New to crappie fishing/ Yadkin lakes

Hello to all. I'm new to the message board and crappie fishing for the most part. I've hunted and fished my whole life, mostly pond and salt water fished. I've got an older bass boat, nothing fancy but it runs and floats, has a trolling motor and hummingbird fish finder so I've got the very basics covered. At any rate I'm looking to start crappie fishing. I live in Albemarle, so the biggest majority of my fishing will be done on High Rock, Tuckertown and Badin. Back in my days of fishing my buddies farm pond, we knew where he put the Christmas trees and how deep they were, we tossed a minnow over the tree and it was on. That's all I know about crappie fishing. If anyone has any input to offer I'd gladly accept and be glad to help you out in any way I could. Not looking to go out and drop hundreds and hundreds on tackle just yet until I see how much I enjoy it and how serious I plan to get about this. Would like to catch a few fish before I jump in head first. Whats the best way to go about getting started I guess is the question I'm trying to ask.

You can learn a lot of basics from the posts here .Crappie are so like a stray tom cat,you never sure where he may be at one certain time.Read all you can and stay on the water experimenting with what you have read and it will come to you after a while.It takes little time but you will start finding fish. Be patient ,You will catch fish ,And welcome from Lenoir NC

Like you said you got the basics covered with boat, trolling motor, and fish finder. Hillbilly hit the nail on the head about reading post new and old. The three lakes you want to fish are all very good crappie lakes, just kinda find your style of crappie fishing and go fish for em!!! Some of us spider rig, some shoot docks, and some still just fish with hook and minnows. It is what ever seems to work for you, and how you like to fish. Highrock is a good place to pitch a jig around docks or just drop a minnow on a hook around docks. Welcome from Hildebran NC

Come to our next get together when we go fish. We usually have two or three big socials every year at different lakes. We also have some get together more often to just go fish. You are more than welcome to come. You will learn a lot with some of the redneck injenuity on our boats that goes on to make everyone fishing better. Haha. Welcome from Winston Salem.

Go to high rock, take a few smaller rods lay them down on your boat with a 1/32 oz chartreuse jig tied to the end and sling them out the back and troll around 1mph but fluctuate speed until you start catching them. 10-15 feet of water, around docks, cove mouths, creek mouths, anywhere like that will have fish. Just watch your rods and when one pops or bends down, you've got a fish. Lots of smaller fish biting at high rock and it'll be easier to learn the ropes on your own and then decide if you want to get into buying rod racks, rods, and all the other gear. Best of luck!

Welcome to crappie.com from Rockwell nc. I Think fishing docks with minnow/plastic is the best at high rock, or I should say that's what I like best. This is the best place to get information or help, I had never fished in my life till I retied a few years back, I've learned everything I know from the guys on crappie.com. Oh yes their is some bull goes on just in fun.

sent you an pm

just recently purchased a new boat and started crappie fishing on Jordan. been a member of this site for years but did not post or visit very often. plan to change that and start posting.

Boots.....I haven't had enough posts to receive pm's yet

:welcome from liberty

Guys, I appreciate all the information. I'm leaning towards getting away from work a little early on Friday and heading to the river. I've got a couple ultra light combos I've collected over there years. Probably going to hit wal mart and pick up one or two more and some jigs and some more basic tackle. From what I'm gathering my best bet first time out of the gate would be to look for docks and structure and jig fish next to them or use a minnow. Also read something about 15 to 20 ft of water holding some fish. I'm guessing this is on humps or bottom structure also ?

Wildcat, I too live in albemarle. Start reading this site and go water as much as you can. When you read bout new way to fish here, try it. Then come here and have these guys to pick apart the good, bad, and ugly. Hit me up sometime, I fish badin and tuckertown most of time. I want to fish tillery this fall, so maybe we can learn it together. Welcome to the site, there is a world of knowledge here.

glade to see your post polecat.

Hope this helps... Use light line, 4-6lb mono is good. This helps you feel it and gives it good action. Use small 1/32 to 1/16 oz lead heads and get 3 or more colors of soft plastic grubs. John Deer green is darn good. Find a tree top partially submerged and go to it. Also docks are great. After 2 or 3 excursions you should be hooked like the rest of us.
Lots of excellent fishing info on this site. Welcome and tight lines.

I moved from Ga. to NC about seven years ago. There are quite a few extremely knowledgeable individuals on this site. Many have helped me through the years. I typically fish Badin and Tillery with an occasional trip to Tuckertown, High Rock and Randleman. Not far from you, just north of Troy. Maybe we can meet at one of the ramps in the near future, be glad to help where I can.

Feel N Crappie....I'd like to take you up on that offer sometime. I've been doing my homework and reading all on can but its hard to beat some hands on learning.