New to crappie fishing on a boat. Jordan Lake NC

Hello everybody.

My name is Lawson and I have recently bought a 13' aluminum v hull with a tohatsu 9.9hp 4 stroke motor. No trolling motor but can troll at 1.0-1.5 mph.

That being said this is my first boat and my full fishing experience has been from the bank, surf, pier, and walking streams. Crappie fishing to me has been to take the light bulb and float it around the dock at night and cast minnows on bobbers around it.

I've been on crappie.com for weeks reading about how yall are fishing these cold weather months on lakes. I've been trying some of your advice at Jordan Lake NC with limited success. I know its me because I have saw folks pulling them in. I have a small lowrance fishfinder that I use an it seems to provide good picture, but still somewhat confused about how to relate the structure on the screen to the water around me.

I'm trying to determine if I need to locate structure (or what appears to be) and drop anchor or try to setup a few rod holders for a slow troll. There is not currently a deck at the front of the boat for setting up and watching over the lines.

I have 4 colors of plastic that I am trying on unpainted jig heads 1/32 & 1/8 tipped with minnows. Chartreuse, Orange, Black, Pumpkin. I have 1 each 6' 8' 12' light action rods with 6 lb. test. I've tried slip bobbers, Single Jig, and double jig. Have a few capps and coleman style rigs but haven't trolled yet.

I'm looking for any and all help about how I maybe able to catch a fish fry on Jordan Lake before it gets warm and the lake is full of boats and jetskis.

Hey from Illinois :welcome...

First off WELCOME TO THE SITE!
I'm far from an expert on Jordan but from the information available your best bet for this time of year would be around the 64 bridge. Fish minnows, start a foot off the bottom and move up a foot at a time till you connect.
That being said, with your rig, it could get pretty hairy out there pretty quick. With the current water temps a dunk could be very bad news.
If I were you I'd focus on some smaller waters which are less susceptible to wind and boat wakes. The Eno ain't that far from Jordan - as things go- and can be very productive. Minnows on jigheads or C&C rigs work fine. From my experience in these temps slow ain't slow enough .. sometimes an almost dead minnow produces better than a lively one. Also I've found that the fish stick tighter to the bottom than most other times of the year, so when you mark fish(or think you have), drop to the bottom and bring the bait up a foot or 2, repeat till you get bit.

Lastly, I realize that budgets are tight these days, but a trolling motor is at least as useful to a crappie fisherman as the depthfinder. If I had to fish with a cane pole and just a handful of tackle in order to afford one I'd make that choice.

Welcome from Mississippi

Welcome Aboard

Thanks to everybody for their greetings.

Papadave,

You couldn't have said it better about how choppy it can be near 64 bridge. Thanks for suggesting h Eno. I live in Hillsborough, but only thought kayaks could use the water? I will definitely give it a shot this weekend weather pending. Out on Jordan my current rig is not making it to the bottom near the main channel bridges with weighted jig heads and split shot. Do you think I should use a 1/2 to 3/4 oz. egg sinker above my hooks or use a casting weight of same size below my hooks? Another older man I know through work recommended Mcintosh Lake for smaller water in Burlington for bass and crappie. Does anybody have experience up there on the smaller water?

Sent you a PM

Look up the Caps & Coleman rigs, you can use as much weight as you need to get that sort of rig down

Welcome from Sanford NC.

Welcome from Sippi. Hope you catch em all. One thing I have figured out about crappie is that there are LOTS of ways to catch em, and everybody has their favorite. My advice to you, spend time on the water. Let experience be your teacher. You will get better and better at catching crappie if you just go fishing!

Thank Tony and Iwannafish for your greetings.

Tony, do you fish Jordan Lake or Shearon Harris more often for Crappie?

Ive only been fishing Harris. But i'm looking to start hitting Jordan this year aswell. just picked up a topo map for jordan last week an i'm starting to study it.

Welcome from Sanford. My best advice to you as a first time owner of a relatively small jon boat is: Stay off the big open water at Jordan Lake when it's very windy and don't stray to far from the bank when it is not windy... as wind conditions can change very quickly and your getting caught in the big open water when the wind suddenly picks up can be a deadly mistake at this time of year. I had a 15 foot wide bodied jon boat with a 40 hp Nissan outboard and I have been caught on the open water in dangerous winds. IMO: Take your sweet time with this thing... there's safer and better weather for adventure and experimentation. You should concentrate instead on getting used to your boat and what it will and won't do... and always remember that relying on one motor in big open water can and will spell disaster should that motor knock off and you lose control of your boat in the wind and very possibly get swamped by the three and four foot rollers on Jordan. An anchor getting hung up on the bottom in high wind is another very quick way to swamp a small jon boat.

Papadave has given you some good advice... find some smaller and safer water early on. Shearon Harris Lake and some of the nearby rivers are far better and more predictable places to learn and gain knowledge fishing from a smaller boat. Finding consistency at crappie fishing requires lots of experience, knowledge and experimentation... which all require a body to live long enough to find some measure of them.

Well put Wayne.

Special K

I will follow advice you folks have given me and will stay away from Jordan until the weather is warm. Hope to cut my teeth on smaller water and get that crappie fish fry. Thanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jlmccarter

Special K

I will follow advice you folks have given me and will stay away from Jordan until the weather is warm. Hope to cut my teeth on smaller water and get that crappie fish fry. Thanks.

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I'm not saying stay away from Jordan Lake... I'm just cautioning you against the bigger water areas of Jordan Lake in higher winds. There are many places and/or approaches to safely fishlng from a small jon boat on Jordan, but you need to understand from the outset that all it takes is one mistake or for you to get caught unexpectedly in the wrong place when the wind starts howling across some of that big water. We want to share your progress and your successes with you as you go along... not join in a search party looking for another missing person on Jordan Lake.
Good luck to you and be safe out there... whatever you do.

Thanks. Intend on staying safe. . . And dry. My boat looks like it'll need a transom mount trolling motor 30-40 lbs thrust. There is only one transom mount that I can find that has a pedal the motorguide bulldog 40 $300. I do have good experience with using the pedal and hand steer trolling motors on ponds.

Also saw something called pro control that can upfit most any transom mounts for $100. It would be cheaper in short run bc I have a small working troller motor but motorguide is built to last.

Any opinions? I know most of you have bow mount on platform. I would do bow mount but there is no platform and I'm limited on space.

ive a 40lbs thrust transom mount on my 14ft jon an it pushes the boat with 2 200+lbs guys in it

Welcome from Indiana

Welcome from the west end of Florida....

That MG bulldog is a good motor and a fine compromise for a foot control on the stern. The only issue I have with them(or the one I've used) is there is no tension adjustment on the steering. You have to keep your foot on the pedal and you have to keep it steady or the torque will pull it around on ya. I'm sure it's something you can adjust to but can be a pain in the arse to begin with.

Welcome to the Crappie.com family

:welcome from Texas too.

Welcome from SC.
Only thing I would add to the advice already given it to wear your life vest, always. From the time you launch till you get it on the trailer keep it on. That is especially true in winter when cold water will drown even the strongest swimmer in short order.:welcome

Welcome from South Carolina.

Welcome from Pickwick South! :fish

Thanks for all greetings and advice. Haven't gotten out water in a few weeks due to weather. Trying to land some crappie this weekend. Hope to have access to private lake in snow camp.

welcome from alabama and good luck. Me and my buddy started out in a 12 foot john with 15hp motor years ago and could catch fish as good as anyone else, just takes time and patience to learn

Welcome. May your hook always be full.

Welcome from North Louisiana :welcome

Lawson,
Keep it simple. Papadave was right on with the location in winter. Fish are near the channel. Dropper rig (1/4 oz, 3/8oz. is sufficient.) I use homemade rigs. 3 way swivel tied to main line, #6 gold aberdeen hook on a 12" leader, 12"-18" leader on bottom with a 1/4 to 3/8oz egg sinker. Anchor your boat, hook a minnow thru both lips and drop a line. Won't be long if youre in the right spot. Typical to have 100 fish days many keepers in the mix. Good luck.

Welcome from Michigan.

Welcome Lawson, glad to have you aboard. We hope you will learn alot from the guys here. These guys have a lot of experience and are very helpful. Just ask . :welcome