Summertime crappie have me clueless.

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08-21-2018, 07:30 AM
Jackson87

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Summertime crappie have me clueless.

Good morning guys.Ive recently been searching for crappie with my brother at our Home lake.Ive been out in a Attachment 314313boat with a Lowrance HDS Carbon.Our lake doesn't have any timber over 5-8 foot deep.So we have been searching the points near the main creek channels.I continue to find schools of fish that look like crappie to me.We have vertically jigged every color we have and have a hard time getting bit.Our lake has a ton of big Shad so now I'm wondering if it's Shad I'm locating or crappie.Heres a pic of our Shad size to compare.Ive been skunked the last couple trips so ant and all advice is appreciated.

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08-21-2018, 07:51 AM
SKs Crappie Catching Adventures

Is there any other structure besides timber?

Laydowns, bolders, rock piles, pvc, sharp ledges or brush piles..... maybe?
08-21-2018, 07:56 AM
Spoonminnow

A few basic questions:
1. lure or lures used
2. line type(s) used and # test
3. presentation: retrieve type or trolling (if so) and speed
4. depth(s) fished
5. confused by this statement:

Quote:

I continue to find schools of fish that look like crappie to me.

I never have seen schools of anything except white perch feeding near the surface in huge numbers. The only way I know for sure what's in a school is catching fish after fish of the same species or a mix of two species in the same area for reasons I can never be sure of.

Sonar/lures-hit are the only way I can be sure of what's hitting and where. This year has been strange so far and though I've done well with many species, crappie success has been more sporadic with few good numbers and quality.

Good luck, keep at it.
08-21-2018, 09:08 AM
Jackson87

There is no man made structure due to the state not allowing it.There are a few small points that have drop offs on them.We tried to fish them but the wind kept pushing us off.Heres a few answers to the other questions.
1.Baby shads,tubes and custom hand tied jigs in all colors.Small Crappie crankbaits and swimbaits.
2.6 pound hi-vis Suffix
3.Vertical jigging and casting.
4.We fished the fish that we marked on the sonar.They were in 8-12 fow.
5.The lake is overloaded with schools of shad.Im not sure I can tell the difference between crappie schools and large shad schools.
08-21-2018, 09:13 AM
Redge

I have had large shad fool me in the past.
I’m with SK, rock piles, Ledge’s....

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08-21-2018, 09:18 AM
Jackson87

Ive seen several guys pulling crankbaits around the points and drop offs.Im gonna by some flickershads and bandit 300's to try that.I could also hit another lake about 50 miles away that has a lot more standing timber.

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08-21-2018, 10:16 AM
Spoonminnow

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackson87

Ive seen several guys pulling crankbaits around the points and drop offs.Im gonna by some flickershads and bandit 300's to try that.I could also hit another lake about 50 miles away that has a lot more standing timber.

Does the lake have shallow flats, shorelines or rocky areas near drops or shaded areas depending on time of day?

Suggestion: use a fluorocarbon leader of 4 or 6# test with the Suffix. Others on this forum also prefer it for different reasons.
Suggestion: try casting soft plastic lures rigged on 1/32 and 1/16 oz jigheads that are not curl tails or Sassy Shad tails, used the way you did curl tails. Here are two examples: Crappie Magnet grub and Slider worm:
https://i.imgur.com/vYk5sRl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/TJkUUjE.jpg?1 https://i.imgur.com/65i6pix.jpg

I can always count on them at various depths and near or on fish attracting structure. These are not trolling or straight retrieve lure designs. Feeling for the light strike on a non-steady retrieve has allowed me knowing when to raise the rod and allowing the fish to almost set the hook for me. (note: a light action rod is key! I prefer 5'6" or 6'.)

Frank
08-21-2018, 10:28 AM
Jackson87

Yes it has a lot of shallow flats,a ton of Lilly pads,and some rocky areas.I typically bass fish this lake and hit those areas to get fish.I also usually follow the shad that are busting the surface and catch a few white bass on a rip and rap.I have a couple packs of the crappie magnets.Ill give them a try.
08-21-2018, 10:38 AM
Spoonminnow

Sounds like the waters I fish - great variety to search!
Another question: what time of day or time span do you fish?
Most of my best catches are from 10am to 6pm and on days with a light chop on the water.
08-21-2018, 11:40 AM
Jackson87

I fish after work.Usually from 6:00pm to dark.Do you guys think live minnows would help me any?
08-21-2018, 01:32 PM
SKs Crappie Catching Adventures

Just because there's a law that says no structure trust me the dark allowed some structure to make it and a lot more than you may think....
What kind of electronics do you have?
08-21-2018, 01:33 PM
SKs Crappie Catching Adventures

Also what lake are you fishn?
08-21-2018, 01:57 PM
huntinslabs

I would try deep in the thickest weeds you can find with some of the itty bitty swimmers or other tiny baits on very small jigheads. The Black Crappie here tend to feed on more insect larvae in heat of summer and tuck way back in dense weeds.

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08-21-2018, 02:45 PM
StratosFS5

I would definitely try live minnows! Try a minnow rig and vertical jig over the schools that you find, or tip you jigs with a minnow. You can also try wax worms and crappie nibbles added to jigs. I don’t know what size line you’re using but maybe try 4lb flouro or even 10lb braid.

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08-21-2018, 03:28 PM
Jackson87

It's called Cowan Lake in Ohio.Its only around 700 acres with a 10 hp limit.
08-21-2018, 05:59 PM
SKs Crappie Catching Adventures

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackson87

It's called Cowan Lake in Ohio.Its only around 700 acres with a 10 hp limit.

Yeah that won't show on my map, was thinking I could point out some areas that I would look...
What fish finder are you using?
08-21-2018, 07:15 PM
CrappiePappy

Quote:

Originally Posted by silentkilla

Yeah that won't show on my map, was thinking I could point out some areas that I would look...
What fish finder are you using?

See if you can bring this up : Navionics ChartViewer

If you can, you can zoom down and get a good look at the contours of the lake. One part that looks interesting to me is the hump to the right of the marina, and the saddle between it and the long sloping underwater point that leads to it.
08-21-2018, 07:36 PM
Tom 513

I have fished Cowan, have you tryed the old road bed on the beach side, the past couple times ive been there, i marked a lot of fish around it. This time of year id troll minnows tipped with berkleys crappie nibbles. I fished Acton about a month ago and about limited this way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackson87

It's called Cowan Lake in Ohio.Its only around 700 acres with a 10 hp limit.

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08-21-2018, 07:38 PM
Tom 513

Pappy, i think the long sloping point is the road bed, its across from the marina close to the beach

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08-21-2018, 08:59 PM
Jackson87

Pappy I fish that bowl between the points and both of those big points about Everytime I go.I fished Caesars Creek tonight and caught about a dozen dinks and 2 large mouth.The water is much clearer there and there's a lot more structure.Tom I don't believe I've seen the road bed.I have fished the cove by the campground tho.Im gonna hit Cowan again first chance I get.
08-22-2018, 09:10 AM
Smiley318

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackson87

Good morning guys.Ive recently been searching for crappie with my brother at our Home lake.Ive been out in a Attachment 314313boat with a Lowrance HDS Carbon.Our lake doesn't have any timber over 5-8 foot deep.So we have been searching the points near the main creek channels.I continue to find schools of fish that look like crappie to me.We have vertically jigged every color we have and have a hard time getting bit.Our lake has a ton of big Shad so now I'm wondering if it's Shad I'm locating or crappie.Heres a pic of our Shad size to compare.Ive been skunked the last couple trips so ant and all advice is appreciated.

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Use big bait

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08-22-2018, 09:17 AM
SKs Crappie Catching Adventures

What's the water clarity at this lake?
08-22-2018, 09:20 AM
SKs Crappie Catching Adventures

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrappiePappy

See if you can bring this up : Navionics ChartViewer

If you can, you can zoom down and get a good look at the contours of the lake. One part that looks interesting to me is the hump to the right of the marina, and the saddle between it and the long sloping underwater point that leads to it.

Yes I'd work that area from 12 to 20fow for sure...
08-22-2018, 04:19 PM
Crappieslayer69

What part of the country do u fish?

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08-22-2018, 08:09 PM
Stainless

I fished a somewhat local lake back in the Spring, during spawn, and I did pretty well obviously during that time of year. As Summer started to settle in, the fish started becoming long and few. I tried everything including jigs, colors, nibbles, minnows, pulling crankbaits, in the river, and in the lake. Nothing seemed to work. I know they're there but I just couldn't get them to bite much. The thermocline had moved in and was pretty high in the water column. Seems like it was around eight foot or so. Maybe I was spooking the fish by getting too close but I finally gave up and just decided to wait till Fall. I moved on to catfishing. My friend convinced me recently to go to another lake that he bass fishes occasionally that is not popular for much of anything. We located a spot within a lot of structure and tore them up. It didn't matter if we were using jigs or minnows. The difference in this lake is the water was clear vs muddy, twice as deep and the thermocline was around twenty feet +. This is my first year crappie fishing and I have learned a ton but I've pretty much summed it up that some lakes just don't perform well during the Summer with high water temps.
08-23-2018, 07:02 AM
Jackson87

Water clarity is 6 inches at best.Lake is in Ohio.Going to buy some crappie crankbaits today.
08-23-2018, 10:21 AM
SKs Crappie Catching Adventures

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackson87

Water clarity is 6 inches at best.Lake is in Ohio.Going to buy some crappie crankbaits today.

This is like my third time asking what electronics are you running? I'm trying to help you out here....
08-23-2018, 03:02 PM
Greenwing

Quote:

Originally Posted by silentkilla

This is like my third time asking what electronics are you running? I'm trying to help you out here....

Nevermind. I just reread what was posted.
08-23-2018, 04:07 PM
Jackson87

I put the type of fishfinder in the original post.Maybe the big ugly Shad that ended up in the middle of my post made it hard to read.Its a Lowerance HDS Carbon.Sorry about that.
08-23-2018, 08:53 PM
crappiemax

Cowan is a great little lake and at this time of year the crappie will be targeting the many shad schools in open water.
Listen to Tom 513...he's a very wise man.
08-24-2018, 05:41 AM
Tom 513

Quote:

Originally Posted by crappiemax

Cowan is a great little lake and at this time of year the crappie will be targeting the many shad schools in open water.
Listen to Tom 513...he's a very wise man.

Except when it comes to fish kills at Ef....lol

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08-24-2018, 05:45 AM
Jackson87

1 Attachment(s)

I bought a few cranks yesterday to get me started on trolling.Attachment 314556

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08-24-2018, 05:45 AM
Ketchn

the shad are not crappie food if they are those kind according to what I know and the fisheries guy tells me . that looks like a gizzard shad and they grow to fast for them to be a reliable food source for crappie .
might want to get some very small minnows and let them float around down in the schools of fish you think are crappie . one thing for certain if its tough with a jig lots of folks go to live bait .
beyond that I have not a clue and know that it can be very tough to even tell if one is even biting in the summer . I imagine a lot of crappie anglers are getting jigs bit and or tasted and never realize it ...imho .
08-24-2018, 07:35 AM
Jackson87

Thanks for all the advice guys.Ive got a lot to learn but I'm gonna keep at it.
08-24-2018, 11:01 AM
SKs Crappie Catching Adventures

Welp if the trolling cranks don't work update you're post and I'll give ya what ole SK would do....
I hate fishn for suspended feesh.....