I'm pretty new to crappie fishin so any advice is great. I don't have a boat so how should I go about fishin for them from the bank? Really I guess I need all the info I can get.
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I'm pretty new to crappie fishin so any advice is great. I don't have a boat so how should I go about fishin for them from the bank? Really I guess I need all the info I can get.
Find a nice 6 1/2 to 7ft spinning rod and reel. Get familiar with a slip-bobber set up. Take a bucket of minners and some #2 gold hooks and a small split shot and work the water where you fish at different depths. Hook the minnow just below the dorsal fin in the back so the minnow can swim under the float. The end of dams at lakes are good because usually there is a big transition from deep to shallow at those points. Smaller waters such as ditches, rivers, or canals can be good also. Bridges are good because they have some good man made structure, the pilings, that will usually be holding some type of fish. Bank fishing should be picking up as the water warms.
I have a couple 6 1/2 medium action spinning rods and a 10 foot ultra light. I know how to do a slip bobber rig. Is it better to start shallow and move the bait deeper or other way around? Seems like I've heard crappie look up
When I've bank fished the local water, we started shallow and worked deep. I don't know if this is the best way or not.
I don't think there is a best way when it comes to fishin lol. I appreciate the info and now I have a starting point. I'll be fishing Kentucky and barkley Lake hopefully I can wet a line in a week or two weather has been bad lately
if you're not sure of the depth where you're fishing start shallow then work down. If you're too deep on first cast you might be re-rigging right off the bat. You never know what's down there to get hung up on. that's my :twocents worth
I fish from the bank quite often over the coarse of the season, in between boating days, especially when I only have a couple of hours to fish. I find that I've never had to resort to live bait to be successful. Small jigs dressed in plastics or hair are phenomenal fish catchers. Slip bobbering is the way to go, especially in cold pre-spawn to spawn conditions. I usually just cast it out there, let the jig settle to the set depth of the slip bobber, and then just slowly reel it back in from deep to shallow - where I am. If no takes, I increase/decrease the length of jig to bobber and try again. When I see just where abouts the bites are coming from, I focus on that depth, fan casting the area.
Early in the season especially, it's hard to beat a 1/32 oz. marabou jig (any color, but try several). Or, slow rolling a marabou Roadrunner along the bottom. One or other will get bit if there are crappie about! :)
Concentrate on the Northern banks ... they receive the most Sun, this time of year.
Fish pea gravel banks whenever possible ... Black Crappie will be 1st to come in, & they love pea gravel.
If possible & visible ... fish close to dark spots in the water, as they may be stumps. Fish will nose up to stumps to stay oriented (upright) in dirty water scenarios. If the water is still high & up in the standing living trees ... cast around those trees that you can reach, or place a slip float/minnow rig right next to the trees you can reach. Your minnow should be no more than 1.5ft deep under the float, and you should try and place the minnow/float rig on all "sides" of the tree trunk that you can reach ... and no more than a foot away from the tree trunk.
These tips may or may not be of benefit to you "right now" ... but, with a warming trend and stable water levels (anything but fast rising/falling water), you should be able to get into some fish. Wear your PFD when walking the banks, as you are usually only one wrong step from going into the water. Even having a second set of clothes/shoes in your vehicle wouldn't be a bad idea.
Before going, you might also want to invest in a good topographical map of the lake ... and compare it to Google Earth on your computer. Google Earth has historical overview maps from years gone by ... sometimes showing low water conditions. You can zoom in on the areas you intend to fish & possibly see cover exposed by the low water levels ... then check your topo map to see what the normal depth is at those spots, and compare that to the current water levels to see what the depth should be at that time. Doing this BEFORE you take off to fish the lake will help you narrow down areas of interest and save you a lot of fishing time (driving & walking time, too).
Keep your eyes on the KY state forum, too. You'll see reports start coming in as soon as our West KY gang can get out there and see what the fish are doing !!
... cp :kewl
Thanks for the info. I'm not sure ill get to try it out this weekend but I will soon. Can't wait to get a line wet
I love to bank fish. For the last year this has been my slip float go to method for presenting two lures at two different depths. I can fish this setup in water 2 foot through 30 feet. This is a great bank setup.Quote:
Originally Posted by RCC
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Thanks ship. What size hook do you use ? Size line? I'm guessing on a light action rod
six pound line. 1/16th jig with #4 hook or 1/8th with #2 hook if waves are really active. Light action rods.Quote:
Originally Posted by whiskerfish
I take two poles with me,one for slip floating the minnows, which i hook from the throat up through the nose,and one with a fixed float with a jig. Lately the males have been in the local creeks waiting on the females. Use the slip float for wary crappie and use the jig setup for the more aggressive fish using a semi slow retrieve with a little wrist action to get them to notice it . Sometimes a slow roll with the jig will work. Oh by the way they have been biting best right at dark.