Suspended Crappie

When I use to fish for crappies years ago I fished suspended fish on chanel breaks flats ect and would have some realy good days. Went boatless for a few years do to moves and have now purchased a new boat and I am back at it again in my retirement years. However now I can not catch a suspended fish to save my sole. It seems if you are
not in or around brush I cant catch nothing? My friends say it is because of all the brush biles that have been put in the lake. I use to find them on my depth finder and verticle fish them or drift the flats depending on the time of year.
What has changed is it me? The old ways just dont work any more and I can not figure out why?? I can find them but not catch them. Any insite.

Thanks Robert

The only thing I can offer is I am catching a few trolling and when I do catch one I swing around and fish that area. Hopefully some much more experienced guys will offer up useful info for you

I think catching suspended crappie the depth of your jig is critical.A foot higher or lower can make all the difference sometimes.And sometimes you just got to smack'em right in the face with it!!:bash Good :fish to ya.

IMO, youre after the agressive fish so be sure to keep your baits above them. If the jigs/minnows are below the fish then you wont be catching. If the fish isnt agressive you wont catch 'em either. That's why I longline troll...to cover alot of water and find the fish willing to bite. I too fished those same old methods back in the day. But I will say....they didnt catch the numbers like the newer methods of today does.Thumbs Up

They are there. Just keep trying. As the summer progresses keep an eye on your thermocline and fish right above it. Tonight the thermocline was at 15 feet and the water temp was 81 degrees. Had a limit on channel breaks of 12 to 14 inch fish in two hours. Some days they will be on top and back on those flats other days you will find more on the break. Hot tip...they aren't below that thermocline yet... that gives you less than 15 feet to fish. The rest is on you. :biggrin

I agree with the above posters. The bait must be above the crappie, fish can not see below them at any distance s the bait must always be above them or right in front of their face.
One thing I will add is the fact that there are a lot more species as well as numbers in a lot of our local lakes so some of what you may be seeing may not be what you are targeting.:dono

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Originally Posted by Silent

They are there. Just keep trying. As the summer progresses keep an eye on your thermocline and fish right above it. Tonight the thermocline was at 15 feet and the water temp was 81 degrees. Had a limit on channel breaks of 12 to 14 inch fish in two hours. Some days they will be on top and back on those flats other days you will find more on the break. Hot tip...they aren't below that thermocline yet... that gives you less than 15 feet to fish. The rest is on you. :biggrin

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We've been getting some down 32' with the walleye. Neither species are low DO fish like say catfish. Crappie are suspended at Milford, mainly 22'-28' and will black out the screen at times.

I would like to thank all who replied. I have good electronics and can watch my jig go to where I see fish, I know fish feed up and try to put it in their face or just above and move up a reel at a time no luck? I just find it frustating, maybe I am just remembering the past. I can move from pile to pile and catch fish its just not what I like to do. I too long line drift catch one throw a marker and redrift the area if I catch one. I have been out of the game for awhile and will keep trying I love just being outside and if I catch anything it is just a plus for that day. Normally dont even keep any when I do catch them unless I want five or six to eat. This is a great site thanks again. Hope more will reply and help this old guy out, maybe I just need to quit reliving the past. I
take it that no one feels the bush piles placed in the lake has anything to do with me not being able to catch those suspended fish.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Silent

They are there. Just keep trying. As the summer progresses keep an eye on your thermocline and fish right above it. Tonight the thermocline was at 15 feet and the water temp was 81 degrees. Had a limit on channel breaks of 12 to 14 inch fish in two hours. Some days they will be on top and back on those flats other days you will find more on the break. Hot tip...they aren't below that thermocline yet... that gives you less than 15 feet to fish. The rest is on you. :biggrin

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Thermocline?? What lake are you fishing??

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Originally Posted by kingfish387

I think catching suspended crappie the depth of your jig is critical.A foot higher or lower can make all the difference sometimes.And sometimes you just got to smack'em right in the face with it!!:bash Good :fish to ya.

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I have literaly done that to 'gills and not gotten them to bite. I know because the water was clear and I could see them. I dropped a jig right on their heads and they didn't even spook.