Think shallow for ice out Crappie on Shelbyville

I'm new to Crappie.com and have never posted but wanted to give a little info to those who don't get the opportunity to fish as often as some of us and those with children who would like to take them fishing and have a great trip. Nothing like the elderly or kids and I have a big heart when it comes to them and I've often ,when in the boat, noticed someone not catching fish that under the circumstances should of had a boat load because the bite was so good, stopped and took a few minutes of my time to help them out. I still learn to this day, after the better part of 35 yrs of fishing bass and crappie tournaments, there is always someone who can teach you something. To the group of people this is addressed to or anyone who has missed this awesome pattern, right after ice out, you can't think shallow enough. I think a lot of people associate cold water temps with fishing deep and downsizing on tackle. Although you can catch fish at any depth on a given day, the north end of Shelbyville is extremely good this time of year in a foot of water or less. Recently, on several trips the fish were so close to the bank, and i have been bank fishing lately, you never had to cast. Some of these might of been hard to get from a boat as they were so far back in.. With the lake being at winter pool you will be hard pressed to find brush thats in the water but what u do find usually has fish. So,how shallow, on recent trips some days it was a jig under a bobber 4 to 6 inches and sometimes they will hit the bobber instead of the jig which is really cool to see. most of the laydowns are in 2 ft of water or less as they are on flat banks so if the fish aren't right on the bank they will be somewhere between the bank and the tip so I still don't fish much deeper maybe 12 to 18 inches. Sometimes you have to let the bobber sit for a bit sometimes u dont but fish slow or you could miss them. Points work equally as well and if you can get used to casting in open water you can catch a ton of fish, they just move up on the flat part and suspend on nothing but once you locate them, game on!! Well I hope this helps at least one person and it will be well worth the time to post it.Good luck everyone and stay safe!!

Excellent first post Crappie1963! Welcome to the site! I look forward to your participation!

-jr

You think a lot like a fishing buddy of mine lol, heart the size of Texas and very giving. Breaks the sound barrier when he sets the hook. Welcome 1963, your first post tells an awful lot about you, much appreciated.

great post and welcome from alabama

Welcome crappie1963 its good to have you here. Nicely said first post and hope to read alot more of them. I hope you can make it crappie camp at eagle creek on May 16-18th. We will have a meet and greet on the 16th and a fish fry on the 17th. Come and meet and make new friends I know I have.

X2 :hesaid and :welcome

Hey ehall, I think we've met somewhere:)

Thanks for the comments everyone, I appreciate it !!!

Nice post. I am 65, does that qualify me as being elderly and getting help from you? :) Keep up the good work.

Thanks Mac, I'm always willing to help, all ya gotta do is ask but you could probably teach me a thing or two!!

I'm fifty and still a kid at heart always get excited when I catch a fish, so I think I'm covered on all the bases of getting help! Great post! hope to meet up with on the ville some time. Check out the Illinois spring camp you will have fun, eat great food, maybe win some cool prizes and meet good people.

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Originally Posted by Crappie1963

Thanks Mac, I'm always willing to help, all ya gotta do is ask but you could probably teach me a thing or two!!

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I'll be coming to Shelbyville next week. Hope I can catch some. I fished it last year for bass. Did fairly well. Being retired I, we usually fish during the week.

Good post, but not all of them are on the bank. Last year I caught them in 28 foot of water at first ice out then a foot the next day. The sun sure helps them go shallow.

There is something to say about taking someone else fishing!!! I took an ole buddy crappie fishing and he go so exited he threw his fingernail clippers in the drink!!! Wonderful people make this world go round!!!

Welcome

Great post and welcome.

Great post. Thanks for the advice.

Anyone know how long they hit the bank after ice? What water temp the move back out? We finally got on a few, but they was in abou 14 foot! No shallower and no one home at all deep. We normally catch them right at twenty foot any place you can find cover!

Crappie wizard Posted something below for you and Mac that might help

Hey Mac and Crappie Wizard,If you don't get them on the bank which I think you will, something I love to do is fish stumps on main lake points, just like you would fish for bass. I just locate the stump, sometimes throw a buoy off to the side for a reference point if there is wind then throw a bobber and a jig at the stump. I like the stump in 2-5 ft of water right now. This will work all the way through the spawn and you don't have as much company as you would in coves and such. If there not there and the same point has a stump or two deeper lets say 10 ft, I just mark it take the bobber off and tightline it. Standing timber is good right now also and I usually try about a foot deep and work my way down to 5, they are usually in that range somewhere. My favorite area is between Findlay and Wolf creek, good luck next week!!!!

Thanks xxlfish, I couldn't agree with you more and I think I mentioned in the post they could be caught at different depths, also agree on the sun although this past Sunday was slower for me that the nasty day we had saturday, every day is different. I love the deep fishing as well but its just so easy and fast to catch them shallow right now, I'm just a big fan of a jig and bobber I guess.Anyway ,best of luck this year and stay safe out there!!

Thanks for info! There are a lot of stumps on Shelbyville!! I struggle with the stumps but I got awesome electronics now!! I can find them a lot easier now. I fish south end a lot because I like to fish deep. That's my favorite when it is right!!!!

Crappie63, I hear your one heck of a good person and from what I have read so far that its true. Hope you can make it to crappie camp in may so we can all meet up if not before then on the water.

X2. I am thinking about going to the camp!! Sounds like barrel of fun!!!!

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Originally Posted by Crappie wizard

X2. I am thinking about going to the camp!! Sounds like barrel of fun!!!!

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The more I hear about it the more I want to go! IM going out on a limb and saying IM going on @ least one day and hope to bring some cdc members along.

Welcome to the site from southern Illinois! Great post and great info. Thanks for the info.

I'll go with ya ehall but we're gonna have to stop and catch a limit on the way, you know I don't go to the lake without fishing, it would kill me lol!!!

If I am going to the lake and not fishing.........uhhhhhh! Yea my family would be spreading ashes!!! No way I am ready for that!!!

Fished from the bank yesterday 7-9 ft. deep. Jig and cork. 70-75 fish, with only 10 overs, but must have had 40 just shy of the ten inch mark. Hope the rain stays away today, so I can try again.

They have a day of fishing on Saturday, with a fish dry afterwards and a band later on. 63 this sounds right up your alley, plus if I can get farmboy620 to go you can meet him.

Ehall...Its not me you have to talk into going. You will have to speak to my boss. Haha

It's a ways off. Maybe I can come up with a strategy that will benefit both of you.