April 21, 22 Report, Slowwww fishing

[npetersen]

Not much of a report but wanted to keep this forum updated. We were out on Saturday and Sunday. Was quite windy which was a problem as our trolling motor was not working so we had to anchor in the bay. Both days were slow fishing with Saturday being better than today. A few nice crappies were being caught around us but with no good boat control, we just stayed put. Sunday we ended up draging our anchor down the bay every time a gust came because it was too windy and couldn't get a good grip so it was a short fishing trip. Boat is now out of the water waiting to goto the Thousand Islands for a few weekends. Bring on the jumbo perch!

[the blue fox]

what lake or area where you at?

[npetersen]

Sorry, I was fishing Sturgeon Lake. Some big crappies have been coming out of there but my biggest so far is 13". Biggest this year is 11". There is definitely a technique to catching them as it seemed people around us were getting them but not us although we were using tube jigs which is what everyone else was using.

[admin]

Thanks for the fishing report.
Did you check if those anglers were tipping their tubes with a little bit of meat? Sometimes on "lazy" crappies that makes a difference, just a small piece of worm or tiny pinhead minnow.

[npetersen]

No I didn't. I'm sure that may have been the difference. My husband was just using a straight worm dropshoting on a bare hook but kept on pulling up bluegills or perch. I was putting some sticky scent on the tube jig but not a worm.

[the blue fox]

when it go out for crappies I ues this. Hope you can see pic? It is gulp dough trout bait.

[npetersen]

Do you just use the bait alone or do you add it to your presentation?

[the blue fox]

sorry, just add it to what ever you are uesing just give a little more stink

[admin]

Everyone will swear by the 2" white tube and 1/8 oz jig head, put that under a float, cast and move it along the surface in a stop and go retrieve, with a few pops here and there. Once you catch one, cast again in the same general area and go slower. If white stops working, put on yellow or pink tubes. Also make sure you have tinsel tubes, clear with sparkles, they look the most like the forage and will get the "picky ones" to bite. Another important tip, is the bobber to jig line length. Crappie will look up to feed -- hardly ever down. So if you are fishing 6ft, i usually setup length 2-4ft. Usually half or less than half the depth of water. If there is weed growth on bottom, make sure your tube is above the weeds, crappie like to hide in the weeds and strike up to ambush their prey.

Yes, too much worm on your presentation will catch alot of the more aggressive panfish, ie. sunfish and perch.. But it can weed out a few crappies as well.

[npetersen]

Great information there Jerry. I was playing around with the bobber to jig length depending on the depth of the water. I have plain white tube jig with pink tail and green ones with sparkles in them. Will look for some with tinsel. Now I just need to remember this for next year as I am probably done crappie fishing for this year.