2nd Adventure in Spider Rigging

Went out to Old River (the one in Scott) yesterday afternoon with 501mooney87 for my 2nd spider rigging trip as captian of the boat. Got lines in the water about 4:00pm, figuring that the bite would still be an hour or 2 from starting and man were we wrong. On our 1st trip across the flat, we caught around 10 fish, about 7 keepers. We were pumped! :crazy::crazy:

But that is where the excitement ended. As the day went on the bite got slower and slower banghead. By the 3rd pass over the flat we only caught 3 dinks, and decided that it was time to call it.

Ended up with 13 keepers, and probably caught close to 40 or 50 total. But man it was sure fun out on the water figuring out new ways to fish old waters.

I hate it when that happens. I have done well passing over a certain area. Then, work my hiney off to make a second pass and nothing! Nada! Zilch.
But, spider rigging and trolling are addictive.
DP

I really like vertical jigging manmade cover the best but love to fish for crappie anyway that they can be caught. I have one older friend that really loves to drag "minners" around so when I take him that's what we do. I wish that I was set-up better to troll crankbaits as I have about 70 Bandits and with the high winds today I would have liked to try it.

Great Post!!! Congrats on your success. Hope to hear many more stories in the future!!!!


Big River Marine
Bill Burnett
870-635-0202

BTW, start earlier next time!!! Lol


Big River Marine
Bill Burnett
870-635-0202

Congrats LMB. I'm sure it will get better. What size are you seeing on old river? I've heard several people say that there are really high numbers, but really tough to catch any really sizable fish in recent years.

I've heard the same thing Ben.

Barnett , sometimes when I drop a jig in my first spot . Then catch a good one on the first drop, afraid it maybe a fluke and slow day. That's the thing , fishing Crappie can be fickled as they can seem to turn off and on like a light switch. Sometimes you just might to adjust tactics a bit.

I am not giving up by any means. I just thought it a little funny that they were biting at 4 pm and not at 6:30. Guys it seems that "good fish" are getting more scarce, and there are alot of 6" fish, but there are still plenty of 9-11 inchers out there.

BigBen when are we going out to Maumelle so you can show me a few things out there?

I'm waiting for them to settle in to their summer pattern. Thermocline is about setup, I'm just waiting for them to realize it and get on my structures that are in 15-22 fow!

I think it happens all over the place that finding good fish with any kind of consistancy is much harder to do post spawn after the big fish have left the shallows. It's all a part of fishing to locate them but usually this time of the year I just enjoy reeling in some fish. I chase the bigger crappie all over the northern ends of the two closest lakes to me all of the pre-spawn and spawning times (for black and white crappie) so now I just kick back and enjoy catching numbers of fish..and it's alot of fun getting the wife and kids in on some of the fun too.Thumbs Up Sounds like youre having fun learning the new techiniques. Just stay after thenm and keep hammering 'em. Try some different places every time you go fishing too, just in case the one hot spot you have now plays out. Now's a GREAT time to learn a ALOT about your fishing waters.:)

LM I see this happen abunch in the warmer months 3PM to abot 6:30PM great fishing... 6:30 PM to Dark I cant pry their mouths open with a jack hammer. You would think the last one or two hours would be the best time but boy I have seen some slow bites just before dark. Happens to me allot on Conway during the summer. Then all of sudden after seeing many dismal evening bites I cant keep them off my jig. Go Figure who knows what going on in those little fishy minds half the time. LOL