Steve
04-27-2005, 10:39 PM
CRAPPIE TIME IN OHIO
Right about now is the time for avid crappie fishermen to assemble the ultra-lights and prep for pursuing what polls nationwide have consistently revealed to be America's most pursued and desired panfish.And why is this mysterious and moody fish so revered? I believe it is primarily for two reasons.Number one is this species adaptability to diverse habitat and fluctuating and differing climates.Both the black and white crappie are prolific throughout the country north-to-south and east-to-west.They have shown amazing historical adaptability to varying waters in these various geographical areas of the country.They are found in prolific numbers everywhere from mountain streams to lakes and reservoirs, from the boat docks of Lake Erie to most every fertile farm pond from Findlay to Marietta.
The second obvious reason for this scrappy and often elusive denizen of the deepest depths the shallowest shorelines is its almost legendary status as tablefare.Other than out of the warmest summer waters, the crappie(pronounced "croppie") proudly takes its place among the bluegill and yellow perch as the very best eating freshwater angling offers.And their body style makes them amongst the very easiest species to clean, to boot.
Crappie are a classic schooling fish, where there is one there are more.Anglers should not only check the water to the sides of where a nice slab is caught, but also consider the vertical: crappie are a fish comfortable and maddeningly unpredictable in their holding at differing and wildly varying depths.At all active crappie are not hard to catch once the variable of location is factored in; with crappie location is a more important factor than with any other freshwater specie.
This time of year, crappie migrate to shallow-water haunts along frequently deeper available shorelines,where they often lay eggs directly on the wood cover they will tuck in tight to.Precise lure presentation is vital as casting across such timber can quickly result in a snag that can ruin a potential hotspot.Longish extension-style rods are therefore favored by "dabblers", who opt to set down there bait fro directly atop such cover so as not to spook the fish with a too-loud entry and afford a greater ease of presentation and hookset.
If you happen to catch an open-water crappie on any other live bait than a frisky minnow, you have experienced a relative rarity and need to either break out the mini-tubes, plastic grubs or, ideally, a live minnow.Crappie that will gobble up a maggot, waxworm, or worm will absolutely destroy minnows.Rig your live-minnow crappie presentation with the #4 or #6 aberdeen gold-wire hook(easiest to straighten out and pull free of the timber you will absolutely at times get hung up in-if you're not getting snagged,you're not catching spring crappie)entered up through the minnows lips, making sure to penetrate both upper and lower.For artificials,it's hard to beat the aforementioned mini-tubes and 1-2'' plastic grubs-and bring a variety of colors.Long time readers of mine know my conviction that color is easily the most overrated variable in fishing.Yet, it is with this specie at perhaps its most vital status, crappie are definetely very color conscious.
As for equipment, a good fish -finder will be all but essential later on in the calendar year when crappie stratify over open water, often predictably adjacent to baitfish schools.For now, known wood cover is your primary key, with warmth-absorbing concrete structures like bridges and some retaining walls a viable option.Crappie spook easily, moving en masse when alerted, so quiet is also a plus.A light or ultra-light spinning combo loaded with four lb. clear mono is preferred, with a longish fiberglass rod a major asset when using a float(bobber), and a sensitive graphite rod all-but-required when vertical jigging off a pier or the side of a boat, sans bobber.
For some of our very favorite area crappie haunts consider Berlin, the Cuyahoga River, Mogadore, Mosquito, West Branch and LaDue.For further details and tips on crappie locations and insights, check out the 2005 Area Fishing Preview at our buckeyeangler.com website.
Random Casts:congrats to Greg Hamilton, who has taken over West Branch Bait & Tackle.Stop by and say hi to Greg and the new staff, and we all should be sure to wish them well.The phone number there is now 330-297-9901...hunters harvested 2,824 bearded wild turkeys on the opening day of Ohio's spring turkey season, which is open statewide through May 15.The ODNR's DOW says this represents a 23% jump over last year...
*
Jack Kiser is the host of PBS's "Buckeye Angler" TV show and Ohio Editor of "Midwest Outdoors" magazine.You may contact him at the buckeyeangler.com website, or at the Record-Courier.
Right about now is the time for avid crappie fishermen to assemble the ultra-lights and prep for pursuing what polls nationwide have consistently revealed to be America's most pursued and desired panfish.And why is this mysterious and moody fish so revered? I believe it is primarily for two reasons.Number one is this species adaptability to diverse habitat and fluctuating and differing climates.Both the black and white crappie are prolific throughout the country north-to-south and east-to-west.They have shown amazing historical adaptability to varying waters in these various geographical areas of the country.They are found in prolific numbers everywhere from mountain streams to lakes and reservoirs, from the boat docks of Lake Erie to most every fertile farm pond from Findlay to Marietta.
The second obvious reason for this scrappy and often elusive denizen of the deepest depths the shallowest shorelines is its almost legendary status as tablefare.Other than out of the warmest summer waters, the crappie(pronounced "croppie") proudly takes its place among the bluegill and yellow perch as the very best eating freshwater angling offers.And their body style makes them amongst the very easiest species to clean, to boot.
Crappie are a classic schooling fish, where there is one there are more.Anglers should not only check the water to the sides of where a nice slab is caught, but also consider the vertical: crappie are a fish comfortable and maddeningly unpredictable in their holding at differing and wildly varying depths.At all active crappie are not hard to catch once the variable of location is factored in; with crappie location is a more important factor than with any other freshwater specie.
This time of year, crappie migrate to shallow-water haunts along frequently deeper available shorelines,where they often lay eggs directly on the wood cover they will tuck in tight to.Precise lure presentation is vital as casting across such timber can quickly result in a snag that can ruin a potential hotspot.Longish extension-style rods are therefore favored by "dabblers", who opt to set down there bait fro directly atop such cover so as not to spook the fish with a too-loud entry and afford a greater ease of presentation and hookset.
If you happen to catch an open-water crappie on any other live bait than a frisky minnow, you have experienced a relative rarity and need to either break out the mini-tubes, plastic grubs or, ideally, a live minnow.Crappie that will gobble up a maggot, waxworm, or worm will absolutely destroy minnows.Rig your live-minnow crappie presentation with the #4 or #6 aberdeen gold-wire hook(easiest to straighten out and pull free of the timber you will absolutely at times get hung up in-if you're not getting snagged,you're not catching spring crappie)entered up through the minnows lips, making sure to penetrate both upper and lower.For artificials,it's hard to beat the aforementioned mini-tubes and 1-2'' plastic grubs-and bring a variety of colors.Long time readers of mine know my conviction that color is easily the most overrated variable in fishing.Yet, it is with this specie at perhaps its most vital status, crappie are definetely very color conscious.
As for equipment, a good fish -finder will be all but essential later on in the calendar year when crappie stratify over open water, often predictably adjacent to baitfish schools.For now, known wood cover is your primary key, with warmth-absorbing concrete structures like bridges and some retaining walls a viable option.Crappie spook easily, moving en masse when alerted, so quiet is also a plus.A light or ultra-light spinning combo loaded with four lb. clear mono is preferred, with a longish fiberglass rod a major asset when using a float(bobber), and a sensitive graphite rod all-but-required when vertical jigging off a pier or the side of a boat, sans bobber.
For some of our very favorite area crappie haunts consider Berlin, the Cuyahoga River, Mogadore, Mosquito, West Branch and LaDue.For further details and tips on crappie locations and insights, check out the 2005 Area Fishing Preview at our buckeyeangler.com website.
Random Casts:congrats to Greg Hamilton, who has taken over West Branch Bait & Tackle.Stop by and say hi to Greg and the new staff, and we all should be sure to wish them well.The phone number there is now 330-297-9901...hunters harvested 2,824 bearded wild turkeys on the opening day of Ohio's spring turkey season, which is open statewide through May 15.The ODNR's DOW says this represents a 23% jump over last year...
*
Jack Kiser is the host of PBS's "Buckeye Angler" TV show and Ohio Editor of "Midwest Outdoors" magazine.You may contact him at the buckeyeangler.com website, or at the Record-Courier.