# Where have the crappies gone!



## Buzzman (Jan 26, 2009)

Hello everyone, this is my first try at this. I have ice fished for over twenty years and absolutely love it. But I am fishing a lake I have never ice fished before. I fish it during Spring, SUMMER, and Fall but we rarely have had safe enough ice to fish it in years past. My issue is where the crappies have gone. I catch very nice black crappies there but I can't seem to find them now. I believe they are suspended over deep water and I believe I have marked them on my depth finder (I still use an old Lowerance super sixty) but can't get them to hit. That is if the fish I am marking are in fact crappies. Any suggestions?


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## waterwolf (Oct 15, 2003)

> I believe they are suspended over deep water and I believe I have marked them on my depth finder (I still use an old Lowerance super sixty) but can't get them to hit. That is if the fish I am marking are in fact crappies. Any suggestions?


I agree with you. Depending on the lake they could be other species also, but we just found them again over deeper water suspended.

I would rent a camera for a day and confirm your theory.

I would try a small tear drop, and use Euro Larve(sp?) or wax worms and see if you can get them to go. Put it on their nose and reel up, get them to chase it and most of the time you will catch it.

Good luck.


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## Buzzman (Jan 26, 2009)

Thank you, I have been kicking around the idea of getting a new depth finder but I have relied on the sixty so long it is hard to give it up. Just sentimental I guess. I'm looking forward to trying again this week. Have a great day.


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## snow (Dec 7, 2007)

Where are you located? Whats the water clarity?,What baits are you using? What size? jigs or plain hook/ Color? All kinds of things come into play here.During winter months you'll need to change things up with color,pattern,size and time of day.Often if you use live baits and a bobber and the fish are neutral you won't be able to see a pickup,sense of feel,down sizing and/or spring bobber is the way to go.


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## Buzzman (Jan 26, 2009)

I am from west central Ohio. Water clarity is almost crystal clear. I am using live minnows, spikes, and wax worms. I use plain hooks, jigs, tear drops, genz worms, small jigging spoons and even jigging rapalas. The lake is very deep, there are standing trees in some of the coves, and there are a few large flats adjacent to deep water. That is where I think they are suspending. When I find the fish in Spring through Fall you can catch really nice crappies. Like I said before this is the first year I have attempted to fish this lake in winter so I am in the experimental and search mode right now. I know if I can find active fish I am going to catch nice fish. Even better, I am the only one trying it!!


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## snow (Dec 7, 2007)

Buzz,

That helps some,now lets talk sizeof jig once you find fish,the fish may not be suspended over deep water just yet,move in shallow'er water and try small drop jigs 1/64th or smaller,here in the midwest (we fish Ne SoDak,NoDak and all over Mn) we target panfish with smaller glow jigs to start with and use small plastics or euro's,once active fish are located we'll upsize accordingly to the bite.Presentation should be the same there,shallow water this time of year can be deadly,start in 6-10fow and move around,evening should be the best time for hole hopping.

A glow jig (use a tazer),pinch the barbs of your small jig,add 3 spikes or gulp and your good to go.

PS~ pinching the barbs will help in not tearing the spikes when hooking (butt end),give you a better hookset and cause less damage on the fish you intend to release.

FYI

Goodluck! :beer:


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## drjongy (Oct 13, 2003)

Try to find the first deep break adjacent to where you are catching them in the spring and the fall. Try a spring bobber.


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## northerngoosehunter (Mar 22, 2006)

try waitng tell dark. Sometimes they wont bite tell the sun goes down.


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## duckyday (Oct 28, 2003)

snow

Is there a reason for hooking the wax worms butt end? Just wondering.


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## snow (Dec 7, 2007)

Yeah,thats the tuffest part of the spike and when done properly you won't kill the spike and the spike will still move ever so slightly on those days when the fish are finicky.

This method of hooking is for "euro larva" or "maggots" and also called "spikes",wax worm are a different critter.


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