2019 Crappie thread!!

[Slew]

The old one got too long to load in Tapacrap so might as well start another one! First trip of 2019 was to Pines and it was brutal! Had a couple good ones though. No way I would drive past Fork or Sandlin right now to go to Pines if it wasn't for a tourney next weekend but that's how it goes!!



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[Cardinal]

I will be following along again this year. We bought a lot on a private lake near Athens that apparently is loaded with crappie. Been looking for a jon boat to try to get on them with, any suggestions or links on where to start on catching them in shallow lakes Slew?

[Slew]

Originally Posted by Cardinal

I will be following along again this year. We bought a lot on a private lake near Athens that apparently is loaded with crappie. Been looking for a jon boat to try to get on them with, any suggestions or links on where to start on catching them in shallow lakes Slew?

If the lake is shallow and has crappie they're used to living shallow! I would find bait and spider rig this time of year. Find bait and crappie usually aren't far behind! Usually!!


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[Slew]

I'm glad that ones over! Caught 2 good crappie on the main lake and went and hid from the wind and put some black crappie in the boat and did better than we expected! Pines would have given up 15/16 pound stringers if the wind would have cooperated but that's why you gotta have back up plans! On to Palestine next month!! I think there's whitecaps in my toilet bowl today.




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[cva34]

Congrats

[Texas Grown]

BF and 1st place is a good day! Congrats brother.

[bps3040]

Congrats

[Slew]

Thanks. We had our usual celebration or cry about it beer when we got the boat backed in the shop and Clay said man I enjoyed it!! I said I hated it but sure enjoyed the way it ended! Palestine next month. Haven't been there since June and its 20 miles away!!


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[Slew]

Bump for anybody else chasing em already! Now is the best time of year to catch monsters! This was a prefish fish from Pines. No way to fish there Sat though!



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[BowSlayer]

I never get to go fishing any more so I might as well follow your thread.

[MenardCountyBow]

Anyone have any tips to catch them at cedar creek?

[Buff]

I pulled my climbing stands down this last weekend and will start up after the crappie Saturday.

Glad you found fish under the bridge. I caught them there last year until March after every cold front. I can't imagine how rough the main lake had to be. I am surprised no one sunk a boat.

[Killer]

Congrats. I need it to warm up just a little before I go!

[Quackerbox]

If Im gonna have to wear a knit cap and gortex to catch a fish I better have mountains in my background. Not pine trees

[wytex]

This is crappie fishing Wyoming style, this time of the year anyway.
Spouse went out with friends and pulled up a mixed bag.
Hopefully a few walleye are caught on the next trip.

[Slew]

Originally Posted by wytex

This is crappie fishing Wyoming style, this time of the year anyway.
Spouse went out with friends and pulled up a mixed bag.
Hopefully a few walleye are caught on the next trip.

I've caught em in snow but never pulled one through the ice before!!!

[Lawhunter]

Originally Posted by wytex

This is crappie fishing Wyoming style, this time of the year anyway.
Spouse went out with friends and pulled up a mixed bag.
Hopefully a few walleye are caught on the next trip.

No thank you

[Killer]

No ice chest needed on that trip!!!

I will say I always wanted to go ice fishing, but i wanted to be in one of those little ice houses with a heater and a good looking female fishin partner!!

[aironeout]

Congrats on the win. It had to be a brutal day out there. Come on May, I can't figure these power plant crappie out in the winter.

>E

[Slew]

Originally Posted by aironeout

Congrats on the win. It had to be a brutal day out there. Come on May, I can't figure these power plant crappie out in the winter.



>E

Thanks! We were out there dreaming about flip flop weather again!!


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[medic911]

Dude I cant every imagine how rough it was out there Sat. Congats on the wind. yall worked for that one.

[Buff]

My home lake,(lake of the pines) is a mass right now so I fished Bob Sandlin Friday evening and again Saturday morning. Lot of fish on the sonar but I couldn’t get them to bite.
Went out by the dam this morning on LOP and pretty much the same thing, lots of fish on sonar but no bites. I went home around noon and spent a couple of hours feeling sorry for my self.
Went out again this afternoon way South in the creek that feeds the lake and caught 25 in two hours.
Just when I decide I can’t catch fish, then I do.

[bakin7005]

Originally Posted by Buff

My home lake,(lake of the pines) is a mass right now so I fished Bob Sandlin Friday evening and again Saturday morning. Lot of fish on the sonar but I couldn’t get them to bite.

Went out by the dam this morning on LOP and pretty much the same thing, lots of fish on sonar but no bites. I went home around noon and spent a couple of hours feeling sorry for my self.

Went out again this afternoon way South in the creek that feeds the lake and caught 25 in two hours.

Just when I decide I can’t catch fish, then I do.

Attachment 943866

How deep were they in the creek? Water temp?

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[Texas Grown]

I went to the river today in search of sandies and crappie. Didn't catch a one. And only got one bite.





It was fun on ultralight tackle with 8lb test, and no dip net, on the river.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by bakin7005

How deep were they in the creek? Water temp?

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12 foot of water, I didn’t pay any attention to the water temperature...sorry

[bakin7005]

Originally Posted by Buff

12 foot of water, I didn’t pay any attention to the water temperature...sorry

I gotta rethink my strategy (crappie always deep in the winter).
I fished Saturday and found lots of fish in my usual deep water spots (30-60 ft) but couldn't get them to hit a jig for nothing. Others were catching a few around me on minnows but not like normal.
Fishing in the shallows (less than 20ft) not even on my radar this time of year....

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[red-fin]

Hit the marina on Lake Belton this weekend. It was horribly slow. Have been fishing there for 20 years and never seen it this slow. IDK? The lake is high, letting out a lot water maybe that's it? Good luck out there.

[Hendo]

I'm going to be hitting Waco pretty soon, so I'll report back. I haven't heard much on the crappie, but the blues are acting up I did hear.

[Buff]

Went up the creek yesterday afternoon. Didn't catch but 6 crappie, the Sand bass would not let my jig alone. Threw back the first 5 or 6 then decided to keep the next 15

[catslayer]

Originally Posted by Buff

Went up the creek yesterday afternoon. Didn't catch but 6 crappie, the Sand bass would not let my jig alone. Threw back the first 5 or 6 then decided to keep the next 15
Attachment 944016

How deep were the whites? Trying get a few on the fly

[Buff]

They were suspended about 6' deep in 20 foot of water

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Texas Grown

I went to the river today in search of sandies and crappie. Didn't catch a one. And only got one bite.


Attachment 943870


It was fun on ultralight tackle with 8lb test, and no dip net, on the river.

I bet that felt like you hooked a freight train!

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[EastTexasMan]

Quick question: How long does the crappie spawn typically last in the rivers?

Could you still catch them in the rivers around the end of April? We use to fish the navasota river every year, but I can't remember how long the spawning season went to since it's been years.

[duckmanep]

I will likely get out on Sandlin in the next few weeks. Anyone with any reports of what depth they hanging out in.

[Texas Grown]

Originally Posted by Keith

I bet that felt like you hooked a freight train!

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Yes sir. I was using ultralight tackle with 8lb mono. And forgot to take my dip net. So I had to ware it down and lip it. It seems to happen every year about this time. Just before the sandies start running good.

The fish are biting, and there's hogs to be kilt. Gotta go!

[Flex]

Originally Posted by Hendo

I'm going to be hitting Waco pretty soon, so I'll report back. I haven't heard much on the crappie, but the blues are acting up I did hear.

I fish waco primarily, Live right by Koehne Park. I have trouble finding any crappie out there besides when they are up shallow.

Warm weather and white bass should be here soon.

[Hendo]

Originally Posted by Flex

I fish waco primarily, Live right by Koehne Park. I have trouble finding any crappie out there besides when they are up shallow.



Warm weather and white bass should be here soon.

Electronics have helped me tremendously locate submerged piles and timber to target the crappie.


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[TallTexan]

Sub

[Slew]

Originally Posted by Hendo

Electronics have helped me tremendously locate submerged piles and timber to target the crappie.


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This times a million! I go all over and find crappie on lakes I know nothing about because of electronics.


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[Hendo]

Originally Posted by Slew

This times a million! I go all over and find crappie on lakes I know nothing about because of electronics.


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Yes sir. Worth the extra cash to get a good one! I personally suggest one with side imaging as well.


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[Flex]

Originally Posted by Hendo

Electronics have helped me tremendously locate submerged piles and timber to target the crappie.


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I have a Lowrance HDS 5, no down imaging, I can find brush piles, making the fish eat my jigs is the issue, and staying on with the trolling motor.

In LA you just pull up next to trees that fell in the river and go to thumpy town. These TX fish make you work harder!

[smithb164]

I’m curious what units everyone uses up on the bow? I’ve got a Lowrance Gen 3 at the console with NMEA. However, I have a riptide w/I-pilot TM. Are y’all running an independent arm for the transducer? Or am I better off getting a different TM that I can mount the transducer to?

I’m open to any suggestions!

[smithb164]

I guess I should specify that I do have downscan and sidescan. I’m curious what kind of Lowrance unit works best on the bow with the TM setup I have....or, do I need to change up the TM entirely?

[nimrod]

How bout some pics of your crappie boats you use
I do like bob sandlin my parents live on that lake and we normally always catch fish

[Keith]

I have a Humminbird Solix 12. It was amazing to see the Side Imaging the first time I used it. Then it messed up, and the latest software update did not fix it. I just sent it to Humminbird yesterday for repair.

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[duckmanep]

since quite a few have mentioned fishing Sandlin, we should try to do a day trip out there sometime in the summer. fish all day and then cook em up at the end, if we catch any.

[ArcheryAddict]

Following.........

[Hendo]

I don’t run a bow unit currently. I have the helix 10 SI+ MEGA on the console and mark and spot lock with the trolling motor once I find them.

However I have been eyeing another bird to put up front when I’m crappie fishing.

I catfish too.


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[Slew]

Originally Posted by smithb164

I’m curious what units everyone uses up on the bow? I’ve got a Lowrance Gen 3 at the console with NMEA. However, I have a riptide w/I-pilot TM. Are y’all running an independent arm for the transducer? Or am I better off getting a different TM that I can mount the transducer to?

I’m open to any suggestions!

I have a Lowrance Carbon 12 in the dash linked to a carbon 9 on the bow that's hooked with an adapter cable to the transducer on the Ultrex to run 2D sonar on the from graph along with mapping and DI shot off my rear transducer. I also have a Helix 9 running a 360 off the TM mount on the Ultrex. If I had Buffs money I would have both of those and a Garmin 93v mounted on bracket above the carbon 9 in the bow dash running livescope on a poleducer. In the meantime maybe Lowrance or Hunmingbird will catch up and I won't have to run 3 graphs on the bow. I'm gonna need a navigator before long.


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[Hendo]

Originally Posted by Slew

I have a Lowrance Carbon 12 in the dash linked to a carbon 9 on the bow that's hooked with an adapter cable to the transducer on the Ultrex to run 2D sonar on the from graph along with mapping and DI shot off my rear transducer. I also have a Helix 9 running a 360 off the TM mount on the Ultrex. If I had Buffs money I would have both of those and a Garmin 93v mounted on bracket above the carbon 9 in the bow dash running livescope on a poleducer. In the meantime maybe Lowrance or Hunmingbird will catch up and I won't have to run 3 graphs on the bow. I'm gonna need a navigator before long.


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Haha *****! I just want another helix 10 with 360.


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