Fishing Blind (Almost)

Let's say you are fishing a new lake where you've never fished before. You know absolutely nothing about the lake. In fact, where you put in is a total guess. You pick a boat ramp and go to it. As you are putting in, you notice another boat coming in and you notice that they have some nice, freshly caught Crappie, so you know there are fish there somewhere.

The reason you're not totally blind beyond being able to see with your eyes is that you have a fish finder with you. You also have a contour map of the part of the lake where you put in. You've talked to a few people, but you don't know how open they are being with you.

OK, you're on the water, you turn on your fish finder and you start looking for a good spot to crappie fish. What are you looking for? I think the likely choices would be structure, depth, bait fish, what you identify as fish on your fish finder screen, and probably a lot of other stuff. What do I know?

Also, how do you know what bait to fish with? Will you use jigs? If so, what kind, what size and what color? Since you don't know what the Crappie are hitting, will you start with minnows?

What else goes into your thinking when it comes to finding Crappie on water that you don't know?

Oh, ok, Weather! It's clear, gentle breezes and the temperature is in the mid to upper 80's. A beautiful day to be on the water.

Thanks

GF

I look for bait ,structure, and the fish also. The best sonar is no good if you don't know how to use it and you must trust what you are seeing on sonar also. Time spent on the water fishing is the best way to learn
Remember this just because you don't catch them today don't mean you can't catch them tomorrow. If you are not comfortable fishing with artificial baits minnows will always work good. Watching videos such as Richard Gene the fishing machine on you tube will help also. Don't forget the slabsauce sold on here made by Slab aka Ed Moes

Thanks, Scrat. I’m learning more and more about the Garmin Striker 7sv all the time. And I have some slab sauce and use it. You said bait, structure and fish. Do you look for those things in that order? I’ve been using the Traditional sonar most of the time, but I’m going to use Side View and Clear View more when hunting for structure. The Garmin, as far as I can find, has a LOT fewer settings than the Humminbird and I can’t get it adjusted to suit me.

Thanks

GF

I’m always looking for structure with the right size Crappie on it.
Always jigs, as Scrat said time with your fish finder and it will tell you all you need to know.


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com

Electronics on, idle speed, at sunup, I’m looking for bait dimpling the surface. No bait, no fish. They don’t always dimple but in the early hours of the day they will be more visible and easier to find. Baitballs on the sonar are unmistakable. I fish under and around the edges of the schools. If that doesn’t work, I look for shoreline details. Points, ledges, rock changes, docks, riprap, down trees. By now something has shown itself to be interesting and I get busy. This should get you started.

I look for baitfish first and foremost anywhere and anytime. Even headed to favorite proven holding spots, if I see bait in route plans change.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gill Fisher

Thanks, Scrat. I’m learning more and more about the Garmin Striker 7sv all the time. And I have some slab sauce and use it. You said bait, structure and fish. Do you look for those things in that order? I’ve been using the Traditional sonar most of the time, but I’m going to use Side View and Clear View more when hunting for structure. The Garmin, as far as I can find, has a LOT fewer settings than the Humminbird and I can’t get it adjusted to suit me.

Thanks

GF

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When I am looking I use the side image and the GPS system to find something like structure or fish then Mark the location and use the 2d or down image to get a closer look. Flopping crappie on you tube has some great learning video on how to use sonar. :twocents

If it's right now (ie early Summer season) .... I'll take a look at the map to find channels & adjacent flats, & Push jigs during the middle of the day, starting on the flats (looking for Shad schools) and working my way out to the channel edges. But, first I would have cast those banks with shade over the water, using weedless jigs/plastics around any obvious wood cover ... until that shade was gone ... then move out to the open water flats/channel edges & Push my jig rigs.

In other words ... basically the same thing I'd do on a familiar body of water (under the same conditions). If I can't catch Crappie casting or Pushing jigs, then I won't be going back to that lake ... and, in fact, I probably wouldn't have gone to it to start with if I knew that using those methods wasn't possible or productive.

I've even been known to be a little "sneaky" about asking locals Crappie fishing questions. I have my Crappie fishing garb on, and/or my equipment out in the open .... and I talk to the guys that are obviously Bass anglers. They usually don't care about me taking Crappie from their waters, as long as they understand that I'm not interested in catching/keeping any of their fish, and they'll spill the beans in a heartbeat about where they've seen Crappie anglers fishing on a regular basis. :biggrin

Crank baits,jig spinners,...trolling...1.5-2.5 mph...cover lots of water at different depths fast...reaction bite...when you hook up make several passes over that area and watch the sonar screen,might been structure, could just be suspended fish.

Many good ways to improve your catch rate above- good luck!

I'm on my second fish finder and haven't a clue what I'm looking at with them! I always turn it on, supposed to be on. Then I seldom ever look at it! I've watched a few video's on working them but totally lost what they were talking about. So new at crappie and simply look for what I can see above water. Mostly weed lines and bush's growing out of the water. Always seem to find fish near them. Have caught two fishing for bass in a lot more open water but wouldn't recognize it again! Wish I could understand that fish finder. Thing show's two different water depth's at the same time. one really deep and one shallow. This has to be my last fish finder! Spendy gadget's that don't help me a bit!

I have found one way to tell if I'm into fish. There's one on the end of my line!

Bait dimples on the surface and cover on the bottom or vertical cover is typically what I look for .
Lots of dots around the cover is likely crappie .
All lakes are different though and sometimes just a steep drop off along a channel will hold fish on its edges .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by scrat

I look for bait ,structure, and the fish also. The best sonar is no good if you don't know how to use it and you must trust what you are seeing on sonar also. Time spent on the water fishing is the best way to learn
Remember this just because you don't catch them today don't mean you can't catch them tomorrow. If you are not comfortable fishing with artificial baits minnows will always work good. Watching videos such as Richard Gene the fishing machine on you tube will help also. Don't forget the slabsauce sold on here made by Slab aka Ed Moes

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Excellent advice. Learn your electronics and TRUST what you see. Never look specifically for fish, rather target finding bait on or near structure. Can't go wrong! :)

My best advice is use the side scan on that garmin and key in on docks with alot overhead cover(the darker the shade the better). Scan those docks
to see which ones hold crappie. Learn how to shoot or skip you jig under the docks and your on the right road. During the spawn some crappie will even
do their business under shallower docks back up in the creek backs. At other times of the year some of my favorites are creek and river channel docks that
are in or close to deep water.The water depth usually will vary with time of year etc. You can take some of the guess work out of the equation with that side scan. There are many fine suggestions above. My suggestion is JMO from personal experience....One more thing, I know it sounds
simple but I have to remind my stubborn self. If the bites not there move. Hope this helps.
SH

Know the weather for the week leading up to fishing. The wind will push the bait towards shore. Doesn't matter which way the wind is blowing the day you are fishing, the bait don't move far fast.
Also know the direction of current. Crappie hang out of the current and jump out to eat food as it swims by. Also tells you which way they are facing. Dropping the bait behind them is useless, they won't see it.

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Good info in this one...... If you don't know your unit find the stuff you can see with your eyes, standing timber, bridges and docks.....
My advise would be learn how to use your unit and your mapping......
The map is just as useful as the fish finder......

For general location start here:
Crappie by Degrees

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