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Made my first post on the Georgia board, but I just signed up. My user name comes from I have a place on Clarks Hill about mid-lake. My fishing range is from about Darden Creek up to Wells Creek. I have been trying crappie fishing using some techniques I got from reading these boards but without a lot of luck. I would appreciate any advice on which creeks in my area are best for crappie and the best methods to use right now. Thanks for any help.
Welcome aboard MidHillbilly, glad to have you join us here. I don't fish that part of the Hill much so I wouldn't be able to help you as to where to try. I'm sure someone here will be able to give you some helpful advice.
As with any lake, the crappie bite in each creek and cove is dependent on the fishes migration in conjunction with water tempature, color and time of year. I know for fact that bite is strong in the little river on the South Carolina side. It is April, which should translate to a decent bite on most areas of the lake. Certain creeks and areas are always better than others, which is true on any lake. You do not specify your skill set, desired technique, nor preference to live or artificial bait.
Welcome to the boards. I hope you can put it together and have a good season
WELCOME TO THE BOARDS.:)
welcome to crappie.com from Rockwell NC.
Inkdabber,
Thanks for the reply. To answer your question, I have tried several techniques with mixed results. I have long line trolled with about 4 rods using jigs and jigs tipped with minnows. I do have a couple of 12 ft crappie rods and have also slow trolled both minnows and jigs off the front. I went this weekend and tried both methods. I caught a few crappie, but most came from casting to structure near the bank. I did catch some hybrids, yellow and white perch, and bass. I think the creeks where I normally fish, the crappie have really just recently started to move into them. Next week should really start heating up, I think, but I gotta work. Unless I , cough, cough, catch a fever.
With these warmer temperatures, a full moon, and the month of April, with a doubt some fish will be caught by casting to the banks. But if you wish to truly catch'em good, then long line trolling would be the technique of choice. Once the the water warms, the fish become more aggressive. Long lining allows you to cover lots of water. With the fish in all stages, pre spawn, spawn, and post spawn. By moving a lot and covering lots of water you increase your odds of intercepting fish in all stages.
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Originally Posted by MidHillbilly
Guess I am doing something wrong. It seems pretty simple to just drag some jigs behind the boat but obviously there is a lot more to it. I use some tips from here and pull different colors, different jig head weights, speeds from about 0.7 to 1.0 but not catching crappie. I did provide a community service and pull out a few miles of monofilament line. Amazing how many people seem to lose an entire reel full of line. How do you go about finding the fish, deciding on depth, etc.? If you were fishing a creek that you had never been on, how would you go about breaking it down?Quote:
Originally Posted by Inkdabber
Here's a thread I wrote a year or so back concerning seasonal patterns, this should give you some idea as to where to look and how to fish during certain times of the year. Jig color is a preference type thing. In general, I would say the brighter the day/clearer the water the lighter the jig color. The darker the day/muddier the water the darker the jig color. Color combinations are a good way to hone in to a fishes desires. Try using color combinations on a multiple rod trolling set up, as strikes occur, begin changing baits out to get to the best combination on all rods. Remember as the day progresses, what the fish prefer may change. So, if bites slow down, begin your color search again. Also, in my opinion, the depth jigs are running is much more important than the color of the baits used.
Late fall through early winter your best bet for finding fish is in the river channels. Depending on water temps and bait, the fish could be all the way on the bottom or up on the ledge. Keep your eye on your electronics looking for bait. When the crappie are most active they will be suspended up in the water column near the bait balls. For most of SC I would not look much deeper than 30 feet. Late winter into early spring the fish will start to migrate towards the creek mouths. Ledges or contours near the larger creeks would be your primary targets. Severe cold snaps will push the fish back to the river if it is prolonged. Electronics are essential to finding the fish at this time, the fish will be on the move. As groups or pods of fish make there way towards the creeks, they will stage up making them prime targets for tight-line fishing. The depths of 15 to 25 feet would be my target zones. During spring, the fish could be anywhere. Always remember, not all fish spawn at the same time, so numerous techniques are effective. Long line trolling is especially deadly at this time, as fish transition between pre-spawn, Spawn, and post-spawn the long liners whom cover water will intercept all three categories of fish. Working the depths from a few feet to 18 feet should be best. During late spring into summer the fish will be in spawn to post-spawn mode. Vertical jig fishermen shine at this time, as most fish are holding on wood in shallow to mid-range water depths. Creeks are still best with some fish migrating back to the main lake. Long lining is still quite effective in the low light conditions of early or late in the day. Summer is for the brush fishermen. Jigging or minnow fishing brush can be outstanding during the hottest of days. Depths can vary from as shallow as a few feet, to in the twenties. It is a big misconception that all the crappie go deep in the heat of summer. For those whom don't like the heat, night fishing under the lights can also be outstanding. Fishing brush or channel ledges are best for this technique. Summer into fall, the fish will migrate back to the shallows to gorge themselves on the huge schools of bait that can be seen all over the lakes surfaces. Staying mobile is key as the fish will be on the move following the bait. It is not uncommon to catch fish in a creek one day only to get skunked the next day fishing the same area. I hope this gives you a little insight as to my thinking on this subject. Good luck!