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Any suggestions for fishing Conway during the summer heat? Water depth, fishing depth, jig size, live or jig or combo, brush, stumps, or trees? Coves and creeks or main lake areas? Any suggestions appreciated. I have no clue for from now till fall, but love to fish year round.
One hast to remember it is a Black Crappie game for the most part on Conway Now. As the weather warms the white crappie spread out far and wide across the lake and become very difficult to catch until the end Sept, not to say you wont catch whites but they are for the most part spread out far N wide now in the timber. So thus the game is now turned to Black crappie, which take over the trees in the summer. Now is the time to downsize on Conway with Midsouth tubes or Lil Hustler tubes and tip with a nibble. Fish the trees the same way you do in the spring for whites and also pay attention to big logs and lay down's which are at an angle in the water. If traditional vertical jigging isn't working, Pitch your jig along side the lay downs or shady pockets in the trees and let it pen-dale back towards the boat. A 1/32 head is deadly on Conway doing this because the slow fall is what they like in the typical 5-8 feet of water. Every now and then a 1/8th oz head can catch them but this is not the norm in the summer. Remember crappie on Conway become very picky with the colors you throw at them, so change often and if you find a color that catches you a few fish very rapidly, stick with it for a good while and chances are you will catch them elsewhere with that color. The best advice I can give you is do what I call Stick and Move in the trees, until you find a spot where they are biting then slow down and work the area. Remember to try and down size your jig head. Lastly always remember the game is for the most part played just a foot or less off the bottom no matter what depth your fishing, If that Pedal bite is working, even then... make sure your jig is arching close to the bottom and extend the pitch by slowly moving your rod tip laterally when it bottoms out.Good Luck To Ya and God's Speed.
Thanks for the heads up Russ. None of that ever entered my mind. I have been using a 1/8 plain lead jig head with a 2" electric chicken or black/chartreuse joker. Next time out, I will try the techniques suggested. Paul.
1/32 or 1/16 Pink fire pink head with with Black N white eyes, Chartreuse head with black eyes n pink ring around eye:ThumbsUp
:biggrinQuote:
Originally Posted by CrappiePro
Good stuff Russ! I just happen to have those jig colors.
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Originally Posted by CrappiePro
Great info, thanks for the input.
where do you buy those colors? bates, bps, ??Quote:
Originally Posted by ibmack
The round head is the head of choice on Conway, I have bought many different heads at many different places over the years, they all seem to work at one time or another. The important thing... is to LOOK for 16th and 32nd heads with painted multi colored painted eyes in the colors I mentioned earlier along with orange or pink, I like the eyes painted on the jig to be a little large in comparison to the jig head and the hook to be a slightly larger hook as compared to the weight of the head. Summer Conway Crappie love Multi colored painted eyes, and Crappiepro style trimmed tube tails of two to four strands left on each side of the hook. It is important to always keep the number of strands equal and length even on both sides of the hook to make the bait look as natural as possible, or your strike rate will suffer. I always tip with a nibble when fishing the summer trees of Conway. Conway Crappie are very picky critters in the summer, and that is what I love about them. It is the chess match they represent on any given day. Unlock the secret detailed bait they want on any given day... and you can put some great catches in the boat. Just when you think you figure it out..... it may last a trip or two but you can be sure it will change and you find yourself on the hunt for them again. I most always use a quality 8 lb test floro or mono clear or camo line.
CP, I assume 1 1/2" tubes?
also, i went yesterday in the wind and heat and fished with some 1/32 I picked up at Dano's :highfive. Caught 12 in the Green's Lake area, but only 1, 12" keeper (released). All the rest were between 6-8".
The standard 2" Mid South tube, or the Southern Pro 1.5 inch Lil Hustler tubes are my #1 & #2 Choice on Conway.
I appreciate all the info on the downsizing and slow fall rate. So the main issue is a smaller jig head so the fall is slower, but the tube size is not as critical. I usually use a 2" tube in fall, winter, and spring - so if that fits, it makes it a lot easier to keep a supply without having to buy all different sizes. Paul
Great post Russ and thanks from a newbie to Lake Conway for it. Will put it to good use. Glad you posted this question ibmack:ThumbsUp
The Lil Hustler is a lighter sleeker tube. I like this tube when the fish are really aggressive and chasing and want the bait a little bit faster moving through the water. the other thing about them in the summer is when the shad fry hatch is booming. When you see thousands of lil bitty shad fry 1/2 inch to 1" swimming near the surface think Lil Hustler and match the hatch. This has worked for me several times over the years. Keep moving and exploring IB you will find them with these baits. Summertime fishing on Conway is a Single pole only adventure with time you will learn what trees produce. I have fished this lake over the years and know what trees I have the best chance on, so I pull into an area fish the trees i have had success on several times in the past, If I get bit i fish the area thoroughly, If not I move on to the next area.. until I find keeper fish.
thanks CP, i have 4 such locations like you are talking about and need to keep exploring and find others. i usually fish these areas for 1/2 hr to 45 minutes. if bitten, may spend another hour in the area. does this seem like too much time, or not enough?Quote:
Originally Posted by CrappiePro
Depending on how big of stand of trees you are fishing, If you are catching a few fish in an area, fish the best looking trees or clusters producing the best shade on the water in that area. I always go for these first when targeting an area. If I fish 10 good looking spots or the biggest best looking trees in an area without a few good fish, I move on. If I catch a few in the better looking spots I will then try surrounding single live trees or laydowns in the area. I have seen them in the thickest trees on Conway with acres and acres of live cypress, even then more than likely your fish will come from the tightest looking packs of trees in a jungle of trees. No matter what area you are trying, look at the trees your about to fish and ask yourself this question? If I were a crappie what trees in this location would I be living? Then go right to those spots and try and catch them. I would say 30 mins- hour is plenty of time on average. Keep in mind tho on a bad bite you may only catch only a few keepers out of each area, so try and hit as many of the better looking spots in a area, as you can. I have had more than one day out there where you fish an area and catch only 3-5 keepers and then the same at several other areas. Well guess what you have in your cooler if you repeat this process 4-10 times during a day of fishing. A pretty good day on the water. Conway has a way of lulling you into the WOW!!! This Lake Sucks Factor in the summer, fishing tree after tree with no results for hours on end then KABOOM!!! all them bad feelings go away when you find a few spots loaded with 5-20, 1-2 lb plus fish thumping your jig as fast as you can drop a jig back down to them. Don't buy into the Conway Summer time Suck Factor, I have hundreds of pictures that prove otherwise. It can happen :biggrin
Thanks for your continued mentoring on Lake Conway. It is something that i personally never get tired of reading. If someone pays attenrion to your posts over the years and puts in the work, they can catch fish on Conway year round. It's like your signature says. "If your big crappie bound, it's a long hard ride."Quote:
Originally Posted by CrappiePro
Thanks Matt, One of the Ole Timers told me years ago when I was about 22 years Old he said "Son you put in the time and work on this lake in the Summer, you will learn to Hate it first, Then Love it". I really don't mind sharing my views on Summer Conway because I Know their ain't a truer statement than what that Old man told me so many years ago. I just want to give the folks who want to put in the time and effort on Conway in the summer a fighting chance to tame the summer trees of Lake Conway with a jig pole...If they succeed they will have earned the right to know this knowledge no doubt. On the other hand Conway can be a Very tough puzzle to solve in the summer and I don't blame anyone who wants to fish elsewhere.
Thanks Russ. I don't mind putting in the time on the water, and, since I am retired, can do so. I never think about asking someone for their actual spots, cause I don't give mine out either. I will give general locations, etc. All I want to know is if I am on the right track. I don't mind hitting the water before daybreak, fishing till dark, and not catching a fish as long as I am learning. I appreciate people like you, Matt, Chris when he was still active, etc. PaulQuote:
Originally Posted by CrappiePro
IBMACK I have seen you at work on Conway and I know you have what it takes on Conway, stick with it and I know you will run into those Magic Trees, Good Luck Buddy.
Thanks Russ for your contribution. I doubt I'll be fishing Conway this summer just due to logistics for me. But I really appreciate your contribution to this site. You are a tremendous credit to crappie.com. Thanks for taking the time to help us all.
Thanks Mac Daddy, When you think about it Conway has some benefits during the summer, your not going to be waked a whole lot, plenty of places to get off into your own world, it is just you, the timber, a jig pole... matched up against the fish mono e mono. Love It.
I would like to add my thanks also to Russ, Matt, slackline,ibmack and other helpful folks here, it is much appreciated. Not new to crappie fishin but new to Lake Conway and so far finding it a hard ol nut to crack! But this in the type info that can help. Already been trying to target the tight groups of cypress with the most shade (same as I do on Millwood lake) catch a lot but just 90% small fish very few 11"+. Can't wait to get back out and try some of the things Russ has advised just being new I done tore my motor up ( dang where that big ol stump come from lol) parts finally came in and got to run to Bryant and pick em up for ol Chuck so he can get me up and runnin again. So if y'all see a old man out there and he looks like a cypress tree inspecter ease up and say hello! Thanks again and tightlines to all
Yes CC be careful out there buddy, Conway is very dangerous, especially if you are just starting out. It will take some time to learn the trails, and if you stray off them just a little, BAM!!!. Slow as you go is the best word when off those trails. I will run my big motor off the trails but only at a snails pace, it seems to help my lower unit last longer. There will be times when you run up on a stump, remember this trick to get off them, I call it the Conway Shuffle.
Turn around face your motor lift your self off your boat seat by jumping up or pushing yourself up quickly and push towards your motor using your feet and legs quickly, repeat as many times as you need until your boat comes off the stump. If your doing it right you will feel the stump slide back towards the bow a little each time
This will get you off about 90 percent of the time. If there are two of you in the boat you must synchronize with each other
What Mac saidQuote:
Originally Posted by Mac Daddy
Thank You Russ for all your contributions
went today. put in about 10:30 and fished till 7:30. caught around 23/25, with nine good legal. smallest keeper was 10 3/4 . big one was 15 1/2 :biggrin. no pics. gave them to an old lady with a young child at the ramp. used 1/16th with pink head and double colored eyes. best color was a 2" blue/chartreuse. caught a few with electric chicken, but didn't think that with pink head was necessary. caught my best ones out in the middle of the lake trying out trees I had never tried before. best time on lake in weeks. wind was decent, often the water was like glass. heat not bad for this time of year. i think Russ getting me to downsize and use colored jig heads really made a difference. good luck to all, we just have to keep jigging and learning :fish
ps. i drive a white chevy blazer with a game and fish car tag initialed PMAC. i put in mostly at Adams this time of year cause it gives me easy access to the entire lake and I mainly fish more on the eastern side this time of year. got an old 14 ft jonboat, usually wearing a white tee shirt and a black footjoy rainhat. come over and say hi if you see me. My real name is Paul McGinnis.
This is good advice. It is not a good thing when you are in a boat with smaller gauge aluminum and you get a dent from the stump in the middle of the boat. You can easily become the Lake Conway fidget spinner.
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Originally Posted by CrappiePro
hehehe, I see you are still an agile young man Russ. i would probably fall in the water trying that trick Jumping Jacks IconQuote:
Originally Posted by CrappiePro
Im not as young as I ust to be I can't jump near as high, and 90-100 degree trips all day out there are becoming a thing of the past. Many times over the years i would tie off under those big shady cypress, drink something cold, eat a lunch, and take a nap for a bit, then get up and get right back after them. LOL Not so much anymore. I am getting old
Glad some of them tricks is paying off for you Paul, sounds like a fun day yesterday. Be glad to get my boat back! I drive a green Toyota Tecoma but my boat I keep floatin in the boat house. I got a a ol 14 ft Alweld flat bottom with a camo motor. Usually wearing a long sleeve white shirt (unless they are all dirty), some kinda wide brimmed hat may even have overalls on from time to time. White beard is visible aways off I'm told, but if IQuote:
Originally Posted by ibmack
notice you first I will certainly holler a hay at ya. My name is Steve Beth Most of the fishin I've done so far has been in the Adams and Green Lake area's. After I tore my motor up was the closest 8 foot water I could get to, only took me a hour & half to get there with trolling motor from Paradise:dono Hope to run into some of y'all out there real soon
BEST and most informative post in years , thank you Sir Russ.
Now your cooking with Crisco.... Paul, great job. when in the middle of the lake on those deeper trees I most always use a 1/16th after 7 feet deep. 9 keepers is sometimes all you get, Take what Ole Stumpy gives... and enjoy the style of fishing and enviorment, You just dont get many lakes like Conway to fish this way in Central AR. Conway is a beautiful lake to look across on a summer day and seeing all the life it holds.Quote:
Originally Posted by ibmack
Thanks Russ, you are right about the scenery. There was wave after wave on newly hatched shad moving from north to south spread over at least 75/150 yards wide from east to west. Something popping them fron underneath occasionally, making big splashes.Quote:
Originally Posted by CrappiePro