Roy, Gene and Crappie chasers, question.

[grout-scout]

After Donnie explained how you fish for crappie, the GT made sense how it could screw up your technique. I have had to pretty much learn crappie fishing from YouTube and a buddy showed me a little bit fishing trees/brush piles. I have never seen the “chasing Crappie down” method. Explain how this works, how do you know it’s a crappie and not a 1-2lb Bass? Where do you look for these fish. Give me the low down of how this works, please.

I know this isn’t a crappie page, but we don’t have one and I’m sure I’m not the only one interested in this.

[Royt]

Me and Gene both learned allot from following and watching Josh Jones. On some of his video he talks about location. Most of the areas you see spider riggers in will have open water crappie. A bass seems to always be moving, the crappie we are targeting pretty much sit still or move some then stop. The higher they are in the water column usually the more active they are. We put our LS or Scoppy as we call it, on 70' range and start scanning likely areas for large sunshine suspended in the water. We don't try for too many below about 15'. When we spot what we have determined to be a large crappie, we ease our boat in it's direction approaching from the downwind side and start reducing our range down to 40'. Once we get within 40 feet or less we make cast to the fish but always keeping our baits slightly above it. It can be difficult to cast a 1/16 oz. jig beyond a fish 35' away, 10' deep. We would rather target them in the 20 to 30 foot range but our LS won't let us most of the time, the fish and your lure will disappear when we are in this range. When we try to fish for these fish within 20' or so of the boat most will spook and swim away.
For us this method is allot like hunting and your heart rate really jumps when you see the fish turn and swim after your bait. After awhile you can get a good idea of the fish size and pick which ones you want to cast to. Hope this little bit of information helps you and others.

[grout-scout]

[CHECrappie]

Chasing crappie is what I’ll do 90% of the time, and all the time if I’m by myself or have a partner that’s use to Livescope. Depending on year, I’ll get on the flats, prespawn, and creek ledges rest of the time. I will say if you cannot control the boat with your trolling motor, this will be frustrating and hard. I’ve seen people sell their system because of boat control, and not knowing what they’re looking at.
ive found that most of the larger crappie suspend in the middle of nowhere. For some I take fishing that want to catch a bunch, I’ll spot lock over brush. There maybe a nice fish or two in brush but in my experience nothing the size of the fish roaming.
of course my transducer is mounted on the trolling motor and if you’re chasing I highly recommend that.
ceappie look like a round dusk in the water. Once the fish swims, if you see a “V” tail, move to the next. Large crappie will swim from boat especially on a windless day. They’ll swim a few feet and stop and normally it’s a straight line.
if you can learn this method, you will probably find you’ll catch generally larger fish.

[Royt]

CHECrappie's advice is spot on except I like my transducer on a separate pole for me. It's whatever works best for you. Boat control is key as he stated as well as being able to accurately cast a small jig a good distance. Sometimes they will move a good distance to eat your baits but most days you have to bring it right to them to get a reaction.

[mage]

i just started chasing them 2 weeks ago, and it seems fun.

not very productive yet, but practicing. 21 on the first time on the ultralight rod on a new lake. then i bought a 13 feet rod thinking that the fish don't run if i stay far enough from them. ended up with only 13 fish on the 13feet rod.

i think the ultralight rod casting to them is hell lot better than holding a damn heavy 13feet long rods.

[CHECrappie]

i just started chasing them 2 weeks ago, and it seems fun.

not very productive yet, but practicing. 21 on the first time on the ultralight rod on a new lake. then i bought a 13 feet rod thinking that the fish don't run if i stay far enough from them. ended up with only 13 fish on the 13feet rod.

i think the ultralight rod casting to them is hell lot better than holding a damn heavy 13feet long rods.

Both methods work great. But I have Todd Huckabee 12’ rods that are well balanced and not heavy. I catch em both ways but there’s nothing like a 2lber putting a thump on that long rod.

[Royt]

I have both rods as well. Both methods are fun but I prefer casting out to them. I enjoy having to play the fish in with a light action rod.
Enjoy the hunt!

[BCLII]

Both methods work great. But I have Todd Huckabee 12’ rods that are well balanced and not heavy. I catch em both ways but there’s nothing like a 2lber putting a thump on that long rod.

l like catching them on any type of rod, but with that said, pulling them out on a 12’ or 14’ rod is a s**t load of fun. Brings back memories of fishing as a young lad with grandpa using that bam boo cane pole. ��

[mage]

Yes i agree with ya. But man pulling in a 2pound crappie feels heavy like pulling in a big catfish.
i had acc crappie stix and that rod had no balance at all.

[muskyman73]

I love open water suspended crappie. I troll for them. They always seem more aggressive than the fish on brush piles.

[Genec]

guys,roy and me have been on a roll this months,we have caught over 34 2lb plus just in january alone,we both have ordered a system to help our livescope out,sure hope they work,him a ps 22 and me a ls12 ducer ,will let you know how they do,it has been tough to follow those fish with our ls32,even roy said that mine is the worst he has seen,this style fishing is like hunting for big buck and letting the small ones pass by,we go by pound fish and do not even cast at them,boy if they ever get these livescope right it will increase the fun,before livescope in january we might not even catch a 2 lb whole month,was worst month of year