Indiana Crappie Fishing Guide

Does anyone have any recommendations for a fishing guide in Indiana, specifically for crappie? My wife and I pretty much have minnow fishing pretty much figured out. We are trying learn jig fishing but have not had any luck. I would like to have someone show us the "ropes" of jig fishing. I am looking for a fishing guide who would be willing to do this.

Please keep in mind we are not after hotspot or honey hole information. We dont fish like that. We do just fine in our "backyard" (Salamonie and Mississinewa). We just want to learn jig fishing.

Thank-you in advance for any recommendations!
Jim

If your just wanting to learn it the best way is to learn yourself. Read articles watch videos. Trial and error on the water is the best way to learn...just because you get a guide and you catch them that day doesn't learn you much. Except how to catch them on that condition you went out on. There are thousands of plastics out there...choosing which size color matters how quickly or slowly they fall. How much weight to use and hook size. There's a lot to learn here. But don't get me wrong a guide sure would put you on the right track and give you some good helpful info.

i agree, just learn yourself, Jimbo. its all learning to feel anyhow. rite now they should be shallow and better suited to floats. come summer look for deep banks with wood. get over it and jig rite down in the trash. this is where the learning to feel comes into play. a fist you will get hung and just plain pissed. lol but keep at it with a light touch. don't set the hook on everything you feel just the things that pull back. start with simple cheap lead heads n power grubs. you need to be very stealthy too. if you bump cover, or snag and yank, they will shut down on you. jump from brush pile to brush pile till you get that thump! sometimes they need it jigged aggressive and others not at all. just keep that light touch so you dont snag the jig hard. most times i can shake my jig free because i dont set the hook. it just takes practice and lots of patience. most people i fish with will snag and loose 5-10 jigs to my 1.

when you find schools on breaks or in sparse cover, you can get away with cast and reel. just count down to the fish and reel slow. resist the erg to fish horizontal on the brush though at whatever you do. lol

you can do it brother, we got confidence in ya:biggrin if not drop me a line and come on up for a day or two. (ft wayne area)

Here is a very good guide. J&R Guide Services - Patoka Lake, Indiana Give Rusty a call if your interested. He does produce fish for his clients.

Tom Hankins out of Indy is also a good crappie guide. Don't know how to get hold of him, but if you google him in a search you can find some info on him also. Maybe someone reading this post will give his contact info.?

Tom has taken the year off from guiding. but his website is hoosier crappie and catfish guide service if you would like to contact him. he is one of the top crappie fisherman in Indiana, and surrounding states. Depending on where you would want to fish I also would be willing to just take you out fishing and show you. I fish tournaments all around also. I single pole jig and spider rig like the rest of them. tournament season has a break coming up in the end of june if you have any interest in getting out

Thank you for the info on Tom. I PM'd him and never got a reply. It makes sense now.

Sorry guys I rarely get on here anymore however wannabe told me about this thread so I pm'd you back gijimbo.

Thank-you Tom! I completely understand and wish you the best. Time is a precious commodity that you can never make or buy more of it.