Crappie report for Griffin. November 2025

My brother flew in for some fishing so we went out of clearwater and caught a limit of spanish so I was already over the moon. He he said "Show me some of this lake boat fishing you do." So we went to Griffin on Saturday. First day really trying since july and had a late start. Caught 4 good size BG at a fish attraction but it was slow going. We were meeting my wife for dinner at the bar on the water and she showed up early to fish for an hour before we ate. Normally we don't catch anything in the channels but because they have the lock closed I thought the area right at the gate would be un traveled. That worked. Got 4 big crappie very quickly on minnows. We ate and slow traveled back up the channel. On the way back to the ramp in leesburg we decided to make a detour to the little bridge nearby. The 1st minnow drop I immediately got a 13" on and in the boat. A few minutes later and our friend got a 12" on a shinner which was odd to me. We packed it up. Hope this helps some random googler one day.

Over 50 crappie and 100 BG caught eaten this year all on minnows. I think lure fishing for crappie is a scam. We try every time we go out and no one on my boat has ever pulled one on a lure. I have bought and tried every crappie lure I have seen in any video or ad. Maybe you need clearer water to make them work or something but in lake Griffin, just bring minnows.

Yes sir! Each lake can be different. Gotta give the fish what they want! Thanks!

Nice, sounds enjoyable

Nice out! Thanks for sharing with us

I do well on Lake Griffin and I never use minnows. I troll Jigs with Slabsauce. This is from 3 days ago:


Attachment 511723

only fished for maybe two hours max.


here’s the video
https://youtu.be/2S7Tw7aBbk8

and here’s the end result

Attachment 511724

I even left one on the bone to show our German friends.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Slab

I do well on Lake Griffin and I never use minnows. I troll Jigs with Slabsauce. This is from 3 days ago:


Attachment 511723

only fished for maybe two hours max.


here’s the video
https://youtu.be/2S7Tw7aBbk8

and here’s the end result

Attachment 511724

I even left one on the bone to show our German friends.

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I sorta figured you would chime in. :highfive Looks delicious

Uh dude your just like my buddies up here in MO who are "minnow boys" and have to have them every trip. BUT I outfish them almost every time. ALMOST as there are some days when they want MEAT even if it's only part of a minnow if you don't have many.

I've fished that lake with Slab pulling jigs and we ( Ed mostly) caught the heck out of them ALL on jigs with slabsauce. or went there with my good friend who lives in the Villages and we have done well there ALL with jigs. So your basically rationalizing and using minnows mostly because THAT is what your confident in, which is fine. I ketch a lot of crappie mostly on jigs but when I am with my minnow boys buddies I will put a minnow on my jig for a trailer to great success. You should hook up with some CDC guys who use jigs and gain some knowledge. Will help you put more fish in the boat. FYI

BTW one of my minnow boys tired of me ketchn more crappie with jigs while they ignored his minnows asked me for one of jigs and then using the same jig and casting close to the same spot KICKED MY BUTT to the point I called the other minnow boy and told him I was going to have to kill my buddy as I'm not used to that type humiliation! LOL

Yeah sorry, trolling to me doesn't count. No shade but I was talking about standing poll in hand and casting. If I suggested we sit in the boat and drive in circles for fish, my friends would throw me off my own boat lol.

Yeah that is kinda ridiculous though. I have fished Griffin a few times a month for almost 2 years some months every weekend. I have tried every lure i have seen. I wish I didn't need to go to the bait shop. I always out fish anyone who comes and I still brought more fish in than the trolling guys last week. I'm not a "minnow boy" I am a wants to cast a line and catch a fish boy. Whatever gets there. Hours spent all over that lake hasn't brought a crappie on any artifical. I get bass and muds on them though. I use slab sauce on everything. I understand that trolling works faster sometimes. If I ever decide to stop fishing and start trolling. Ill buy more plastic.