of black crappie there.”


There really are mega schools of crappie out there and they might even be swimming in the lake, river or pond you are fishing. Accomplished crappie fisherman and numerous team pro staffer Kent Driscoll said, “Right now and I expect it to continue for a while on Percy Priest Reservoir where the black crappie are stacked up on the main river channel up the lake. There are mega schools of black crappie that have grouped up once the water temperature dropped.”


Driscoll’s journey up the river to find them starts with targeting bends and creek intersections into feeder creeks. “I believe that these black crappie are grouped up as the water temperature drops to warm up,” Driscoll went on, “Getting in a group warms them up. Areas with fallen trees locked into the bank lying in a 60 degree angle can really produce a livewell full of crappie quickly.”




To catch these black crappie Driscoll uses a Trout Magnet Drop Head jig head. It’s a new product by Trout Magnet with an innovative head with a bottom eye design. “That is a unique way of presenting two jigheads at the same time, but the line tie on the bottom to the same drop head jig makes it easier and works better. I like the fact the jigheads only weigh 1/64-ounce because these groups of black crappie want it presented falling slowly.”


Typically, Driscoll ties the two Drop Head Jig heads 15- to 18-inches apart. That keeps them falling at the same rate without them tangling, but makes them look real. They have a premium jighead poured on a 2X sized 10 ultra point hooks. Driscoll rigs his Drop Head Jigs with 1-inch Trout Magnet in Sho Nuff or Sho Chartreuse color patterns.


He also has a secret way to keep the Trout Magnet on his jig heads so they last longer. “I use super glue to help keep the soft plastic lures attached to the jig heads,” Driscoll went on, “Normally, I will do that the night before heading out fishing in the morning. One other thing I will do is use Crappie Magnet Slab Bites that contrast the color of the soft plastic Trout Magnet. Sometimes they will only bite it with a Slab Bite on it.”


“Crappie are really lethargic and only want to bite lures that are presented swimming above them,” Driscoll continued, “Most the time I have the lure just 4-inches above them. With live scope it’s easy to see where your lure needs to be and where it’s at. The bite you get may only feel like a tick, but it’s a crappie trust me.”


Other advice Driscoll had about fishing the schools of crappie was always fish the front of the schools then the middle followed by the back section. Plus fish the top area before fishing the crappie that are deeper. Also Driscoll noted was to never, ever reel all the way through the group of crappie as that will spook the entire group and shut down the bite.


Driscoll uses a B’n’M Pole Leland’s TCB rod to cast out his ultra-light weight double jig head set up. The 6 ½-foot, 2 piece rod is super light making it easy to feel super light bites. Driscoll noted that it’s one of the best rods for casting 1/64-ounce jigheads and using light line in the 2- or 4-pound test. He uses 4-pound high-vis K-9 fishing line rigged on a B’n’M Pole Pro 100 reel.

[SuperDave336]

Good article! Thanks for sharing

[BAMA S]

Good read. Makes you want to
load up and get em!!!

[BuckeyeCrappie]

Great read Slab! Thanks for posting it.

[Jamesdean]

Thank you for sharing slab. Great read and good information.