# Other fish encounters while crappie angling



## njsimonson

Ok, ok, this is a bit off topic, but I think that it happens a lot. A person goes out, jigging or slipfloating for crappies, and ends up with something a whole lot bigger on the line, and usually ends up with a great story about the monster pike or other huge fish they landed on light crappie gear...

Do you have any good "other fish" stories that resulted from a crappie outing? Where did you have to battle a big fish on extremely light tackle?

Mine was a 17.5" smallmouth, that just barely inhaled the bait. I set the hook and swore it was the biggest crappie in the world, until I saw the bronze flash. Took about 5 minutes to land on the light rig.

I've seen monster carp and pike landed on 4-lb mono while fishing for crappies and panfish...what's YOUR story?


----------



## djleye

I caught a 15 lb. Muskie on a crappie outfit. I thought I had tied into a big walleye the way it hung deep. The dnr didn't even have a confirmed catch up to that point on that lake but it was tied into a system known to have muskies. I took a quick picture and released it. Lots of fun and really tests the old heart out, especially when I was thinking walleye at the time!!


----------



## Lance Pardee

I've snapped 3 B&M Crappie sticks on big Flatheads in the 15+ lb. range. I also caught a 10 lb. Snapping turtle on 4lb. test once.


----------



## Burly1

I was lucky enough to land a 5lb largemouth on a 12ft collapsable crappie pole (no reel). Using a tandem 1/32 oz jig rig on 10lb test line. From shore no less. 5 or 6 jumps and a couple short runs later, the fish gave it up. I still remember holding onto that pole with one hand, thinking that there is no way I'm gonna stop this fish. I must have tied really good knots that day! Good fishing, Burl


----------



## njsimonson

Burl -

LOL, I can only imagine trying to stop a bulldogging run with a cane pole like that...pretty amazing catch there!


----------



## tumblebuck

Does it have to be during open water season?

I've caught a 36" northern and a 27" walleye on two separate occasions while ice fishing for crappies. Both caught on little jigging rods and 4-pound test.

Kinda fun when you set the hook and first thing you think of is "this is not a crappie!"


----------



## holmsvc

I caught a twenty plus pound carp while pitching jigs for crappies and 15 pound pike on a jig. Both where caught on 4lb. test and a 5 ft ultra light rod. Both of the fish are the ones Simonson mentioned earlier.


----------



## goose killer

I caught a 8 pound northern on 2 lb test and a ultra lite ice fishing rod.


----------



## bratlabs

I caught a 8 lb. channel cat ice fishing for crappies on a ultra lite and 2 lb. test. That was my first cat while ice fishing. I thought it was a walleye until a big ugly face came through the hole. My first thought was "what the hell???" I couldnt tell you how long it took to get it up to the hole, seemed like forever. Thank god for gaffs.


----------



## qwakwhaker883

Last spring I caught a huge dogfish while fishing for crappies. First one of those I had ever caught. And a few summers ago while fishing for sunnies in 7 feet of water I caught a nice 24" walleye on a plain hook and a leach.


----------



## Curtis

I ahve caught a 36" 10+ lb northern while ice fishing for crappies w/ one lb' test and landed him, otherwise I usually catch a bass, dogfish, or pike.
Curtis


----------



## Burly1

Curtis, what species is it that you call dogfish? I haven't run across that one, I don't think so anyway. Good fishing, Burl


----------



## Lance Pardee

Dogfish is a Bowfin. At least around here it is.


----------



## njsimonson

www.bowfinanglers.com - a fun "dogfish" site to visit.


----------



## wtrfwlr

I'm going to have to call BS on the 10+ lb fish on one lb test, and some of the other posts would have to be a whole lotta luck. A 10+ lb fish i would think would run your spool out and break off because you wouldn't be able to set your drag tight at all. And a snapping turtle on 4 lb :roll: Maybe. Call me pessimistic but i would have to see it.


----------



## njsimonson

I could see a 10 pounder on 1 pound test. Hook it in the corner of the mouth and tire it out. Especially on the ice where light line is the norm.


----------



## Curtis

f you dont believe me its fine, I know I caught it on 1lb test Triline on late Ice. I know its possible, and I am not the only one. People on some of the local lakes have caught 10lb walleyes on the sma esetup, along with huge northerns. (One person even got a Muskey through the ice.) You need to play them out like crazy, and its a heart beating few minutes!

I also use an icefishign pole during the summer, and I have caught some 2-3lb pike that fight better than a 10lb'er through the ice. Also In the summer I have caught some 2 1/2-4 lb smallies. Thats fun!

Believe what youy want, but dont think its not possible because I ahve done it. GO TRY IT.

Curtis


----------



## muskat

About a 7-8 Lb (didnt weigh it) dogfish off a slip bobber in a small lake while fishing for crappies. It wasnt very special, the fish was on its last leg. Came right to the surface and right to the boat.


----------



## Gohon

> Mine was a 17.5" smallmouth, that just barely inhaled the bait.


Sounds like a good fish story to me......... :lol:

I thought the world record smallmouth was still standing a 11 pounds 15 ounces?


----------



## Lance Pardee

It probably is. He said 17.5 inches NOT pounds.


----------



## Gohon

> It probably is. He said 17.5 inches NOT pounds.


oops............. those lilltle tick marks get me every time...


----------



## Lance Pardee

I under stand completly.


----------



## wisfishermen

A 8 pounds smallmouth bass and a 14 pound walleye. These are the only fish I've had mounted.


----------



## eyecatcher

I didn't land it but I had a muskie of about 30 inches smack a crappie I was reeling in. It hung on for a couple minutes with the fish hanging out both sides of his face. I got it close to the boat and reached down for it and when it saw my ugly mug it spit the crappie and split. Pretty exciting for me and my 11 year old daughter.


----------



## Bore.224

I got ya all beat, I caught a 30 ft 1500 lb birtch tree!!! :beer:


----------



## 94NDTA

I was casting shallow once and had bout a 36" or so northern take my bobber clean off as soon as it hit the water. got my heart going a little


----------



## BrdHunter

I was ice fishing and I had my ultra light siting over by another hole in a rod holder and I noticed The rod tip starting to bounce so I go check it out. I just about got to it and then it just took off tipped over the rod holder and I grabbed the rod just befor it got sucked down the hole. I faught the fish for a while but it let go, but I reeled up a chewed up crappie. Im pretty sure it was a big pike, there are alot of northerns in the lake I was fishing.


----------



## wirenut

Last summer I caught and released a 95# paddlefish on 12# mono.
My brother caught a 53#3oz bighead carp on 6# mono.(NE state record)
Both fish were caught on shad raps while bass fishing.


----------



## rockinmichigan

I was shorefishing last year, jigging straight down off the pier about three to four feet down below the surface and caught a 11 1/2" largemouth on a live nightcrawler. Another time last year I had cast out about thirty feet out with a live nightcrawler about two feet below a bobber, got tangled up with a 26" longnose gar. Had gotten hooked prior, had the hook in its mouth with line wrapped around its beak and a one ounce sinker about an inch below its beak. My line got tangled up with that line, damn lucky that son of a gun didn't snap my line away from inside its mouth. That is currently at the taxidermy, technically should be in the living room now but the douchebag's been taking forever with it since he's supposedly been busy cleaning deer carcasses from hunting season.


----------



## ice man

I was crappie fishing up at pipestem and I had a medium action rod and I was sitting there jigging it and the jig was about 7ft off the bottom and I went to jig and all I felt was weight. So i set the hook and just like that the drag started going and I told my buddy to come over and give me and hand so he hand over handed it real slow and the northern come up to the hole and he turned and that was the end of that. He was gone and so was my jig. I had 4lb test and a little tear drop with a minnow. That really got the blood flown.


----------

