Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Crappie explosion


Random guy

Recommended Posts

The crappies are starting to show up! Tonight I took off with the portable and tried a few spots and tricks and ended up tipping over some dandy nice crappies. They responded well to small jig presentations, mostly Genz Worms, colored hooks and the infamous small Demon in glow green and glow red tipped with minnows.

For the last few days the crappies have been hitting jigs on the bottom with just the right amount of finesse. Tonight they came unglued on anything in the water. Very aggressive biters chasing baits up to five feet off the bottom. It was actually a bit of a crisis trying to lift jigs to pick up crappies passing high on the Marcum then containing the flopping crappie on the ice while trying to drop the other rod to pick up the walleyes nosing up from the bottom. Truly one of those days a guy remembers, crappie flopping on the ice held away from the hole with your feet while trying to carefully handle and measure walleye with your hands all while the Marcum taunts you with bright red bars of other fish going under your feet and tangled up mess.

Here are a couple of the fish from tonight.

crappiespp2.jpg

Waskish Minnow Station Sleepers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These things are unpredictable this year! I've heard many different reports on how they've been biting!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jon, looking at that picture it almost looks like you died and went to heaven- with a slab in each hand.

Nice report, gets the blood pumpin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Originally Posted By: Mike412
These things are unpredictable this year! I've heard many different reports on how they've been biting!

It changes everyday. Each morning I wake up and go check on the clients and everyday its a little different story with the same ending. They are catching fish. Sometimes its a hour long sundown rush, sometimes its a 10pm to 2am bite off the bottom and some days they pick up a few fish every hour all day long. One thing is consistent, guys on the lake fishing are doing much better then the guys that stayed home because they heard the bite was slow. ;\)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OH man Jon... Hate it when that situation happens. Absolutely hate it!

BTW... the rabid raspberries will be showing up soon. ;\)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Originally Posted By: hanson

BTW... the rabid raspberries will be showing up soon. ;\)

How many? Just two or is the whole berry patch coming? grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

can you drive anywhere on the lake now or are there some spots with marginal ice?? coming up on fri morn going out of hillmans.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You should be fine but you also never know. Be very careful and pick your path carefully as ice is still ice and very unpredicable.

The snow will be more of a hassle then anything, just enough of it to be a pain.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Originally Posted By: hondavxr
Its great to see that the monster slabs are showing up.

Not quite monsters yet. Tonights fish went from 14 1/2 down to 13 inches with a few sizes in the middle.

Another thing I noticed as I was cleaning fish all crappies and walleye but one had empty stomachs and digestive tracts. So these fish have been in no feed mode for awhile, guessing they are hungry and wil chow down hard when they really start to feed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Quote:
so Jonny, wanna tell us how many you ended up catching?

I caught enough for two meals, thats enough for me. Figure I didn't need to fill buckets just because I could. Finding them is where it is at for me, catching is just a bonus.

Lets put it this way, if I would have stayed their past sundown it could have been a limit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jon,

Since you're a pike guy, I take a small glow green or glow red demon as being a size 4. grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

Man you're killing me Jon!

I guess I could do a quick day trip. Although my wife is working this weekend and I would be a very unpopular guy if I went up without her and got into the slabs. Although, catching a bunch of slabs sure would make me feel good. \:D

Decisions, Decisions.... crazy.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jon, thanks for the great reports and this is a positive upswing from the earlier slow reports. My wife and I are heading up tomorrow and fishing URL 2 days and LOW 1 day. Look for the rig pictured in Avatar and we have trakcs on it now. Also have new Clam Yukon so we can be a little more portable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

im wanna make some plans to come up and rent a sleeper.which resort you outa of?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • jparrucci
      Very low, probably 2 feet lower than last year at ice out.
    • mbeyer
      what do they look like this spring?
    • SkunkedAgain
      I might have missed a guess, but here are the ones that I noted:   JerkinLips – March 27th, then April 7th Brianf. – March 28th Bobberwatcher – April…. MikeG3Boat – April 10th SkunkedAgain – early April, then April 21st   Definitely a tough year for guesses, as it seemed to be a no-brainer early ice out. Then it got cold and snowed again.
    • mbeyer
      MN DNR posted April 13 as Ice out date for Vermilion
    • Brianf.
      ^^^45 in the morning and 47 in the evening
    • CigarGuy
      👍. What was the water temp in Black Bay? Thanks....
    • Brianf.
      No, that wasn't me.  I drive a 621 Ranger. 
    • CigarGuy
      So, that was you in the camo lund? I'm bummed, I have to head back to the cities tomorrow for a few days, then back up for at least a few weeks. Got the dock in and fired up to get out chasing some crappies till opener!
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   Lots of ice on the main basin, but it is definitely deteriorating.  Some anglers have been fishing the open water at the mouth of the Rainy River in front of the Lighthouse Gap.  The rest of the basin is still iced over. Pike enthusiasts caught some big pike earlier last week tip up fishing in pre-spawn areas adjacent to traditional spawning areas.  8 - 14' of water using tip ups with live suckers or dead bait such as smelt and herring has been the ticket.  Ice fishing for all practical purposes is done for the year. The focus for the basin moving forward will be pike transitioning into back bays to spawn,  This is open water fishing and an opportunity available as the pike season is open year round on Lake of the Woods. The limit is 3 pike per day with one being able to be more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. With both the ice fishing and spring fishing on the Rainy River being so good, many are looking forward to the MN Fishing Opener on Saturday, May 11th.  It should be epic. On the Rainy River...  An absolutely incredible week of walleye and sturgeon fishing on the Rain Rainy River.     Walleye anglers, as a rule, caught good numbers of fish and lots of big fish.  This spring was one for the books.   To follow that up, the sturgeon season is currently underway and although every day can be different, many boats have caught 30 - 40 sturgeon in a day!  We have heard of fish measuring into the low 70 inch range.  Lots in the 60 - 70 inch range as well.   The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Most sturgeon anglers are either a glob of crawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig, which is an 18" leader with a 4/0 circle hook combined with a no roll sinker.  Local bait shops have all of the gear and bait. Up at the NW Angle...  Open water is continuing to expand in areas with current.  The sight of open water simply is wetting the pallet of those eager for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th.   A few locals were on the ice this week, targeting pike.  Some big slimers were iced along with some muskies as well.  If you like fishing for predators, LOW is healthy!  
    • Brianf.
      Early bird gets the worm some say...   I have it on good authority that this very special angler caught no walleyes or muskies and that any panfish caught were released unharmed.        
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.