Crappie frustration

[Iambjm]

I have been fishing a small lake north of Grand Rapids for the last month and have caught 1 crappie. I can see fish suspended between 20-30 over 37-40 feet of water but can't get anything to bite. I even used my Aqua-Vu to try and see what they are but all I see is a milky white screen. I have used the camera in shallower water and it works there but not on the main portion of the lake. I sure would like to catch some fish.

[bmc]

Could be bluegills up that high in the water column too. My typical panfish set up is a noodle rod or rod w/ a spring bobber, 2lb test line, a small jig, and a berkly gulp waxie, blood red being my prefered color. If the bite is really tough, I've even used a #12 dry fly hook w/ a tiny split shot a foot up the line with a gulp waxie. I've even caught spot tail shiners on this set up, kind of funny! With this set up, I can catch both gills and crappies. Sometimes it's tough to catch gills on minnows unless they're big gills.

Brian

[PEATMOSS]

Move. First try moving around the lake to other likely spots.

If that doesn't work, try a different lake. jmho: there are way too many good lakes to spend a month on an unproductive one.

[Iambjm]

I am basically fishing this lake because we have lived here the last year, and long story short-no public access-haven't been able to get my boat on here yet-figured I would ice fish it first. My mobility is limited for fishing other lakes in the area. We have tried waxies-minnows-glo jigs-plain hooks, just about everything in my tackle box. It is a 74 acre lake with max depth of 62 feet and other people have told me the fishing should be good. Hope we didn't buy on a dead sea.......................

[Matts]

I have fish quite a few lakes in that area, and the crappies seem to be unique to each body of water. Ex, bite time, movement of bait, types of bait, etc.

[Jim Panfish Uran]

That's odd, in my experience whenI see suspended crappies THEY BITE.. If you've been on them a month with no luck they gotta be something else. Is there tulabies in that lake??? Like someone else said could be gills too?? Well good luck

[Iambjm]

Hanson Lake by Wabana and yes there are Tulabies. I am not going to give up without a fight. I am a stubborn old Swedish broad that has tons of determination. I have decided to keep moving around and searching. There are other people who have told me that they have fished it before and it was good. So full speed ahead and back to the bait store!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fishuhalik]

Believe me, there are PLENTY of craps in hanson. It's a tremendous numbers lake. I've caught as many as 100 crappies by myself in a day out there. Most are between 8-10", but I've never got one bigger than 11". And those are tullies out deep. I had the same frustrations when I started fishing the lake. Keep looking around, you'll find 'em. And you'll know when you do, cuz they're usually very willing to bite. Don't be afraid to throw down a tipup when you find the craps, too. There's some big pike in that whole chain.

[fisherchick]

Hate to say it, but, yes that lake has craps, but IT HAS BEEN HIT HARD!!! I mean EXTREMELY hard. I would say that the craps in Hanson need a break for a while. OR, like fishuhalik said, try some tipups out there, nothing could help a crappie population like the removal of some slimers!

[Iambjm]

After talking to many different people I have come to that realization. So I guess I will have to search elsewhere. I do usually fish tipups too, but have only caught three small northerns so far. I did not get out on this lake until first week in January due to all the snow and the 6" of slush on the lake. I may get over to Wabana soon.