Trolling for crappie

[hotwielen65]

Had some time after work to give trolling crank baits a try on OH. Put in at Cairo and went to the mouth of Bledsow, trolled at 1.5 to 2 mph back in about 1/2 mile in 20 to 22 fow with not even a bump. I brought everthing in and went out to the main channel, I have a couple spots I've caught crappie out there so I decided to troll the main channel same as above. I caught six nice fish in about an hour with the largest being my personal best at 15 3/4" and a tick over 2lb. I was pulling 200 bandits, the mad cow had 3 fish with crawfish being second with 2 and a pink shad getting 1. Tried posting a cell phone picture but it wouldn't go. Pretty pumped about going again.

Good luck all
Ray

[bfish]

How far back are you setting your lines?

[ttitan27]

Cool. Congrats. I trolled Friday, Saturday, Sunday and yesterday afternoon on Priest using 300 bandits in 15-18 foot of water and had some pretty good success as well. Have you tried trolling with planer boards? I'm thinking about picking some up and giving it a whirl.

[nailman_83]

Originally Posted by ttitan27

Cool. Congrats. I trolled Friday, Saturday, Sunday and yesterday afternoon on Priest using 300 bandits in 15-18 foot of water and had some pretty good success as well. Have you tried trolling with planer boards? I'm thinking about picking some up and giving it a whirl.

I've used planer boards when it's calm (which isn't often on OH).

[nailman_83]

Originally Posted by hotwielen65

Had some time after work to give trolling crank baits a try on OH. Put in at Cairo and went to the mouth of Bledsow, trolled at 1.5 to 2 mph back in about 1/2 mile in 20 to 22 fow with not even a bump. I brought everthing in and went out to the main channel, I have a couple spots I've caught crappie out there so I decided to troll the main channel same as above. I caught six nice fish in about an hour with the largest being my personal best at 15 3/4" and a tick over 2lb. I was pulling 200 bandits, the mad cow had 3 fish with crawfish being second with 2 and a pink shad getting 1. Tried posting a cell phone picture but it wouldn't go. Pretty pumped about going again.

Good luck all
Ray

Sounds like you're figuring it out. Did you mark them on electronics?

[hotwielen65]

I was having the best success with 80 feet of line out. I don't have line counters on my reels so I marked my line with bobber stops, one at 80 and one at 100 feet, they stay in place for the most part but I'm going to have to tweek it a little. I also read that some guys use a black marker but I'm not sure that won't compromise the line strength.
I did mark where I caught the fish although the spot where the fish bit was 80 feet behind the mark. Most fish came with no structure showing, I'm guessing they are crusing the channel edge looking for shad. Only one time did I go through a school of shad and later catch a fish about where I saw the school.
Had the topo map out at lunch to plan where might be some other good spots to troll, nice thing about trolling is although some boat traffic is aggrivating it doesn't affect the bite like it does spider rigging.

Ray

[bfish]

Originally Posted by hotwielen65

I was having the best success with 80 feet of line out.

You are fishing about 3-4 shallower than I do (here in SE TN).

They have colored (metered) line such as Power Pro Depth Hunter, for trolling, but at $30 it is much easier to use a line counter reel (okuma from northwoods outlet).

[Tnriverluver]

Try trolling around 3 mph. Lately have been catching them at this speed where the normal 1.5 - 2 is not producing. It seems strange but it works!!!

[TNtroller]

Speed is always part of the equation in trolling for crappie. Today the magic speed is x.x mph, tomorrow its ?.? mph.

[XxthejuicexX]

Don't be stingy give us the X.X and the ?.? speeds. We all want to catch fish!

[TNtroller]

Wasn't being stingy w/ info, the magic speed varies day to day just like the colors. What works today won't tomorrow.

[XxthejuicexX]

Originally Posted by TNtroller

Wasn't being stingy w/ info, the magic speed varies day to day just like the colors. What works today won't tomorrow.

I know I was just giving you a hard time. I tried trolling one time at 55mph, broke the dang plug right off, along with taking all the line off my reel.

[SAMBOLIE]

Originally Posted by XxthejuicexX

I know I was just giving you a hard time. I tried trolling one time at 55mph, broke the dang plug right off, along with taking all the line off my reel.

You should have been using 1000# test braid.

[TNtroller]

Originally Posted by XxthejuicexX

I know I was just giving you a hard time. I tried trolling one time at 55mph, broke the dang plug right off, along with taking all the line off my reel.

Surprised you didn't get a slap up side the head from the rod, or that's one hellva rod holder you got mounted

[XxthejuicexX]

The rod was laying down beside my passenger seat and when I took off the plug was in the water, the bell popped open , that was probably what saved me from losing a rod and reel also.


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