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Fall Crappies

yoppdk
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yoppdk Community Regular

yoppdk

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I'm hoping to get some advice on where to search for crappies this time of year (fall). I've found crappies in some lakes suspended in deeper water.

I'm hoping to find some nice-sized crappies in Grand Rapids area ... any advice on which lakes to key on?

Was on Cutfoot and Little Cutfoot this past weekend and did not find a single crappie ... we searched deep and shallow. Only schools we found were perch.

Also was on Splithand this weekend and also only found perch ... though they were good sized! Didn't see a single crappie landed.

Thanks in advance for your advice ...

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Rick Grand Master

Rick

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I don't claim to be an expert on the Grand Rapids area lakes, but I do have some general advice for you.

Look for the deeper holes in the lakes. Once these are located, look for the points that extend into these holes and inside turns of them.

You will generally find the crappies suspended at spewcific depth ranges out in front of the points or inside turns. They will normally have a tendency to move shallower towards dusk and hold the same depth they were suspended at earlier.

An example would be the are suspended at 28' over 48' of water in front of a point during the day. As sunset approaches they start moving towards the point. They may be suspended at 28' in 32' of water. Typically they will be suspended within a range rather than a precise depth.

This should help get your search time down a bit. You may even get a few bonus gills this way. Check the lower depths below the crappies and you may be surprised to find walleyes down there.

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yoppdk Community Regular

yoppdk

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Thanks Rick ... I've found crappies in the deepest holes of a couple lakes in the area, but I've never related their location to points or otherwise. Looking in the vicinity of those points will indeed be a good place to start a search, particularly on any new lakes. I've heard that there are some excellent lakes in this vicinity for crappies, yet so far all I've located are "average" lakes. A comment somebody made last year on one of the forums said something like you don't need to drive all the way to Red to get loads of slab crappies ... they're right here in GR. Man, I'd love to figure out where. I understand why folks don't want to divulge that info, though. But it's always worth asking.

thanks again ...

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  • 3 weeks later...
Gordon Fothergill Enthusiast

Gordon Fothergill

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Some other waters in the immediate area that should be checked out include Sylvan Bay, and under the 63 bridge.

Other good fall waters include Sand, Bowstring, Little Turtle, Jessie, and Little Moose. Many others exist but this should get you started.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Guest

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ive heard good reports coming from splithand upto this weekend sylvan bay is always hot on 1rst ice thats about it for big crappies trout lak in coleraine is hotwhen we get the ice for it. i could put u on alot of smaller crappies

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