were to start targeting crappies

[stealth3350]

i have been fishing the south shore last few wknds and been doing really really well.. i want to switch it up this wknd and maybe try targeting a few crappies.. can anyone give me an idea water depth to start with im sure i would be heading out of hillmans road im guessing.. you can pm me if u would like.. not looking for exact locations just were to start.. thanks

[Random guy]

"The Crappie Highway" Where mud meets rock in the deepest saddles and trenches along the north shore out of Hillmans and Beacon Harbor.

Key to crappies on the north side is finding and area (several acres) all to yourself and working around in that area until you find them. If you crowd up or get noisy the post boom crappie will scatter, no longer safety in numbers I guess.

[stealth3350]

thanks jonny, so im looking for deep water. by looking at my gps is there a way to tell were the mud meets gravel anything to look for? or is that something that a underwater camera comes in handy

[kelly-p]

The old "crappie highway" was 6 to 8 miles out from the east shore and centered about 1 1/2 miles out from the northshore.

[pushbutton]

Maybe McGurk has a photo/map of where that highway is specifically located?

[stealth3350]

is there a road that takes u out that far? any known ice issues that far out

[kelly-p]

Both Hillman's and Beacon Harbor marked roads will get you right to the edges of that area. There will be some scattered rough ice to pick through but not bad. I saw wheelhouses running around out there last weekend.

[stealth3350]

Is there tons of houses out that far. Just wondering

[kelly-p]

Last weekend I saw 12 to 15 wheelhouses out there.

[stealth3350]

Any idea how people were doing out there

[kelly-p]

From the people talked to not all that good but most of the reports from all over Sat/Sun were not that good. shaky and Doc limited on walleyes but no crappies. Usually to get into the crappies this time of year you will have to get out of the hardhouse and run and gun. During the "Crappie boom" Buddy and I would drill a line of holes North/South about 75 yards apart for a mile and then hole hop. If we found 3 straight holes producing crappies we would then put in about a 1/2 mile line of holes at a right angle to the 3 producing holes. Looking for crappies is not done sitting a hardhouse or without a lot of extra gas for your auger.

[stealth3350]

Kelly or jonny in your opinion what would be the best road beacon,hillman,or west wind to get out there and catch anice variety of fish. Maybe bonus crappie. I know u can never predict that the fish will be biting but im up in the air which road to use

[cookie129]

I have always beleaved that your best chance is along the the north shore.

Every access has had atleast one crappie caught. I now consider them a trophy/bonus if you get one.

[kelly-p]

Any of those roads will give you a chance. I think every road on the lake has produced crappies this year. Just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

[Desperado]

Any of those roads will give you a chance. I think every road on the lake has produced crappies this year. Just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

Yup, had a good report last week from guys just beyond the JrWestHillBeacon road

[kelly-p]

Quote:

Yup, had a good report last week from guys just beyond the JrWestHillBeacon road

Yes but that was last week. We want to know what is going to happen next week.

Look at what mabr did with the crappies. I'm 99.9% sure that I know exactly where he was fishing and if I am right about that 100's of people have fished close to or at that spot this winter. Some of them were playing cards, some were watching rattle reels, some were watching a movie, some were getting drunk and some were sleeping off a drunk. mabr was FISHING and when givin an oportunity took advantage of it and ended up with a great catch of fish. Ya gotta love it.

[Desperado]

If you want to know what's gonna happen next week, you have to ask a weatherman (or a prophet).

They're the only two types of people I know who can divine what's a gonna commence in the future; an' I ain't neither one of them types.

[Borch]

"The Crappie Highway" Where mud meets rock in the deepest saddles and trenches along the north shore out of Hillmans and Beacon Harbor.

Key to crappies on the north side is finding and area (several acres) all to yourself and working around in that area until you find them. If you crowd up or get noisy the post boom crappie will scatter, no longer safety in numbers I guess.

I've found that drilling a lot to cover ice is the best approach. Once you make contact then drill holes in a more concentrated area. The key is to not get discourage and give up. I've had days where I wondered if there was still a crappie in the lake as I drill hundreds of holes over a full day and then all of a sudden there they were.

Then it was all good.

[Desperado]

Your most effective (and successful) strategy would be as follows:

1. covertly attach a GPS transmitter to Borch's auger

2. monitor the signal from said transmitter

3. when it starts moving around the surface of Red Lake, time the interval between changes of location

4. when it sits still on the surface of the lake for a half hour straight, THAT would be the place to target crappies

[Borch]

Your most effective (and successful) strategy would be as follows:

1. covertly attach a GPS transmitter to Borch's auger

2. monitor the signal from said transmitter

3. when it starts moving around the surface of Red Lake, time the interval between changes of location

4. when it sits still on the surface of the lake for a half hour straight, THAT would be the place to target crappies

I'd add that if you see him in one spot for two straight days there might be something going on.

[bluehat28]

Yea #3 is just him trolling for walleyes!

[kelly-p]

Quote:

4. when it sits still on the surface of the lake for a half hour straight, THAT would be the place to target crappies

Then when you get there you discover that Borch just set his auger down for more room in his sled when he went over to fish the "hotspot".

[Borch]

Truth is Borch's wife usually yells at him to stop drilling as she's already found a couple in one of the hole's he's drilled.

I've gotten better about looking back every once in a while to see if she's found the hotspot and getting a head start.