Crappie time again, While fishing for most people is…
Crappie time again,
While fishing for most people is
slowing down this time of year,
you can still rip ’em out of the
water if you get these things
right:1. Where are they?
2. What do they want?
3. How do they want it?
Today I’m going to reveal a
3 secrets that take will help
you get all 3 of these right.And if you think this stuff won’t
work where you fish crappie, think
again.This stuff is universal because
it appeals to every crappies’ inner
instincts and tendencies.And speaking of sneaky tricks and
secrets for "controlling" when
crappie attack…and what they attack
(hint: your baits!), these old
school guys have it dialed in
after decades of trial and error… and they had to do it for food!
Just some of what you’ll discover:
* An amazing jig, combined with a
special "flip, swing, pop" technique,
that suckers the biggest crappie to
bite almost instantly (especially
around lily pads) (This secret works
so well Carlton BEGGED his best
friend to tell him by calling
repeatedly at 1am!)* How to use your BOBBER to create
the perfect "noise" that attracts
crappie like wild! (This powerful
technique works best if you aren’t
getting any bites – for almost
immediate strikes!)* How to jig chicken feathers one
inch ABOVE THE WATER for
"arm-breaking" flying crappie
attacks! (Wait ’till your buddies
see this…)…this one is worth a long look
because of how drastically these
tricks and secrets can increase
both the number and size of crappie
you’ll haul in.…now let’s check this stuff out…
——————-
I don’t know if these are really
‘secrets’, but I see a lot of people
going home emptyhanded because they
didn’t use some of these tricks. I’d
like to start out by saying that none of
my (or anyone else’s) tricks are a
substitute for knowing about crappie,
and knowing the area you are fishing in.
All the tricks in the world are not
going to help you if you haven’t done
your homework, so study about crappie,
and study the lake maps, and do a lot of
‘scouting’ at the lake or river. Crappie
are migratory, just like birds, and they
use the same traffic routes every time.
Learn their movements.One of the old-school techniques that is
beginning to enjoy a come-back is using
a marabou jig underneath a bobber. If
the crappie are deep, you can use a
slip-bobber. This works best with a good
10-12 foot crappie rod, and a good
spinning or spincast reel. Toss this rig
in and around cover in appropriate
places. One advantage to this rig is
that in warm weather, when crappies get
sulky, moody and suspended in open
water, it puts the jig at the exact
right depth (once you determine what
that is) and right in front of it’s
nose, every time.You can also use this with a live
minnow, but jigs really work better for
this. If you are going to use live
minnows, I’d recommend a light
split-shot sinker and one of those great
European porcupine quill floats. They
are super-sensitive, and can detect even
the lightest hit from a moody crappie.
The main trick to this is to find the
right depth that the crappie are at. You
can do it with either a SONAR unit, or
trial and error. When you catch a
crappie, make a note of the depth,
because that is where they will all be.If they get really moody, sometimes you
can ‘shame’ them onto biting by getting
another rod, and rig it with a small
crank-bait, or spinner. Cast it beyond
where your float is, and reel it back in
rapidly, coming as close to your float
as possible. To the crappies, it appears
that a smaller, more aggressive fish is
about to eat something in front of them.
No self-respecting crappie can resist
the temptation to put this little
upstart back into it’s rightful place in
the food-chain. One of two things
usually happens. Either the crappie
tries to beat the other fish to the
punch, and you will catch it on the
float rig, or the crappie will attack
the offending fish directly, in which
case you will catch it on the lure.Either way, it’s a win-win situation for
you (but not so good for the crappie)..Another way to entice finicky crappie is
to tie on an ultralight jig about 18"
behind a floating lure like a Chugger,
or Pop R, especially in the smaller
sizes. Them cast the whole rig out, and
work the top-water lure normally. As you
‘pop’ the top-water lure in, the jig
will mirror it’s movements underwater,
giving the appearance of a small fish
trying to attack another one on the
surface.. Crappie will hit these
viciously, thinking to get two meals for
the price of one.. Many times, your only
indication of a hit is that the popper
will disappear. The best colors for jigs
are chartreuse, followed closely by
yellow and white.In wintertime, the key to catching
crappie is think small. The smaller the
better,. One of my best crappie lures
for vertical jigging in winter is
easiily made at home. First, get some
size 22 midge hooks (used for
fly-tying). Then you need an empty Coors
can, or any aluminum can with a silvery
color. Wash the can out very good, and
let it dry completely, but don’t use any
detergent. It will impart a smell to it
that will repel the fish…When the can
is dry, get a hole-puncher and punch out
several holes in the can, and collect
the ‘dots’.Now, get some Super Glue (it’s much
easier if you get the brush-on type,
like Lock-Tite), Lay a dot down on a
flat place, colored-side-up, and
shiny-side down. Holding the hook ready
in the other hand, place a small drop of
glue in the center of the dot, being
very careful not to allow any glue to
run off of it, and glue your dot to the
table. Now, holding the hook by the
bend, place the shaft of the hook across
the center of the dot, and hold it for a
minute, until the glue sets.As long as the hook stays in place, with
the point ‘up,’ you’re good to go. Let
it set for an hour or so, then get a
pair of needle-nose pliers, and bend the
dot evenly over the hook shank, so it
makes a half-circle over the shank. This
resembles a type of zooplankton known as
a copepod, .and is a major source of
food for crappies when they don’t want
to chase minnows in cold water.Use an ultralight rod and a small
slip-shot to vertically jig the lure up
and down, very gently. Be ready, because
hits will be very light, as crappie will
tend to gently ‘sip’ this into their
mouths.With a little knowledge and
perseverance, your can catch crappie all
year.
Captain Kevin’s Lake Erie Charters http://www.captainkevinslakeeriecharters.com/