Need help from an experienced fisherman

My wife and I have been fishing at an amazing crappie lake and last month we were slaughtering the crappie in 8-12 ft of water on multiple weekends. Now here is where I need our advice. The crappie have moved to shallower water for spawn or pre pawn. The lake is ABSOULTLEY chocked with weed and anything under 6 foot of water is nothing but solid leafy weeds. I cant cast anything without it instantly getting covered. This is all over the lake with no exceptions. What can I do to get to these crappie ?

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Originally Posted by gummy460

My wife and I have been fishing at an amazing crappie lake and last month we were slaughtering the crappie in 8-12 ft of water on multiple weekends. Now here is where I need our advice. The crappie have moved to shallower water for spawn or pre pawn. The lake is ABSOULTLEY chocked with weed and anything under 6 foot of water is nothing but solid leafy weeds. I cant cast anything without it instantly getting covered. This is all over the lake with no exceptions. What can I do to get to these crappie ?

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You could move your boat into the weedy areas and take a rake and make openings in the weed mats then use a vertical presentation or a slip bobber and jig/minnow/both. You might also troll right along the edge of the weedline with jigs/ roadrunners/or small crankbaits. This kind of area is a great area to learn how to use planer boards so you can keep the boat away from the weed edge but run your bait right along the edge.

Thank you

Thanks for the advice, Ill try that

11 foot jig pole, 15 lb braided line, crappie jig. If it is matted they have to swin n the holes. Find the holes, even small ones., lower the jig down into holes, down beside small bushes, etc. kinda like around the lily pads in Florids. Go slow, your trolling motor used correctly will NOT spook the crappie. Will find success.

The branded line is for getting you jig back as you will get stuck some.

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Originally Posted by Hotpepper

11 foot jig pole, 15 lb braided line, crappie jig. If it is matted they have to swin n the holes. Find the holes, even small ones., lower the jig down into holes, down beside small bushes, etc. kinda like around the lily pads in Florids. Go slow, your trolling motor used correctly will NOT spook the crappie. Will find success.

The branded line is for getting you jig back as you will get stuck some.

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Hotpepper,
May need this kinda of advice for duck hunting the Wabash!

The fish are going to make beds generally in the places that have adequate light penetration for the eggs. You have to start dipping into holes and figure out which places they are using primarily. The long pole and dipping is one way. And sometimes you can also just pitch your jig into the hole with a regular length rod.If the fish does not hit it on the fall you just pull it out and go again...or you can try flipping or pitching a bobber and jig in the hole. I call it combat fishing LOL. Lots of places I fish are like that.

If you find some submerged grass beds that do not come all the way to the surface you want to cast and swim the jig just over the top of it. Those beds are the most productive many times if you have or can find any.