Your Favorite Crappie/Sunnie Technique?

[Guest]

What's your favorite spring time fishing technique for crappie and sunnies (plastics,minnows, waxies, larvae,crawlers, cast & retrieve, bobber, fly rod)? Any odd techniques?

[CrappieMagnet]

My spring technique involves casting and a slow retrieve,then cast again and drag it back faster.I vary the retrieve, speed and let the fish dictate how fast the retrieve is.Once found...i stick to it.The lure color is changed often...but i commonly stick with pinks,bright yellows and greens,chartreus and sometimes blue.But my primary color in the spring is white.Oh and i forgot....All PLASTICS!

CM

[This message has been edited by CrappieMagnet (edited 04-09-2004).]

[John Mickish]

The old stand by, worm on a bare hook under a slip bobber. It's worked for my grandpa, it works for me. I'm sure I could probably catch more or bigger if I was a little more aggressive on my approach, but its easy for my daughter too.

------------------
It still beats workin'

[rockhardinmn]

For me there has been 1 item that hasnt ever been changed. Thats the bobber i use . I use a casting bobber or a water bobber. I feel that the farther away you can anchor and cast to the fish the better your chances are of not spooking the fish. I can Launch one of these 50' easy useing a 5 1/2' ultralight rod. As far as the Baits i use.Flu-Flus,timberwolves,tube jigs all have their moments,

[Finlander]

Try this:
Berkley 1" Micro white Power Grubs the curly tails on a 1/32oz. orange jig head hanging below a Thill Mini-Stealth bobber.
Use 2# test or 4# test line.
I use a 6'6" ultralight rod to throw these lightweight set-ups as far as I can!
You'll catch both crappies and sunfish on this setup.

[This message has been edited by Finlander (edited 04-09-2004).]

[rockhardinmn]

Finlander,, there is allways more ways that one to do it right lol ,, that 50 feet i spoke of is done sitting in a lawn chair ,, with that long rod your useing haha i would be landing on shore all the time .. i am sure your way works great for you . with the the bobbers i am useing it realy helps alot in a wind ,, i would suggest trying one some time , they might surprise you.

[Finlander]

The method I use does'nt scare the fish when the bobber lands in the water.
I've seen this thru my polaroid glasses when people throw out big and heavy bobbers the panfish scatter.
When I use the Thill Mini-Stealth bobbers, they hardly splash, and the bottom side of this bobber is a natural wood color which does'nt scare them. Sometimes the bobber gets attacked as I am twitching on the surface of the water. I think they see the comotion of the bobber that attracts them, then they see the power grub twister and the bobber goes down!
This method will outfish all the above posts mentioned! No brag just fact. Try it and see!
Good Luck!

[Trailblazin]

Finlander is right on the money. I have used the same technique for yrs and it works in MN and all other places I have fished for crappies in the country!

[Guest]

Anyone else?

[RandyR]

Bluegills are my favorite, and nothing is more fun than trying to catch big gills with light tackle.
Rod: 7 foot medium light spinning. Casts well, good hookset with long line length when bobber casting. Ultralights are too wimpy and I miss too many hook sets, not enough backbone.
Line: 4 pound test, max! I will go to 2 lb. test and it does make a difference when they are in a neutral mood or skittish. You don't need to fill a whole spool, a leader will do just fine.
Lures: small, small, small! I use micro jigs, of the ice fishing variety all year long, however, I have noticed that they will bite different shapes in the summer. Colors matter, experiment.
I use slip bobbers that I have modified so I can add weight to it to keep it riding low in the water, nearly neutral flotation. If I am fishing spring time shallow fish I don't add any split shot to the line below the bobber, I want a slower more natural looking fall as the bait settles. Bigger gills tend to be more cautious, sometimes the bobber hardly moves. I totally agree with previous post, avoid a big splashdown, it spooks the fish.
Bait: I like euro larvae, again, color does matter, experiment with larvae color also. If properly hooked, larvae are more durable than waxies or other worms or grubs. I bring other baits along also, because they will show definite preferences at times. Small leeches are deadly in warmer water, the smaller the better. In mid summer when the big boys go deeper I fish them like walleye, work the structure breaks with light line, and a small jig, no bobber. Sometimes, when they are aggressive (like spawning time, oh what fun!)I will use tiny plastics, about a half inch long or so, hard to find so I make most of my own by modifying what is available.
I continue to refine my approach and it has payed dividends with bigger gills. I pay attention to small details, they matter.

[Lost]

Hey Randy, got any photo's of your modified plastics to give us some ideas?

[Matt Johnson]

Samll plastics are my preferred method for spring crappies. Small spinners work good too. I like tubes, stingers (pretty much the whole Southern Pro line of plastics), Kick-n-Craws, etc.. Small Beetle Spins are a top producer in a lot of situations too. Most of the time I won't tip them with any livebait. I'll use Bio-Bait too from time to time. A lively minnow on a plain hook can outproduce some days as well. Reverse rigging a tubejig is a tough approach to beat for crappies, drives those slabs crazy!

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

------------------
[email protected]
Iceleaders
Catch-N Tackle and Bio Bait
MarCum
Stone Legacy
JR's Tackle

[RandyR]

One of my favorite modified plastic tricks is to use the legs from a beat up bass tube.
They come in lots of colors, I snip them into 1/2 to 3/4 inch long strips. I make small jigs with fly tying hooks and a split shot pinched on the shank. I use the dry heat and dip paints to color the lead, thread on the plastic and secure it to the head with a drop of super glue. You can use the little jig plain or tip it with a waxie or a larvae. They really like that type of a jig, I think the size and shape must mimic some of the things they like to eat in the spring and summer.

[Guest]

I just saw a technique this weekend on a fishing show that I had never heard of before. The guy took a small floating crankbait (it looked like a small Rapala) and removed the rear treble hook. He then tied on 4-5" 8lb. leader on the back where the removed trable was with a small fly fishing fly fishing fly or a tiny jig (1/64 ounce). He slowly jigged, switched, and reeled it in on the surface. Theidea being that the minnow bait attracts them and then they see the jig and hit it. The minnow bait acts like a bobber and strike indicater. The guy caught some nice crappie and sunnies.

[BDR]

Uncle Dave-that sounds like a pretty good idea. If the crank does have a front treble I belive you would need to remove that also to be legal.

------------------
I'd rather be skunked than follow the crowd!

Brian Rogers

[Guest]

I never thought of that. He didn't, but rules vary from state to state and I'm not sure where he was fishing. Good point. Thanks. I'm gonna go out tomorrow and give it a shot.

[Lost]

Uncle Dave,

There was an article in In-Fisherman magazine last year that talked about that same tactic. I forgot all about it. Thanks for the reminder!

[Guest]

No problem. I'm heading out Monday or Tuesday and I'm going to try it. I'll let you know how well it works.

[Guest]

This is a great thread! Here is one of my recent favorites. I like to use a #0 or #1 mepps spinner and tip one of the hooks with a Berkley Power Bait crappie nibbler for some color and scent. I love to use this when the fish are agressive and shallow in the spring. It is amazing how far a big bluegill will chase and hit this setup and I have caught my largest crappies and gills using this technique as well.

[backlash 1]

Here's a new one I've never tried before.
This past weekend I was fishing down in the metro area for the first time (french park).
I tried a small teardrop ice jig with a 1/4" piece of Gulp on it, and it was unbeliveable!!! There were people all over using live bait with just marginal results.
I did get some crappies, but they were not real active yet, but the sunfish were just killing that outfit. Nice sunnies, pushing 8" plus, one after another. It was a blast, just all catch & release. My experience with gulp icefishing has been so-so, but i'm pretty sold now.
backlash

[Guest]

I never got out this week. Going tomorrow and will try the Rapala/small jig technique. Will let you know whjat kind of success we had.

[Lake Alice]

For big gills in mid-summer on the deep weed edges, rig a 1/8 oz slip sinker with three feet of flourorcarbon for your leader, terminal end is a white flu flu tipped with a waxie, leech or chunk of crawler. Fish them just like walleyes.