Prior Crappies

[Swanny2]

Anyone finding crappies out here? I've found several but none over 8". And those have been on small baits with wigglers. Very neutral/negative. No action found on "classic" minnow presentations. Any suggestions/comments greatly appreciated.

[Flaco651]

The other night while searching for eyes we got an 11'' crappie on a jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head. Thats the best one I have seen out there recently.

[rangerforme]

A few years back I saw alot of pictures at Prior Lake bait of 2-3lb crappies out of Prior, but all those people lined up every spring in the narrows with 5 gallon pails when they make there spawning run have finally taken a toll I fear.

[tj417]

Caught a few nice ones on Upper early in the season, but only dinks on Upper since then - Only caught a few smaller keepers on Lower all winter - I think the population of crappies is definetely on the downside of the cycle right now.

[fisherman-andy]

Quote:

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A few years back I saw alot of pictures at Prior Lake bait of 2-3lb crappies out of Prior, but all those people lined up every spring in the narrows with 5 gallon pails when they make there spawning run have finally taken a toll I fear.

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Are u talking about the shorebound anglers in the area? If so I hardly call that taking a toll since their fishing only a specific small area. Only so so many fish will hold up in that area.

Prior has very few or almost no public shore access as everything is mostly private owned. You have to be boating. Anglers on boats outnumber shore anglers probably 5 to 1 ratio and have access to the whole lake to fish.

Even though its a decent size body of water, the real pressure is from everyone giving it so much attention that maybe fish population or size is down.

There is still very good fishing to be done on Prior, just give it some time.

[Swanny2]

It certainly gets a lot of attention throughout the year. My opportunity is mainly hard water. Most years I have found decent numbers of 10" fish, maybe not a lot, but decent numbers. This year with quite a few hours under my belt, I have yet to see one come through the hole. A gap in the year classes? I know there are a ton of the 5" - 8" fish swimming around down there that should bear fruit in the coming years. But I got to believe 10"ers are there. . . somewhere?