Ice-out crappies

[jimd]

Is anyone going out for crappies on Mille Lacs after the ice ie gone.

[Gordie]

I'd like to if I can find someone to pull my boat up their

was told about a few shshshs hot spots for crapps.

[TRZ]

If your talking about my spots in isle,macs,wakon and cove bays I'll be there! i'll have 10 slabs over 14 iches in my bucket, you can bet on that! Some of these spots can be reached from shore for those less fortunate who can't afford a boat.

[jimd]

TRZ, when do you go? 2 weeks or towards the end of April.

[87clam]

I would kill for some crappie tips on wahkon bay my folks have a place up there and i've worked that bay non stop and my wife caught a couple of them. nothing big though. Did land some monster sunnies.

[Gordie]

TRZ your not even close to my hot spots and I guess I'll have to look for you in your spots after I limmit out on those 14 inch slabs.

[farmfishing]

Harbors????

[Gordie]

SHHHHHHHH

[Dances with Walleye]

I'm looking to get my Dad out on some crappie action... He's running short on time with his full faculties and mobility. This year or the next he's looking into some senior living situations, and wants to get out fishing a time or two. (It's been 20 years since he caught his last fish)

I'm stuck debating between if I should take him up for shore fishing; Or push it and pull my boat up there. (I don't know how well he'd do for any kind of long stretch on the boat.)

Would it be a better bet in Say the 2nd or 3rd week of April to head up and fish from shore vs on the boat... Is one really THAT MUCH better than the other?

****

I'm not looking for anyone's uber secret hot spot... I just want to spend some good memories with my Dad while we still have the chance, and I want to replace that "Tired old man" look in his eyes with "Excitement of a child" just for an afternoon or two.

[fishfearme]

I'm pretty sure you can fish off the docks at Izaty's or McQuoid's for a small fee.

[TRZ]

Mc Quiod's docks produce nice crappies early in the morning, then they move out of the bueatiful thaines river. A guy that i used to work with called me yeterday we are gonna hit them slabs this weekend, i hope i can find a pan big enough for the fillets of a 17 incher!

[barnyard]

Instead of chasing hard to find crappies on Mille Lacs, why don't you go after cats on the Horseshoe chain? I have taken a couple of retirees and both enjoyed the action.

Tom B

[TRZ]

Horseshoe is a nice body of water , but i hate those cats they hit everything and they staste like the place they came from-horse****!!!!

[CC Hurl]

Try smoking them cats. Never kept one cat before trying them smoked. Good stuff.

Don't get me wrong i like them crappie also.

[barnyard]

We deep fry cat fillets. Very tasty. Filleted and cooked properly, I have a hard time believing that the average guy could tell the difference between a cat and a walleye.

Plus, the get bigger and fight better.

Tom B

[Gordie]

I will have to agree with barnyard cats are as good if not better than walleyes if you take a little time to clean and cook them. I cut out all the red meat then cube up the filets into 2inch pieces then boil them until cooked thru carefully rinse off then use some type off batter and deep fry. I think I need to go fishing for some cats I'm hungry just thinking about it and the fight from a cat is second to none.

[TRZ]

My fishing partner has the biggest channel cat ever caught out of the horseshoe chain, 31 lbs. You can find a picture in Richmond marine. They do fight great but the become a nusiance, we got that hog pike fishing and though it may have been a state record, i just have never got one to taste better than mud, must be a technique i'm missing.

[Barbelboy]

The secret is to only eat the smaller ones. (4-5lb or less) I soak my fillets in cold water/milk acouple hours before I cook/freeze them. If you don't like 'em deep fried, try them in jumbalya. There are several premaid brand mixes that all you do is add the cubed fillets. Nothing beats a cold beer and some catfish jumbalya.

[Barbelboy]

Barnyard,

How do you catch 'em on that chain. I've only river fished cats.

[juggs]

Why would you eat a 17-inch crappie??

[Barbelboy]

God only knows. It's like eating a 50" musky, a 40" pike, a 30" walleye or a 23" bass. But it's not illegal so i'm not going to condemn anybody for doing it.

[barnyard]

Rather than continue to go way off topic here, check out the catfish secton of this forum. There are quite a few users that spend a lot of time on the chain and post methods here.

Tom B