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Fall...cooler water, slab spoons etc.. would like to start a general discussion about how to fish the fall, how to find the crappie etc. Still live bait? Brush piles, suspending locations, breaks etc. What about ideal temp in your experience? Thanks!!
Gonz
Fall has always been a season I would like to fish more, cooler temps, less traffic etc. I always have a hard time getting away in the fall, I've heard it's good time to get out there. Been doing some reading on the internet about Fall pattern etc. but would like to hear other chime in on this as well. I think I started a thread like this last year! What I've read over and over on the internet is that at some point in the fall, crappie will return to their old springtime haunts for a time.
During the fall starting late Sept, I usually probe break lines with tandem jigs, from 14' then progressing onto 18' until I find active feeding fish. I will drop a marker buoy and work a brush pile or a drop off if I get bit while strolling over it. This is done on the main lake along riprap. I plan to start probing shallower than 14', and also head to back of coves this year. Just my limited knowledge.
Lot of shad fry in the water this time of year and that's what they key on around here. They wait around for feeding time and then try to ambush them. Shad fry will try to escape using weed beds,rock, anything to help them evade being eaten. Look for the bait fish schools around main lake and secondary points and creek channel bends. The fish should be close.
Later when the water cools back to brush piles and standing timber and deeper ledges. Two cents worth.
I fished Saturday 9 19 2015 at El Dorado Lake and caught 1 dink out in the trees 18 ft deep and jig was around 8 ft - and caught 5 nice fat crappie and 2 dinks at the boat dock using jigs. Went to Harvey County East Sunday and caught a fat black crappie by the dam on a jig/bobber and an 11" fat white crappie out in the trees 6 ft deep on a jig, that was it on crappie and then did some cat fishing and caught 5 1 and 2 lb channel cat. Fish every chance you get and try different lakes and jigs have lotsa patience and have fun and you will catch crappie.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xpress56
Hmmmmmmmm?nonono
Dont take that wrong xp56. Those that know me will know thats a compliment to you!:cheers2
I think fall fishing is the most overlooked time of year for many species but especially Crappie. When the water starts to cool fishing can be just as good as spawn fishing and often in the shallows like spawn. Try areas using the same techniques you used in late April and early May to ensure thy aren't shallow before probing main lake waters.
Any type of water temp range you're looking for when targeting them shallow skinner?
Nope but the last several years the middle of Sept has been a normal time period on bigger water and smaller. Haven't had much time lately to try this fall yet.
Thanks everyone for the ideas and replies...I understand the difficulty getting away in the fall, but I too like all the rec boats being gone from the lake. I know at Kanopolis, when I was there 2-3 weeks ago, the shad were all over in the marina area and chased by what appeared bass. I tried to cast imitations into all that commotion but no luck with all that live bait. I will wait for the water temp to decrease and do the spring type thing and then try deep. This year minnows were best in June, but couldn't get an imitation to attract a bite. Has anyone tried small spoons in breaks such as the rapala jigging shads or Mack's sonic bait fish? I ordered a few and thought we would try those in Oct.
Gonz
You have to experiment on your home body of water to find what works.When you are fishing in among baitfish trying to get bit in among all that bait....you have to throw just the right thing. It is sort of a match the hatch presentation,but don't get hung up on that. Sometimes the color may be wrong but the profile is right,or the profile is wrong but the vibration is right. If you like trying to figure out how to make a fish bite....this is one of the best opportunities.
I have caught some fish over the years on the following
Rapala shad rap,both shallow and diving in the shad color
Sassy shads in shad color fished on a lead head
various swim jigs with curly tail or minnow profile or preferably both. In shad color or smoke glitter
I have been using for the first time this year the Strike King shadpole CT in monkeyshine on a 1/16 oz lead head and roadrunner head. It doesn't work everytime but I have caught a lot of fish with it already this fall.
A minnow cast on a bare hook and allowed to free swim ( one of the oldest and most deadly techniques for schooling fish)
I have even cast netted shad and fish with them
Once you find the right thing it wont last 3 seconds when it hits the water among those feeding fish
If it works it works....don't get hung up on anything has to be this or that...let the fish tell you when its right. They can be caught,you just have to work at it.Unless you have the magic fishin' mojo. Me I have to work at it.
Good advice doggone. Thank you!Quote:
Originally Posted by doggone
Gonz