I have heard of people trolling crank baits for crappie. What kinda crank baits are used for crappie? I just got a boat this spring and i like trolling though maybe i would try for some crappie.
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I have heard of people trolling crank baits for crappie. What kinda crank baits are used for crappie? I just got a boat this spring and i like trolling though maybe i would try for some crappie.
bandit crank baits I like the 200s bass pro and cabelas has them
Also, try Hot N Tots.
Bomber's are the best followed bye Bandit 2 and 300's followed bye Hot-n-tots. We troll cranks all summer long and they have been going good for the last three weeks.
What depth of water are you having the best luck and are you fishing points, flats or breaks(or probably all three) I'm usually trolling cranks and casting them for walleys but I've caught some decent crappies to.Quote:
Originally Posted by Springhill Duckman
Joe,
We let the crappie tell us. We where trolling thin fins over shallow spread out spawning crappie during the spawn and doing really well. Then when they pulled off the banks and scatter chasing shad you need to use your electronics to tell you where and what depth to fish. As a rule of thumb active crappie (feeding fish) will suspend in 6 to 12 ft of water but that can be in up to 50 foot water (the bottom). If your seeing fish in a particular range use a crank that goes just above or equal to that. If you see fish deeper than 12 foot then they are in a negative or neutral feeding zone and can be harder to catch. We will either spider rig those or speed up our trolling and try and get a reaction bite. Right now you can find them in the 10 to 18ft of water (bottom depth). This weekend at LOZ we caught a lot of fish in 20 to 30 fow 7 to 12 ft down. 2 weeks ago on Truman Damn we found the black crappie suspended in 35 to 50 ft 10 to 15 foot down and pulled limits every time in short order. Right now if you can find a break or channel they are relating to you can get after them quickly. Dont be suprised to find fish in the middle of the lake that no else is with in a half mile of in 50+ ft of water 15 foot down just eating shad.
Zone we look at.
active fish 6 to 14 ft
neutral fish 15 to 22 ft
Bottom depth has little to do with fish this time of year. Focus on where in the water column you are seeing the fish.
I like the deepest diving pink wally marshals followed closely by bandit 300s. You can load the boat and you will be amazed what you will learn by watching your electronics while trolling.
Ima like you as to the Thumbs Up hot-n-tots. I haven't pulled any 'Bombers'. Just what, in your opinion,:confused: why they are the 'Best' ? Colors, action, cost??? Cabelas's "Grave Diggers" are pretty cheap & work just fine too. Solid black & 'mistake', go to colors for me in the Bandits. <*)}}}><Quote:
Originally Posted by Springhill Duckman
Chatt I guess just from my catch numbers and it's what I use the most. I like the bomber model A and start with the 8 to 10 ft depth. I think the crappie like them because they are skinny and have great action. Crappie just love them as well as wallies and whites. Any of the shad colors or the all white with green stripes down the side, but as with anything it just depends on what they want that day. Weekend had a bandit the other weekend that he couldn't keep them off of. I was a scratchin my head watching him real them in. Then he was nice enough to throw a dog a bone.
We trolled at LOZ this weekend and used all of the above. We caught all the crappie on the bombers down there. Truth is I start with 1 or 2 bombers on and a hot-n-tot and work out from there if they are not working. WKEND is also dead on with pink (as much as it pains me to say it see above).
Most of de time, I have clients pick DohDoh starting colors. Women always pick de pink Thumbs UpThumbs Up & slam crappies. I LoveHands ClappingHands Clapping it !!! <*)}}}><
Thanks SD for that very detailed and informative reply, man you guys get around and you're not even retired... kinda makes me feel I'm not fishin as much as a retired person should...guess I should'nt be so picky with the wind, water releases, rain, moon phase, water clarity and blah blah blah !!
Work hard play hard.... I just keep asking the wife if she would rather the 4 of us be at the bar or on the lake. Also, a date night once or twice a week helps and when she get's tickets to a show I am required to go. It's a lot like selling your soul to the devil only she's a little nicer once in a while and doesn't use a pitch fork, :)
How does she tell when your done if she dose not use a fork. (just a little comic relief sorry)
Thanks for the information everyone. I have never used crank baits to catch crappie. I just may half to buy a few and experiment.
A couple of questions, are you placing your poles level with the water or angled towards the water and how much line should you let out to get the right depth you want? It sounds like each crank bait has a depth number of how deep it will run. It seems like one would need to experiment with trolling speed and line length and use bobber stops to mark your line to go back to the same depth.
I like to keep mine parallel to the water but that is more to be able to see the bites on smaller fish. If you put enough line out you can get the same depth no matter how high you put your rods.
Last night, I bought some crankbaits, and I decided to go try them out. This guy kept hitting it, and I finally hooked him. Doh Doh Common shiner?
Attachment 64073
Looks like some kind of shad to me.
Have you guys tried pushing or do you just strictly pull them?
All we do is pull them, but I have wanted to try pushing them off the front. I have everything to do it, but our pulling setup is so comfortable and works well. If it aint broke, don't fix it I guess.
I'm with labs would like to try pushing but wknd warrior is right it ant broke don't forget to try pink
I second what Wk End said. I just have never seen the reason to do it. Looks like one big mess waiting to happen in the wind. Also with the cranks right under the boat I would think if you got snagged it's a broken rod waiting to happen.