Bruin Chain of lakes

You have to love this time of year. Weather is starting to turn, winds are calm, and we go from one fish spawning season to another. Started a little over a month ago on the annual walleye run. Then I moved on to perch. Decided to turn my attention to the Crappies this weekend.

I took my dad and my buddy Brian out to the Bruin chain of lakes. We headed to my favorite crappie lake (Woodburn) and marked a ton of fish in the 15 foot range. For two hours we chased around and couldn't catch anything. Then it dawned on me. Why in the heck am I not targeting the pre-spawn fish on the break lines?

We moved over to the back side of an island on Watson lake. My dad threw in one of my ultra-lights with a slip float and was rewarded with this fat pre-spawn female
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Brian was next with a nice fatty of his own
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We worked the break line where the shallow brown water meets the clearer dark water. Fish were holding in the 4 foot range and smacking the baits. Minnows under a float worked as well as casting with a 1/16oz chartreuse or lime green jig. I'm happy with the success of the sickle hook jigs thus far. Really good hook sets that hold very well. We also caught two pike and a couple of bass. While going back to the dock, Brian said "we must have gotten six or seven tonight". I said "I think I caught that myself". He gave me that (stop telling lies) look. He said he caught two, dad caught two and I must have caught three. I told him to count the front live well. We ended the night with a 11 really nice crappies that I donated for mom and dad to take home. I love having a front live well! No one pays attention to what I'm doing and the next thing you know.... I don't like to brag so I just slip the fish in when they are not looking.
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Sunday I wanted to get an early start. I ended up not leaving until 10 am as I was adjusting my transducer when a neighbor came over to ask if he and his son could turkey hunt my property.

We fished the same area and Brian really schooled me the first hour or so. The only fish I caught was when I threw my bait over the side of the boat (about six inches in the water) and while moving the boat I hooked one.
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The wind was tough and I switched over to my 10ft steelhead rod with a slip float. Because of the water color I chose a yellow jig head. This was a color request from Yankee Doodler and I have not had one other person order this color. I call it "mustard" because that is what it looks like. Well, I hope no one catches on because I proceeded to take him to the cleaners the next two hours. He ended with the three he caught early. He was however the "pike" master, catching 4 of the little guys. Even managed a big large mouth to go with it. We ended the day with 12 but not before chatting with a guy that came up to fish the island.

I spoke with him for a long while. Turns out he lives not too far from me. He had been on CDC before and said he just really enjoys crappie fishing. He was tossing back the spawning females. I had on a CDC shirt and asked him to come online and join us at Hardy. Right before leaving, he said he needed to count how many fish he had. It was a perfect opportunity for fellowship. I had an extra fish counter that Don and Carol made so I removed it from my glove box, eased over and handed it to him. I was surprised in return when he handed me some baits that he was catching them on (and doing well too). His name is Tim and I hope he decides to join us online.

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One thing I didn't mention.

Early in the morning I had caught a very nice large mouth. A few casts later, while using a 2 inch Berkley gulp alive, I hooked a heavy fish. I originally thought it was a bass however it started moving side to side like a crappie or blue gill would. The fish was about 6 feet from my boat when I got a look at the biggest crappie I have every personally hooked. I estimated it at 15 or 16 inches and easily would have garnered a master angler award. Of course, as luck would have it, it spit the hook. I was disappointed however I remember thinking "this is why I fish". It isn't for all the ones I catch, or the ones I am able to take home with me, but the elusive ones I have yet to catch or the ones that got away. As a youngster, I would have been devastated. Maybe even angry. Now, I had a smile on my face. I put myself in the right spot, with the right bait, made the right cast, to the right area, and had the opportunity to catch an awesome fish. What more can you ask for?

Well done sir..fun aint it? had some more fun today myself..kept 8, lost 2, 2 redeyes, and a 27" pike. Darn pike just ruin the bite. 5

Awesome Rich. Good to see dad and Brian out with you. Great pics and story.

good reports

Nice Rich. Great report. Thanks for sharing.

Nice fish , I'm due for a good crappie bite so I might give it a try this weekend