Flipp'in for crappy...

[kunobasski]

Just think, maybe this time next month the ice well be gone and the crappy well start thier annual spring fling in the back bays and creeks of our local waters.

It was not until just last year that a FH member aka Plowjock, had enticed me with stories about how well these fish fight, and the techniques employed to catch them....light line, wimpy 6 foot rods and "micro" everything for lure selection.

Knowing fair well that the bass sticks would be just collecting dust for a couple more months, I jumped at the opportunity to join him and a friend for a day of fishing these feisty, big paper thin pie holed swimmers.

The very first thing you learn upon detecting a bite...DO NOT REAR BACK WITH TOURNAMENT STREGTH HOOKSET!

Figuring the equipment was slightly fragile, I opted to drive the mini tubejigs hook home with a killer sweepset....These little fish have some serious weight and the fine wire hook just rips free of the extendable membrane that resides behind thier lips. A quick adjustment to my testostorone/adrenaline level eased up the hook set and I let the majority of the hook work be done by the ultra sharp points on the mini squid.

As the day passed the sun warmed the water and the fish really became active. I wish I would have taken a temp reading to aid in patterning these fish for future episodes, but it would be safe to assume that any rise in water temp activated these fish's desire to find suitable areas to make babies.

And thats when It happened!

I noticed that for the most part of the day, the fish were staging in the main creek channel. Which was about 4 feet deep. Almost all of our bites were from casting a tube out to the break and dragging it up the channel slope to shallow water.

As the day progressed, the water warmed and the fish were on the move. It was apparent that strikes were becoming more frequent at the top edge of the channel in about 2 feet of water.

A quick inspection of the area deducted that these fish were moving shallow fast! and that there was one major peice of cover that they seemed to be heading for....A cattail encrusted shore line that offered a dark warm bottom, out of the current and littered with a maze of floating cut weed that extended well off the creeks bank in a cove.

After making a few casts with the diminutive rod and reel setup into what would be considered fairly heavy cover, even for a bass guy, it was clear that presenting the bait properly was nearly impossible and attracted more snags and moss then crappies.

That when I started to "flip and pitch" for these little jungle huggers. Simply put, with minimal effort I would flip a tube out to open hole in the cattails and allow the bait to fall vertically into the depths below. It was almost as if I was ice fishing, jigging the bait up and down, using the edge of the cover as a fulcrum point. Most times a strike was clearly detectable, even savage. But the key was to watch your line twitch or jump, indicating that a crappie had consumed my plastic offering and was off to hunt down either a mate or more food.

Pulling the fish through the cover was not as difficult as I thought. If ease was taken pulling the crappie onto the mat broken cattails and cut weed, it was just a matter of sledding them over to the creeks shore. Not much of a fight, but highly effective.

Anyways I can't wait.....this season is just minutes aways and I have already bought a longer "dippin rod" to coax those heavy cover crappies from thier bedrooms. I have been practising my flipping accuracy in a coffee cup in the living room only to attract crazy stikes from the housecat, who by the way puts up a super fight, but is real mean when I try to pry the hooks from its mouth, I should go barbless..........

militant kuno

[McQ]

Very enjoyable read - now that's an informative article!

I'm of a like mind, can't wait for that open water and a day in the warming sun chasing those crappie.

Who can I hitch a ride with?

[Seaweed]

Anytime Bill... I know a couple of spots and I bet you have a couple of real treasure trove area too. Gotta wait on that warmer water... 50 degrees is what I hear is best.

I will give ya a call and we can talk about a crappie sized Super Shorty Title Shot rig....

[YakAttack]

Great post kunobasski!

Thanks for the primer, I'll be trying for crappie this spring for the first time.

Bobber should reference this in the community tips section!

[Scum Frog]

I'm all pumped for crappie this year!!!!!
Bring it on!

[steve2112]

Hey Guys

Since I spent most of my life out west, I have never caught a crappie. I tried last year in a back bay on the Ottawa last year and caught only cats. I know of a bay by the Tim Hortons camp that is suppossed to have some. I will try again this year. Would a small minnows and a jay hook under a bobber work in the spring?

My buddy down in the Kwarthas has mentioned he is now catching crappie there. Before last summer, he had not caught one in the 17 years they have owned the cottage. Maybe I will catch one down there this summer walleye fishing. Seems strange that crappie would all of a sudden appear. Similarily, I meet a guy on the Ottawa who mentioned he is starting to regularily catch crappie in spots that he has fished his whole life and never caught them there before.


Steve

[Wallyboss]

Steve we saw the opposite this year at Crappy Bay. There was more big walleyes caught there in a week that was caught there in the past 15 years. The high water level has something to do with that for sure.

[OBD]

I cant wait! Just need the ice to melt How much ice is there left at petrie?

[Tip-up]

Lots Nodie

Seaweed, check your PM's

[joco]

YOU got to love crappy fishing its so mutch fun and it those NOT need complicated stuff or expensive equipement.


IT could be a very fun family thing to do in spring.

watching that little bobber going down. .


there is some great tactic and all kind off great info on crappy fishing in that magasine(craapie) its only about crappi magasine.you can get it at bits and baits.... .

and by the way there very tasty..


joco

[joco]

some little link for more info on crappie fishing


http://www.crappieusa.com/

http://www.crappie.com/

http://www.crappiestuff.com/crappie_links.html

http://www.crappiepro.com/useful_links.cfm

joco

[garzleflop]

Great article, thanks.

I've only ever caught crappie by accident. I'd like to get out this spring and catch some on purpose.

I don't have a boat but I'm guessing the shorelines of the Ottawa River are all I need?

[joco]

hi garzleflop


there is plentu off local place to catch crappy frome shore......the rideau river/rideau canal.

the ottawa river frome shore.plenty off like back bays.

all other local rivers. and small ponds.


here's a little link for local waters.


http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/fishing/ot ... shhome.htm
dont need a boat to target at all.

hope to see you on shore somewhere.

joco

[plowjock]

Great story Trevor.
I remember that day very well, and that photo which Bottomfeeder posted of the Locks with only 2 fish in it.
We'll meet up again this spring and get out for some Crappie.
Bill McQ you're invited to get out with us and tame some of those paper thin mouths.
When they're biting we'll be there.
Brian

[Wallyboss]

I'll have to go try a couple of open water crappy spots. If they are as fun in open water as they are on ice should be great.