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Will be going Crappie fishing at Kaw lake for the first time ever this weekend. Can anyone suggest what part of the lake to look at? What depth are the Crappie holding at this time of the year? Any pointers would be appreciated. Thanks
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D-street and Tim Y’s home!
Not good but the fish never bite good north bummer.next page
Are there any ramps open?
All ramps from Sarge creek north are iced over. Ice line today runs from just south of Sarge creek and everything north of sarge is solid ice. Only open water is in the main lake. Lot's of eagles setting on the ice.
Were you in a red lund boat .i was there in white boat .tough day
No getting some service work done on the boat while we are iced over. Lake opened up a lot yesterday. Sarge ramp and north is all open water today. Ice line moved north toward Washunga and west toward coon. Thicker ice is around coon and north of Washunga bridge. Open water is clear and cold. Water temp around 32 to 34 deg.
Im hoping ice melts north crappie are there its a real sleeper .love me aome crappie and okra
My buddy Bill was in a little red lund boat with DTF Outdoors sticker on it. He got his limit in a decent amount of time.
Attachment 287490Attachment 287491Attachment 287492 A odd day out Saturday. The fish I found on my last trip had moved out. The first two fish were 25 lb blues. Could catch little crappie in many places, but I was not interested in dinks. My big fish places were only spotty, the piles I checked seemed to only have little ones so I went on the prowl and checked out a new part of the lake for me. I was very impressed, Kaw continues to please. I didnt catch many fish but marked a bunch of new stuff that had great fish on them (included a sample pic). Problem yesterday was that they just would not tolerate the boat shadow at all! The next pass over those fish in the first pic had only 3 fish left! I really think the big Blues are tearing into the crappie right now and any large shadow have the crappie high-tailing it out of there. I have never seen fish this boat shy before, they were even like that in 10 inch vis water. I started throwing markers and coming back an hour or two later and keeping the boat shadow away from them. Next time I am going to get minnows and slip bobber them from a distance after I throw markers using side scan from a distance instead of driving over them and marking with down scan. How I wish I could have fished those stumps without spooking the fish off. From the image all the fish looked to be that size. :mad: Oh, ended up with 15 good fish, largest right at 2lbs.
Fishers that's where spider rigging with drop shots is deadly so you can stay 12 to 14 ft away from the structure.
I have a "sort of spider rig". Its a 4 pole holder attached to a board I wedge into the front of the boat. It sort of works. I have 1 12 foot rod and the rest are 10 footers. They are really too short to avoid spooking the fish unless you are covering water. My experiences with spooky fish this year are starting to convince me I need to get the real deal, or at least some 14 + foot rods. Not my favorite way to fish but it would come in handy pre and post spawn with the scattered, moving fish, and with spooky winter fish. Might work well in fall also for fish chasing shad. I could use some recommendations of which poles are suitable for the purpose.
You are gonna hear a 1000 different opinions on rods Fishers. I have been spider rigging for a long time and I personally use 12 footers 95% of the time because I'm usually rigging in water over 15 ft deep. I will switch to 14 footers in shallower water from 6 or 7 ft deep and shallower. After a lot of days on the water I can't catch any more fish on the 14's than I can catch on the 12's plus I can control the 12's better when fishing 15 to 25 fow. Biggest thing I have figured out is go with like a 1 ounce weight fishing deep. This will keep your lines apart when moving and turning. On the poles that's a personal preference. The best rods I have used have a really soft tip and enough backbone for a good hookset. I also like a pole with a hi vis tip along with hi vis line. Been running Vicious hi vis 8 lb on all my spider rigs for a long time. I've tried about every rod out there and my number 1 rod is a Shakespeare crappie hunter in the 12 ft model. You can get a heck of a deal through Grizzly Jig when you by 3 or more (under 30.00.) Whatever brand you choose a very soft tip is a must in the winter. I will run drop shot rigs all winter because I like to push the baits into the cover when the fish are buried in it.
Fishers, not my favorite way to fish because I prefer to feel the thump but I will do it when necessary. As Tim says, you will hear 1000 opinions on rods. My boat is setup where I can use three on each side but normally I only use two 12 footers on each side. Sometimes I will add a 14 out to the front. I don't fish much in the Winter because I'm by myself but I like to use the setup in pre and post spawn. I prefer to use a heavier rod. My favorite is the B&M Pro Staff Trolling rod. I own four 12s and two 14s. The reason I prefer them is I can fish faster. I like to power troll jigs or push crankbaits and those rods are excellent for that. They also work pretty good with a Kentucky rig when fishing slower with minnows or jigs. I think that is the same rig that Tim is calling a drop shot. I learned it as a Kentucky rig about 40 years ago. I do not like the Capps and Coleman rigs as I prefer to change weights frequently and it's easier with the Kentucky. Also the ones I tie up can be stored easier on pieces of noodles. I also use 8 or 10lb Vicious hi-vis line but tie my droppers on Trilene fluorocarbon. They are below the water line anyway so seeing them isn't necessary. I use old baitcast reels I mostly got off Ebay. All of them have a flipping switch so all I have to do to let out line is press the thumbar and then release it. That way I don't have to re-engage with the handle. My favorite use of this is power trolling large jigs. I used to call it strolling and hand held two rods. With this setup I can fish four (or six) rods at almost 1 mph (with appropriate weight.) Anyway, that's my take on it. I would like to hear about other persons setups.
Floyd
Realized this morning I was high jacking the Kaw thread. Should of started a new thread. Odie, feel free to delete my posts.
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Thanks guys! IkenI, its probably appropriate due to the current skittish nature of the fish on Kaw.
Ike, not enough of a hijack to move. Good info on how to catch spooky crappie. I appreciate you, Chris and Tim sharing ways to combat the fish, when the water is clear enough to spook them. I have even experienced the fish being spooky on Oologah this year, due to it being uncharacteristicly clear. As long as it is beneficial to all I don’t mind a little hijacking.
Odie
Think some of this due to all the post on here about how good Kaw is and every Tom dick and Harry loading up their livewells at Kaw.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fishers
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dstreet
I wasn't up there last year. But in years past, there would be retirees(several from Kansas, some OK) that would camp there all spring summer fall and catch all the crappie and blues they could every day. I've seen and reported vans showing up at night to haul off frozen fish by the freezer full, to no avail. I was told to mind my own business. They were bragging about feeding the whole town fish fries two or three times a year. It just sss me off. That HAS to have a major effect on the populations. That is like another lake on hybrids, stripers, and blues. Me and friends keep it real quiet on what we catch, and turn loose. We will keep just enough for a meal, at the most once a week. I know there is a group posting "Look at me videos: on a couple websites that definitely doesn't help either. It's a shame when people exploit to the max when something is good instead of nurturing it and making it even better.
Well stated aserioushunter!!!!!
Yep. I’m guilty of posting some pics as well on FB. Lesson learned!! I still post some just to promote my guiding. But nothing like I did before. The last time I posted a pic from the Lake I had several investigators messaging me “I know where you were”. Sure enough them and there possee was there the next several days.
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Odie is also on good fish up at Oologah and taking clients.
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Some peoples kids. Meat maggots is what we call them. Saddens me and they goo to the same places day in and day out. They put nothing back figuratively or actually.
Any updates on crappie catching in the Kaw planning on trying the first of the week. Maybe mon Tue Wed any help appriciated.
Hey fishers what locator are you using that's really great detail.
Slow day of fishing on the lake today. Hey Tim I saw D Street and he had with him some ....... I just can't say. Let's just say, I thought I heard a bubbler when he went by. LOL!!!
I run a Hum Helix 9 inch up front, but the images are from my Lowrance HDS Gen 2 10 inch screen on the console. It is an older model, but it still has great resolution. If you want that quality of an image you MUST get a unit that has the structure scan module. The transducer itself without the module wont do it. Lowrance sells the modules as a option for its carbon and HDS lines. I do not think they work with their two cheaper products the hook and elete. Simrad sonar units are also made by the Lowrance parent company Navico, and are a bit cheaper. The structure scan modules work with those units as well. If you go with a Simrad 9 inch unit and module it will cost you 1700$ right now. A Lowrance 9 inch HDS Gen 3 will run you a bit more. There is no point going smaller than a 9 inch screen, you dont get the benefit of the higher resolution in the smaller screen sizes in my opinion. As an added benefit, the new structure scan modules and sonar units from Lowrance and Simrad now come with 3D, which from what I can see, is the future for all better sonar units. If you decide to buy 3D, just make sure you are getting one that is 3D capable before you purchase. Oh, and I said in an earlier post that I had not seen a better resolution than my Gen 2 with its Module, well.... I have now. After checking out the new 3D modules for the Simrad and Lowrance units I have to say they are even better. They have greatly improved the resolution along with the added 3D capabilities. Here is a pic of the right module if anyone decides to go 3D. Attachment 290024Quote:
Originally Posted by tim
So do you think they are superior to the birds. I am running a first gen side scan bird now. But your images are fantastic thanks.
Wish you would have got a picture of that. I bet he cried for hours after buying them.Quote:
Originally Posted by kenance
I dont want to get anyone upset with me but, I run both and I see the difference in real time from the same boat going over the same stuff and there really is no comparison. Hands down, the Gen 2 Low with the structure scan module beats my Helix Hum. And from what I can see the new 3d structure scan modules on both the carbon and gen3 beats my older set up for down and side imaging.Quote:
Originally Posted by tim
Chris you are not stepping on toes. Everybody has a preference. As I have mentioned before, brand is not important but knowing how to use what you have is the most important. Any reputable guide will tell you the most important tool in their boat is the electronics. I personally like garmin but that's just my preference. I will say hummingbird has their new solix mega that has frequencies in 1.2 Mhz not the KHz like everybody else in the 440 to 800 range. Never owned a hummingbird but after seeing the mega imaging it's incredible. Garmin's new 93 sv with chirp now has a touch screen, which will make the much easier to navigate through and still 999.00. Got to see the lowrance carbon unit and it is impressive to. Comes down to how much you want to spend. I have watched a ton of people on the lake with the best electronics money can buy with no idea how to use them.
You got that right! And the 3D is changing things up big time. Check out this vid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI0lV20xL9IQuote:
Originally Posted by TimY
Went yesterday. The forecasters blew it, it was supposed to be mid 40's and a chance of sprinkles. Never made it out of the 30's and it rained .30 of inch. No gortext just hunting bibs made for a "suck it up and take it" day. Found good biting fish on the breaks at 12 foot associated with wood and brush but not necessarily stuck to it. It appears they may be starting to move even tho the water is in the upper 30's. I dont fish Kaw often enough to see trends. It may have been much warmer before this cold spell. I have been on Eufaula lately. Even tho they are only 100 miles apart, those two lakes are vastly different in temp. Got to love Oklahoma. Found lots of fish deep but they were not at all interested in biting. I started off spider rigging minnows but settled on dead sticking with a 1/4 ounce jig on the bottom and a minnow 18 inches above it. They would lightly bite the minnow but hit the jig pretty hard. Which was good, cause after the first rain I couldn't feel my hands anymore. Caught half my fish on the jigs. I couldn't tell if jig color made any difference. I didn't get a single fish from that school in the down scan pic. I ended up fishing shallow for the more scattered active fish. It was a pretty good day once I found where to fish. And I was happy to be able feel my face again on the way back somewhere around Pawnee. Attachment 291293Attachment 291294
Thought I seen your ride. I got off just in time to avoid the rain. Crazy I did my best on fish in 28 ft and they had their bellies in the mud.
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They just weren't biting. I put minnows in their face spider rigging before the wind started, and they didn't touch them. I gave up on them and worked the shallow fish.
Here was a nice surprise for me. Attachment 291374
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Pretty
Awesome! Wish we had more of them at Kaw. I was miserable yesterday, but did get two new tops put out!Quote:
Originally Posted by dstreet
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Darrel, why did that surprise you?
Pretty fish!
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