Help for a newbie on Harris

I'm looking to get into night fishing Harris and any pointers would be a tremendous help. I'm just getting into Crappie fishing seriously, been tinkering with it for a few years with limited success. What are the best tactics at night??? General locations??? Bait and etc??? I'll be fishing out of a 18' center console Carolina Skiff with a t-top. It's set up for drifting or trolling for catfish with a Minn Kota w/I-pilot, led lights, rod holders all around, Lowrance electronics with GPS, down and side imaging. I have an assortment of Kalin jigs, Road Runners, Marabou jigs, various plastics, weights and slip floats. I have a green submersible light and a floating white light. I don't have any "Crappie specific" rods, but I do have a few 5' and 6' panfish combos. I think I have enough to get me started, just need to get some experience under my belt. Thanks for any help you are willing to pass along!!!!

Don't overthink night fishing for crappie. I personally don't have any crappie rods. I grew up using Zebco 33's and I love those things, the older ones anyway not the new cheap plastic ones. I throw a few lights in the water and fish directly under them and on the perimeter of the lights. I drop a minnow straight down anywhere from 1' to 5 or 6'. I've been known to drop a slider or two but I generally use minnows. I've been personally fishing 5' to 28' of water on points by a cove. This works for me and I'm sure other guys have different techniques.

When using a light do you fish with bobbers or just vertical fish? And how deep do you fish?

I use a minnow and a split shot. I fish with six rods all at different depths until I figure out where they're biting and then set all six at that depth

Same thing, split shot and no bobber. Just remember, the more rods you have out the funner it is when a white perch grabs a minnow and proceeds to run thru the rest of the lines you have out.

I've always said I chose a pretty darn frustrating hobby. Spend more time untangling and fixing stuff than I do fishing some days :banghead

Thanks for the help guys!!!! With the slip shot and minnow, I assume you are fishing straight down over the side of the boat??? How much does the brightness of the lights affect things??? The brighter the better??? The more lights the better??? What is the preferred hook style and size for minnows??? Split shot size???Minnows and jigs together make any difference??? Double rig minnows??? I know, I know..... Why is the sky blue and the sun orange??? I'm like a 2 year old asking questions, LOL!!!! If I don't ask, I won't know, right??? Thanks again!!!!

I use 2 of the old style floating flounder lights and 2 rods 8' -6' i use a single hook cause when they swallow it i cut the hook off and tie another one on i also use the rubble core weights so i can slide it up the line i use a #1 r a #2 hook from Walmart 50 in a pack for $4.00


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Like they say, the only stupid question is the question not asked.

The brighter the light the better but if you get a set of the floating flounder lights like mac crappie then you'll be in good shape. I drop the hook straight down but the trick is finding the right depth. Put your bait at varying depths and see which one works best. If you hit the right area you'll see the crappie shoot to the surface chasing the shad and shiners. So of course your bait being 10' deep doesn't really work and I'm sure your light will not penetrate that deep unless the water is very clear. I personally use a #8 hook and it really doesn't matter about the sinker size since you are probably anchored out and dropping straight down. Not like at the ocean where you're fighting a ripping current. I also do exactly like mac does, if they swallow the hook I cut it off and throw them back. I go thru a ton of hooks. I get a bunch off ebay for near nothing so I would rather throw a 2 penny hook away as to see a crappie floating because I just had to rip his guts out to save that 2 pennies. As for minnow size, just ask for crappie minnows (the small ones) at the bait store. Now, the sky is blue because................................

Awesome info, thanks!!!!