17" Black Crappie in PA

Last week while fishing Chambers lake in PA from a small boat, I caught my first crappie. About 6.5" i got it on my fly rod. I've been fishing for 35 years, but just never targeted this species, and honestly I don't have a ton of experience lake fishing. Towards dusk my brother caught another crappie, about the same size. As the sun was going down we started to get hits, and shortly after it got dark my brother hooked what he assumed was a small bass. When we got it in the boat I had no idea crappie ever got this big. In the end, my first exposure with catching crappie set the bar pretty high.
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Very nice, and welcome to crappie.com.

Nice trophy crappie! What bait did you use?

Well if that doesn’t get you hooked I don’t know what will. That’s a nice one.

Welcome to the boards and the addiction!

Ha! Yeah, it was awesome getting through 6" crappy on the fly rod with a little power bait worm on a small hook. My brother got the big one while we were slow trolling a crankbait hoping for bass.

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Originally Posted by Old Slabbie

Ha! Yeah, it was awesome getting through 6" crappy on the fly rod with a little power bait worm on a small hook. My brother got the big one while we were slow trolling a crankbait hoping for bass.

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I've caught only a few bass on crankbaits while long line trolling. Pulling crankbaits is a fun way to catch them, and I have more flexibility with the wind when pulling them than spider rigging or jig fishing for them because boat slap and orientation isn't as big of a factor.

Awesome crappie and a very good picture ... Do you know the weight of that SLAB??? Welcome to the site

Wow, that's awesome. I grew up bass fishing but got bit by the crappie fever, and try to fish for them when I can. To me it's like a cross between bass and blugill fishing, super fun. After catching a tank like that, your brother should be hooked. I posted a thread a few days that talks some about crankbaits for crappie. I think it could be an overlooked tool for catching big crappies, whether lipless or lipped. I gotta tiny rat l trap, 1.75" and a little over 1/8th oz I'm eager to try, also just got a flicker shad 4

What a way to join the site. That’s a great fish no matter how you got it. Would’ve been cool on the fly.

KABOOM, now your ruined ....:Rofl

Hard to top that one

Very nice fish.

Awesome Crappie. Welcome aboard.

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Originally Posted by wc870

Hard to top that one

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This little girl would whoop us all, lol

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Originally Posted by Happyfisherman

This little girl would whoop us all, lol

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Yes, you have to watch out for the little girls; my daughter tends to get the big fish as well.


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Wow. That is some trophy catch!
Bob

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Originally Posted by Happyfisherman

This little girl would whoop us all, lol

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Yeah she would. That is a monster!
Bob

As KETCHN would say KABOOM!!!