BUSTING MYTHS

Well, with all the rain we received Friday & Saturday our river is way up and rolling. So I spend the weekend watching football, baseball and youtube.
I was watching Todd Huckabee who is said to be awesome at guiding. He is all about heavy tackle, line, 3" baits and 1/4 oz. jig heads. And doubles at that. No leaders, 17 lb. braid and likes muddy water.
He said when the bite is slow, slow down and use a bigger bait.
He said crappie aren't line shy.
Do you think he would be successful in Alabama with those same tactics?

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Originally Posted by jay the baptist

He said crappie aren't line shy.

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Maybe they aren't -- in the muddy water he likes to fish. ;)

His method obviously works well where he fishes. Not sure it would translate well to deep, clear water lakes.

Deep clear lakes tend to be harder to fish for me. They require a lot more stealth and finesse

That's what I wanted feed back on.
That might work in the MS. big 4 lakes. Maybe on the Tenn Tom where I live. But you guys have stood the test of time and know different.

Grew up fishing Big Creek Lake in Mobile County. That was a clear body of water most of the time. And really hard to fish.

In heavily stained water, I'd agree. But in our gin clear waters up here in the northeast, I'd seriously doubt you do all that well with big baits and heavy lines. Success in fishing has everything to do with depth & speed control (Buck Perry). The diameter of heavy line vs. light lines helps dictate those controls and the success you will experience. View everything in terms of tools to do the job at hand. Nothing in fishing is cast in concrete. JMO! :)

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Originally Posted by Crestliner08

In heavily stained water, I'd agree. But in our gin clear waters up here in the northeast, I'd seriously doubt you do all that well with big baits and heavy lines. Success in fishing has everything to do with depth & speed control (Buck Perry). The diameter of heavy line vs. light lines helps dictate those controls and the success you will experience. View everything in terms of tools to do the job at hand. Nothing in fishing is cast in concrete. JMO! :)

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X2 :hesaid

Whether it works anywhere else is irrelevant. The only way you know is to try. I fished middle Tennessee in winter, very good visibility, with hi vis power pro 10/2 and 1/4oz brush guardjigs and was very successful. I know it’s against the norm but it worked well for me and my guests.

I think that would work anywhere that has big crappie. I fish deep in wood in muddy water with 1/8 jigs and 3" plastics too. 90% of my crappie fishing id with that bait. rite now, after big rains, the current is my biggest hurdle. 2 days ago it was 12-14" crappie all day long. we had 8" visibility and very light current. now its 1" visibility and heavy current :Doh: just when fall was kicking off too.

that guy also says way up north the fish spawn on ice out in 40 degree water temps .
don't know if its true but I do think some things said are mythical when it comes to crappie myself .
we watched one follow a bait for a long time as it dropped the other day on livescope and we all know they never feed down .
and I for sure ketch them hopping baits right on the bottom and I know they aint buried in the mud coming up to get them .
as far as line shy I think crappie are not all that bright in the think box when they are hungry .

I glad you brought that up Ketchn. I've heard about spawning temperatures and movements all my life. He says,"crappie spawn by the moon, not temperature. Many crappie spawn in February."
I've caught them in early March 58 degree water one a frosty morning and you could see them breaking the surface in shallow water.
I've no reason to doubt one thing he says. He's on the water everyday. I'm learning anyway. Don't care to keep a bunch of fish either. So, I'm gonna try them 1/8 & 1/4 oz jigs with what he calls "opposite colors or muddy water, clear water combinations."

lol ill tell ya from first hand. in the north they do not spawn at ice-out. that's ridiculous. lol

I use braid with a leader, the leader lets me change rigs, quickly. I have used straight braid with no problems. We have a couple of clear lakes here, but not gin clear. Otherwise to me, it makes no difference. Now- it does with bass.