Crappies in the area

[Neiko]

Does Crane or Sand point hold any crappies worth targeting? Where would a guy start to look for them? I have never fished either of these lakes but am thinking about trying it next month.

[89Bronco]

Neiko, Crane has some big crappies in it, however I've never found a real "honey-hole" where you could sit and target them. I've caught most of my crappies in May, fishing for walleyes in water anywhere from 5 - 20 feet deep. The ones I catch are usually a good 11-12 inches in length. Some smaller, some bigger. But I catch one or two in a spot and then nothing.

As far as Crane in the winter, I rarely see an ice-house out on Crane. I couldn't begin to tell you why. Lots of people fish it in the summer, but it seems to be all snowmobilers in the winter.

I know this isn't a lot of help, but if you could somehow find them, they are good-sized. Good luck!

[Neiko]

Thanks for the help. It at least gives me some hope of possibly getting some. I never did understand why people don't do more ice fishing upthere. Hopefully it isn't because the fish don't bite.

[hop sing]

Neiko - I have never fished it in the winter as well. I have done well in the past back in browns bay in grassy bay (sandpoint lake) in the spring though. I cant imagine the crappies go too far from their spring haunts. it would be a pretty ride regardless of the bite. good luck and let me know how you do.

[duckster]

Neiko,

There are crappies in Sand Point Lake. The best place to try is in Grassy Bay right in front of the Portage to Little Trout Lake. There is a 35' hole right there that holds fish in the winter. You may have to move around a bit to find them. The fishing generally gets better in there later like March-April.

Hope this helps,

-Duckster

[Swimstein]

There were good crappie catches reported at Elephant Lake around the holidays. Haven't been in touch with the folks at Melgeorges the past few weeks, but you could call there and they would give you the latest.

[Neiko]

Bill thanks for the heads up but we are looking for an adventure also. We are going up to also fish for lakers so we figure we would mix it up and try for some crappies also.

[Neiko]

Duckster, do you know if you can take a snowmobile back to Little Trout or do you have to walk it in?

[duckster]

Neiko,

You can take a snowmobile back to Little Trout but artifical bait only for fishing.

Duckster

[Neiko]

Duckster, thanks for the reply. Does the snowmobile trail go right across Grassy Bay where the deep hole is? We were thinking of trying that spot but wasn't sure how close to the trail it is and if the sleds going by would spook them.

[tearin' lips]

Neiko,

The trail does go right by the spot. And no the crappies don't get spooked. There are suspended in 36-40 feet of water, noise on the ice isn't an issue at that point.

[Neiko]

Bill, do you know if there is a place in Crane Lake to get minnows or should we get them before then? What kind of minnows works best? We will have plenty of artificial with us but I would like to have some live bait for Grassy. If I read the reg right we can use live bait in Grassy and Brown correct?

[tearin' lips]

Neiko,

I am not sure where the best place to get minnows in Crane Lake would be. When I head there I normally park on the Ash River and make the trek from there.

Yes you can have live bait in Grassy and Brown. But you cannot have live bait in trout lake if you were planning on that.

I always fish crappies with artificials. I am a huge advocate of Southern Crappie Pro Stingers, and Custom Jigs and Spins Shrimpos in these areas. My best baits are the southern crappie pro stingers on a 1/16 oz. jig head. Colors are black/green tail, black/pink tail, black/yellow belly/yellow tail, black/purple belly/gray tail.

If you have noticed how I emphasized the Southern Crappie Pro Stingers. The stingers are the ones with a single tail and more accurately mimic larvae and small minnows that these slabs will be feeding on.

The rest is up to you my friend! Take Care!

[Neiko]

Bill,

Thanks for the info. I will have to pick up one of those Pro Stingers. I have plenty of Shrimpos and Ratsos. We will probably pick up some live bait in Gheen just to have. If we are coming from Crane and the trail goes across Mukooda it is ok to transport them across there to get to Grassy isn't it?

[tearin' lips]

I am sure it is. Just as long as you are not on the lake fishing with them.

[duckster]

Neiko,

Looks like Tearin' got you all lined out. The deep hole that I am referring to is just north of the marked trail and toward the portage into Little Trout. You should be able to see where others have fished or it may take an few holes to find it. I have seen crappies caught all over in that bay where the deeper water is.

You can bring minnows through Mukooda as long as you don't stop and fish in there. I'm with Tearin on the use of artificials. I may bring a few minnows crappie fishing but rarely use them. Good Luck

-Duckster

[Neiko]

Thanks guys. I am new to plastics so it makes me nervous not to have any minnows just incase. We were going to have some guys go fish Grassy with the live minnows while we fished Mukooda with artificial bait. What is the biggest Laker you have heard caught from Mukooda or Little Trout? I only caught 1 3.5lb last fall and this is my first time ice fishing for them. Seeing those other hogs posted in the BWCA-Duluth thread has me pumped.

[duckster]

Neiko,

I haven't seen anything big come out of little Trout but have seen a few 20lb plus come out of Mukooda.

Duckster

[Neiko]

Well that sounds promising. No one in our group has ice fish for lakers before so I think they believe I got them going on a wild goose chase. If someone in our group pulled 1 even close to that they would follow me anywhere I think.LOL.

[guts]

Duckster, in reading previous posts, it sounds like Neiko might want to be fishing right next to the snowmobile trail, correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you have to be a minimum of 50' from the center line of the snowmobile trail to set up for fishing? Don't want to see someone get pinched. guts

[tearin' lips]

Neiko,

I haven't seen anything over 5 pounds out of mukooda, but that doesn't mean that they aren't there.

Guts,

Your right, you must be 50' away from the stakes of the snowmbile trial. It is usually not a problem in that area though.

[Neiko]

Does anyone have any reports on how the fishing is going? We are heading up Saturday. My buddy was snowmobiling upthere and saw some people fishing Grassy bay so I was hoping to get a little updated report.

[182a]

neiko, my brother was in grassy late last week and got about 20 crapies. about 15 were keepers. Im going up there on friday thru mon. normally late feb till ice out is real good in there.

[Neiko]

Our group will be fishing either Mukooda for lakers or Grassy. I will have a X2 fishhouse so stop by and say hi. I would like to know any history of the area if you could share it with me.