Pymatuning ?’s, south end

I’ve been crappie fishing pymatuning for about 5 years now, most of my limited knowledge is on the south end of the lake and I typically don’t start fishing until late April beginning of May through the summer. I have a few questions for you guys/gals.

My first question is, do you think the crappie migrate long distances in the winter/early spring/ice out, to find warmer water at pymatuning?

Do crappie stay on the south end of the lake all year, or do they run north to warmer water once the ice comes off?

If the crappie are on the south end all year, what advice can you give me if I would rather fish the south end when the ice comes off? Should I look for structure, creek beds, edges, rock bottom? Should I look for deeper water closer to known spawning areas? Is it a waste of time and just go up north with the crowds from ice out until water temps hit 50 in the south end?

Every year early spring it’s the same thing, the bite is dead on the south and it’s hot up north in the streams and warm shallow bays. I would love to find them on the south end early in the season.

Any advice or past experiences are greatly appreciated.

Asking for some precious secrets here. Yes the fish will travel long distances to find warmer water. Yes there will be fish in the south end all spring. Mostly whites. And yes they spawn shallow on the south end. I know this from close to fifty years fishing this lake. If you want to learn where they are, honestly, just keep your eyes open as you search. The boats will tell you a whole lot at both ends of the lake. I hope you get what I’m saying. I’ll get crucified for spot burning if I give more info than that. See you in April.

Thank you so much! That’s exactly what I was looking for. Definitely not trying to be hand fed your fishing spots, but in return I was not trying to fish for fish that possibly would not have been there. I really appreciate you help, see you in the spring!

A member from church, told me yesterday, that a friend of his, is catching big crappie and walleye at the south end of the lake. So they are catching them on that end.

Thank you for the heads up s10chevy!

Another question, at pymatuning do you ever get mixed bags in the same location of black and white crappie? To be honest with you guys I don’t think I have ever caught a white crappie. When I first started fishing pymatuning I may have caught a white crappie or two, but I honestly couldn’t tell the difference. (A crappie was a crappie then, I know the difference now)

I bought a boat about 6 years ago and a buddy and I wanted to get out of town for a week so we rented a cabin the first week of May. On our first trip we were basically drowning bait for about 6 hours, mainly targeting walleye. We drove back to the Jamestown ramp and an older couple asked how we did, we said just 1 crappie and a few throw back walleye. The lady said if you guys want to catch fish she said go to that little island (pointed) and fish the bank with a bobber and minnow. Well we did the next day and caught a bunch of crappie, these were bigger then the biggest crappie I had ever seen. I was addicted from that point on.

Now over the past 4-5 years we’ve been making the trip down much as we can get out. Over the years we learned different locations to fish at different times of the year wether it being shallows or a little deeper. We typically catch fish every trip and sometimes decent numbers, always black crappie. Two years ago my buddy and I went out with a crappie guide and he helped us with different setups and explained where and what the crappie like to do on pymatuning. (He helped us equip the boat with proper crappie gear) We fished for white crappie on deeper rock flats with structure in June, but were unsuccessful.

I do not claim to be a pro crappie angler, but you guys are a great source of help and a huge contribution to my fishing success. Anytime I can get out and find a new weed line, new brush pile or any structure for that nature and catch fish I consider it a success.

Thanks for the help guys!

Pymatuning guys and gals, when do the docks typically get put back in the water? Any advice or areas where I should try to launch if the docks are not in the water? I am wanting to fish right when the ice is off this year, just don’t know if it’s doable to launch my boat. I know we have a while yet with decent ice still on, but I would much rather be prepared. In other news I just booked my cabin for Friday May 3 and Saturday May 4th! Can’t wait to get on the water and rip some lips!

Also are you guys doing crappie camp this year at pymatuning, if so what weekend? I would like to stop down.

When your fishing right at ice out, fish where the ice fisherman were catching them and use the same methods, finesse methods work. Find the crappie cribs, plenty of them around the lake and fish SLOW. You can stop at the park office for a map of the cribs.

The fish at the north end will migrate into the shallows in the bay's. Think 2-3 fow. Lower end of the lake , fish deep water until it starts to warm up. The fish at the upper part of the lake are more susceptible to weather changes. Fronts moving through will cause them to get lock jaw while at the south end the fish don't seem to be so effected by changing weather fronts.

Go to the posts that took place during the ice season and use those spots as a starting point. Try these sites; ohiofishgame.com,ice shanty.com, fish finder.com and of course crappie.com. You can also go to in fisherman.com for some helpful tips.

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Originally Posted by Nwpacrappie

Also are you guys doing crappie camp this year at pymatuning, if so what weekend? I would like to stop down.

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Unfortunately, we won’t be having crappie writers camp this year. As a matter of fact, Darl has cancelled the camps permanently. Got an email just yesterday from him saying so. I’ve been a participant in 4 of the 5 he’s had. Met some great guys and women at them. Made some good friends from all over the country also. Hopefully they’ll start back up after a couple years hiatus. Wish I had the resources and energy to put one together but I don’t.

Sparkie that is a huge help! I truely appreciate it. That’s the exact information I was looking for. My original plan on ice off was to start where the ice fishermen were getting them, but I was unsure if that was the correct approach. I will probably work deep to shallow ice off and hope my electronics can help me along the way. I picked up a map at a local bait shop a few years back that has structure marked in the areas of interest. With a little luck and a good presentation hopefully I can find some fish.

Chaunc, that’s too bad about crappie camp. I never made it to crappie camp, but I only heard about it last year. I don’t realize it would have been the 5th year! I tried to make it down last year but unfortunately a wrench was thrown into my plans. It’s a little bit of a drive down and sometimes things come up. I did see they have the kids fishing derby put on by the lake association this upcoming year, so I intend to bring my little one down and a friend for the day.

As always thanks a lot for advice guys! Hopefully someday I will be able to post a few tips to help a fellow fisherman! I like to think I’m getting there....slowwwwww but steady.

The crappie camp, chaunc was referring to, was writers who contribute to the Crappie Now Magazine. It was every other year. Then I tried to have a crappie camp for the board, but felt I needed before hand help, to make it happen. To make something like that happen, it takes more than just me, pre planning to make it happen. Plus the cost to rent a pavillion to hold the meals and gather in. Being retired, I can't put out money of my own, and then things don't come together. Mostly not enough in attendance to make it worth while. And would be probably renting one of the cabins up at Pymatuming, which costs a bit. But if people would be willing to go in together renting cabins, it would save some money too.

Anyone have any comments about it, would welcome them.

I hear you about crappie camp, it’s tough to get people to participate and be committed. Maybe an alternative would be people from the area meet up and grab a beer or some dinner. Sit down and shoot the xxxx for a while.. move on and make smaller plans from there, until we can climb another step. I plan dates down there every year to take vacation and fish, I’m sure a lot of you are the same. Hopefully in the future we can get people together even if it is to shoot the xxxx over beers and food. Basically it doesn’t have to be super organized, just a way to introduce yourself.

Count me in. Let me know when you’re coming to Pymatuning.

Chaunc, in an earlier post Nwpacrappie posted this.

In other news I just booked my cabin for Friday May 3 and Saturday May 4th! Can’t wait to get on the water and rip some lips!

Yes sir I will be there May 3 and 4th if anyone is around. I will head down first thing Friday morning and stay until Sunday around 12-1pm. I know the owner of a local golf course who has a kitchen and she’s always willing to keep the kitchen open until after fishing hours! I have 2 other week day trips scheduled as well in May but those ones are a time crunch! I am planning on one more probably the last week of May or first week of June depending when I can get off work. That one will be a little more of an extended stay I hope. Other then that depending on work I could do a weekend day as long as it’s a little in advance.

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Originally Posted by Nwpacrappie

Yes sir I will be there May 3 and 4th if anyone is around. I will head down first thing Friday morning and stay until Sunday around 12-1pm. I know the owner of a local golf course who has a kitchen and she’s always willing to keep the kitchen open until after fishing hours! I have 2 other week day trips scheduled as well in May but those ones are a time crunch! I am planning on one more probably the last week of May or first week of June depending when I can get off work. That one will be a little more of an extended stay I hope. Other then that depending on work I could do a weekend day as long as it’s a little in advance.

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Hope you’re not too early for the main spawn bite this spring with this extended winter weather. Hopefully they’ll be in the shallows by then. Keith, pick a day and we can all meet up for coffee or something and get to know each other. Everyone that wants too attend can chime in after the day is picked.

Well it sounds like the weekend, he is there would be good. But don't want to effect his fishing, lol. What do you think? Will post some thing after, we get some comments from others. For me Saturday would be better. Thinking I know the golf course he is talking about.

I don’t have to fish ALL day ha ha. Chaunc by the way this weather has been going I may be ice fishing then! I figure as long as it’s 50 degree water temps I should be able to find something. I have been getting good info on the ice bite from a friend who fishes down there so I at least should have an area to start. I guess they have been on the crappie with a few eyes mixed in. All on the south end so that gives me hope. Been itching to get finished with the boat and motor maintenance but the weather has been brutal. Just made sure the trailer was working up to par and plan on installing a new fish finder. Just old fashioned 2d, but hoping the chirp can help me locate a few more brush piles or structure. I run a small 14 ft deep v sea nymph with a 8.8. That motor is older then dirt, I’ve been saving my pennies for either a new motor or a brand new to me, used boat. Tough to take my little one out when she is stuck with bench seats. Spring can come fast enough! The golf course is the Walnut Creek golf course.

Just got off the phone with an ice club member. He said they’re out on the south end ice fishing. Invited me to come up and fish. Kind of leery about getting back on the ice this season. I think I’m done. Probably get my boat out of storage mid month and get ready to head to Ky lake beginning of April. I’ll be in touch.

Yea, I’m not much of an ice fisherman! I will go out once in a while but it’s gotta be thick ha ha. I can watch 50 guys walk over the same spot and still not feel comfortable walking over it! Good luck fishing in KY!