Winter Crappie in WesternWashington

[JACooke]

Hello anybody - I am planning some hunt and seek trips soon. Any advice on chasing these guys this time of year? I am from the South originally and will be trying to find some winter crappie for the first time since I moved here.

Any advice or tips would be helpful.

[fish_4_all]

Gotta tell me where you live now. Is only way I can try to help.

[JACooke]

I live in Lake Stevens

[fish_4_all]

Here is a link that will put in the right direction.
washington fishing prospects
Select your county or a close one and it will give you SOME information on where to find crappie, gills, perch, trout, bass and most other species. That is if they are listed. Also, find the number to your local WDFW office and ask them. They are actually pretty well informed in my region and know a lot about where to fish for what.

As far as finding the good spots, talk to your local sporting goods store. There are a ton of lakes, channels and ponds all over this state that have crappie and other panfish in them that are rarely listed as having them. Also, if you see a pond,lake, channel etc, find the name of it and fish it if it is open. I have found numerous small pond that have 1000's of small perch, crappie and gills in them because no one fishes them. And one the largest bass I have ever seen caught locally was out of a 4 acre farm pond.

As for fishing for them this time of year, slow and small or use bait. Find deep structure around the middle of the lakes and on drop offs. Fishing for them this time of year is a lot of work on this side of the mountains. Sometimes you can find them in shallower water especially on sunny days as they chase whatever forage fish are still working the area. Night crawlers, crappie nibbles and the usual will work if you can find them and get them to bite.

[SMITTY 58D]

Fish 4 All did you catch any salmon this year? How's my home town of Aberdeen doing? We are about flooded out down here in Southern Alabama. I caught a nice 15 in Crappie the other day. How has the fishing been?

[fish_4_all]

Sure did, kept 7 Coho and caught at least 50 others, mostly chum but had a descent season after the rivers finally came up.

[SMITTY 58D]

I was wanting to come out there for X-MAS and do some steelhead fishing but instead my mom is going to fly out here.

[fish_4_all]

The weather here is a little of everything and then some. Rain for a month, now it is cold and getting colder. I suspect it will turn wet and warm again in about 7-10 days. I wish I could go down there for this awful winter.

Steelies should be good this year, supposed to a nice return and the umbers are susposed to be like they were 10 years ago but we will see. They were catching a couple here and there end of October though so that is a good sign.

As for Aberdeen, is getting closer to either a boom town and growing faster than any other city aorund or getting closer to the last one out please turn off the lights. Hopefully it will boom but not looking good at all. Lots of things "in the works" but we know how that goes.

[SMITTY 58D]

Last time I went out for Steelies was on the Satsop. I would have to say that one hooked into me and tore me a new you know what. It grabbed my line and ran down stream and pulled me with it until we got to deep water. After i almost fell in up to my ears it jumped out of the water again so I could watch it spit the hook out back at me. Next time I'm just gonna take a gun, I might have better luck that way. Great fighting fish and they taste so good.

[snake River]

JAcooke Silverlake is highly recommended by most fishermen for winter fishing I fished it many years ago when I lived in Scappoose area and caught quite a few crappie in the winter. For more information on Northwest fishing for a crappie contact Oregon bass and catfish club. We have been a member of all my life I highly recommend them for all your pen fishing needs in the Pacific Northwest especially on the coasts oregon bass & panfish club 503-477-9433 if you get over on the snake River looked me up I will take you on a fishing trip that you will truly enjoy bob.