New to crappie fishing

Hello all,

I am in Wichita and am going to get back into fishing after 10 years. I grew up in North Dakota and upstate NY so my Dad brought me up on Walleye. Its seems everything has gotten alot more technical since I stopped fishing. We never had a boat (I do not have one now) so we would bank fish. Most of the time we would drop a three way rig with a live minnow and usually have success (esp. in North Dakota). After moving to Kansas I somewhat got into catfish. Even then it was dropping a treble hook with some stinkbait into a channel, usually had success.

After doing some research I have a few questions

I am going to buy some poles this weekend and was wondering how big of a reel and rod I should get.

I read everywhere that spring and fall are good for crappie (like walleye), what does someone who fish from the banks do in the summer time?

I am going to start out with slip bobbers and minnows, is this a good way to start out?

If there is anyone in the wichita area, are there any small lakes/ponds in the area that would be good for my 6 year old son to start on. I really dont feel like dragging him out to fall river, Marion..etc for a couple of hours and than have to come back when he gets bored.


I am looking forward to getting afteri t. I have made some changes in my life and need a new hobby. Plus I want my wife to learn to make hush puppies!

I am sure I will have alot more questions and will be lurking around this forum pretty often. Thanks for reading

If you like camping I will be camphosting at El Dorado Lake.Will be there soon I have a boat maybe we can hook up and go fishing.

Welcome to site jawzenator-Crappie great fish to get a young one started with even bluegill-light action, ultralight outfit, don't need heavy rod or big reel with 6 pound line, slip bobbers and minners great way to start even use plastics or jig with slow retrieve under bobber good way to go. Watson park and some of the Wichita city lakes be good to start youngster on. State stocks them. All the guys (and gals) here have good tips and you can learn alot, I know I gain something new everytime I go thru the postings.

Good luck and tight lines!

I would go with a smaller reel full at 110 yds with 6lb test. Rod IM6 or better 6 foot or 6'6" light to med light action for adults. Shorter rod for kids 5'6". As it warms up (prespawn) this time of year, set slip bobber at 6 to 8 feet and cast out further from the bank. As it warms up, move bobber shallower and cast closer to the bank. Rocky or woody structured coves and wind protected areas will be better fishing due to warmer water temperatures. 58-64 degrees water temps will be prime spawning water temps.

Minnows a must with kids. Otherwise, I would run a 1/16 oz blakemoore road runner and 2 1/2" chartruese twister along spawing banks with a slow but steady retrieve. Summer crappie fishing will be tough without a boat. Check into dock fishing in your area during the summer. Most of all relax and have some fun, even if the fish do not cooperate!

Riverc...I used to fish El Dorado for catfish years ago and had good results. I was debating on El Dorado / Marion as a "home lake". Do you know if there are very many good spots during the summer for people who fish from the bank? I do not mind finding fishing holes myself, its just helps to know that people are having success.

Another question I had. Usually in the summer (at least up north) the walleye come into the shallows at night to feed, is it the same for crappie?

Welcome aboard from the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains!

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Originally Posted by Jawzenator

Riverc...I used to fish El Dorado for catfish years ago and had good results. I was debating on El Dorado / Marion as a "home lake". Do you know if there are very many good spots during the summer for people who fish from the bank? I do not mind finding fishing holes myself, its just helps to know that people are having success.

Another question I had. Usually in the summer (at least up north) the walleye come into the shallows at night to feed, is it the same for crappie?

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This will be my 1st full year fishing El Dorado did mostly bass and catfishing late last summer and early fall on the lake. Have not done much bank fishing.My son and his friends do okay on cats,up by the Rock Quarry area,Bluestem point and around the Hwy 177 bridge.

I have not fished for crappie at night mostly cats.We plan on trying crappie at night this summer using lights and minnows from a boat but will be in deeper water.We have a few areas around the lake we will try.

I live in Wichita and fish all over the place. My "home" lakes are Cheney and El Dorado. I, too, am new to crappie fishing so I don't have a whole lot to tell you on that. If you turn left at the turn-off near the dam at El Dorado and head to campsite 2. I've caught a ton of channel cat and some nice wipers on the north side of that point. I usually wade for wipers, but fish almost exclusively from the bank for cats. I've caught them on liver, secret-7 stink bait, worms, shrimp..almost anything really.

As far as fishing Wichita, I usually fish private lakes anytime I can. I ask friends with lakes in their housing developments, apartments, etc. Most of the lakes are stocked now due to the urban fishing program though, so you can catch something almost anywhere. If you like big bluegill and largemouth bass fishing, I do know of a really nice private lake down by Haysville. It's tough to find and tough to fish (really weedy during the summer), but it's a real gem.

Ty, maybe we could hook up sometime. All my friends were raised alot different than me, so Ill be fishing alone most of the time. I did go out to Sedgwick County park last night just to check it out. I saw a couple of kids "fly fishing" (lol). I was shocked when I saw one of them pull out a 3 lb rainbow trout. Curiosity got the better of me so I went and talked to them. Those kids knew that they had just stocked the trout that morning. Thats too funny.

I am not that big on catfishing, to me it like dragging a boot across the bottom of the water. However, it may be that that is the only option in the dog days of summer though. Back in the day I caught alot of catfish on Bee-Jays stinkbait. Not sure if it is even around anymore.

Don't knock the fly fishing.....I can do a really good job...Caught Bass(largemouth, whites), Bluegill, Crappie, even catfish last year on flies, thats not counting the stocked trout...I'm headed to Colorado Thursday night to do some real trout fishing out in Colorado oven the weekend.....Fly fishing is a heck of a lot of fun if you can get the hang of it...get a light weight fly rod and catch some bluegills on tiny little poppers in the summer they put up a real good fight on fly rods.