|
It's officially fall! Which means the fish are about to start thumpin' real good again and the bearable weather is here – or right around the corner! 😅 This week's Target Crappie is loaded with some fall fishing juice, hope you enjoy!
Catch us on Facebook and Instagram to stay in the loop between emails. And if a buddy shared this with you, sign up here to get this free weekly email in your inbox!
|
|
|
If your email program cuts off the bottom of the email click "View this email in your browser" up top to see the whole thing. Sorry about that – email programs keep changing stuff!
|
|
|
|
Does anyone know more than Wally Marshall about crappie? We don't think s, so here's some 🧃 from the man, the myth, the legend himself!
1. When you’re going to a lake in the fall, what’s the first thing you look for to find crappie?
> "Visual structure and the structure under the water.
> "This time of year I start going into creeks, all the way up, and I’m looking for laydowns, log jams – even the smallest twig sticking up in the middle of the creek can be a brushpile as big as a school bus.
> "Another thing I pay attention to is the baitfish. I start going up those creeks, and when I run out of baitfish, I run out of fish. Then I turn around and fish the structures where I saw baitfish.
> "Every year the creeks change because of floods. The stumps won’t move, but the structure that gets washed in does. I like bends of creeks where it makes a little shoal.
> "Usually there’ll be a bunch of logs pushed up right there from 3' all the way out to 10-12', where that creek makes that bend and has a little high spot. I target areas like that."
2. When fish move shallower in the fall, how do your tactics change?
> "I go from a 7' spinning rod to a 10' jigging pole. The water’s kind of stained or murky, so you can’t do this in clear water – in clear water you’d have to cast. But with stained water you can pitch or dip right on them.
> "I use the 10' Wally Marshall Classic Series Rod with 8-lb line and mostly 1/8-oz jigs. That way I can pitch and stay in contact with my bait. But I’ll fish vertical too, depending on clarity. You don’t want to spook 'em.
> "Another tip is to stay off the trolling motor as much as possible, and you’ve got to go into the wind – you can't go with the wind. If you're shallow enough, you can put your [Minn Kota] Raptors down. Get off that trolling motor and just fish."
Follow-up: Where do you fish vertical?
> "Log jams. Or a tree that’s fallen over – what I call laydowns or blowdowns. When you’ve got a brushy treetop out in 8-10' of water, with that log and the void underneath it, fish will get under it on bright sunny days.
> "It’s mostly vertical fishing. You can pitch at logs or stumps, but you can’t pitch in a big treetop – you’ll just hang up. You’ve got to go down between the limbs and logs, right where the fish are holding."
3. If you could only use one bait all fall, what would it be?
|
|
|
> "The Crappie Thunder. It’s always been a great bait. In fall, baitfish are bigger – there’s no small shad. The Thunder is only 1 5/8 inches long, but it has a big [shad-like] presentation because of the 24 tentacles."
Wally said most of the time he's fishing with his Sausage Head Spins to imitate baitfish in that dirtier water.
> "Bigger baits work great in fall. One time I went to Lake Conroe [TX] and fished the bridge with Bobby Goforth. It was cold, like 50 degrees. I was throwing a Crappie Thunder and he was using hair jigs – I wore him out. Those bigger-image baits work.
> "Next year I’ve also got the Shad Pole XL and the Slabalicious XL baits coming. But in the fall, Crappie Thunder works."
4. What’s the biggest misconception about fall crappie fishing?
> "That you can only catch 'em good in the spring when they’re easy. In fall, crappie stack up in big groups. If you catch 1, you’re gonna catch more because they’re bunched together. They’re gorging for the next year’s spawn, and the fish are bigger.
> "And not all fish go to the creeks. Some are in deeper water, 20-30' depending on the lake.
> "At Lake Fork [TX] they’ll be out by the dam. At Lake O' the Pines [TX] they’ll be in deeper water. But I like shallow water because you’ve got them pinned up in one area."
5. For folks walking creek banks, what should they look for?
> "Visual structure. A twig sticking up in the middle of the creek, a log, a blowdown.
> "From the bank, I’d use a bobber. Once you find the right depth, the bobber holds your lure in the strike zone along ledges and secondary drops where stumps are.
> "And work the bobber – don’t just let it sit."
If you're lookin' to learn more from the crappie GOAT, check out his vids on his new website!
|
|
|
How to find 'Goldilocks' crappie?
|
|
|
Good timely info from the fine folks at Lurenet.com:
> ...water temperature is key. Like all warm-water species, crappie have a 'Goldilocks zone' where they are most active.
> Crappie give more chase to baits when water temps drop below 75 degrees, with peak aggression in the 60s. This is the zone where a crappie's metabolism, comfort level and forage behavior are all lined up for optimal feeding....
> Crappie actively hunt in these conditions, leading to the...annual phenomenon known as "roaming."
> Larger crappie tend to roam individually or in small groups. It is the best time of year to troll crankbaits like the Bandit 300 or active soft-plastics like the [Bobby Garland] 2.5" Stroll’R, 2.25" Slab Hunt’R, 2.25" Baby Shad Swim’R and 2" Hyper Grub.
> Trolling multiple baits at different depths is most effective for anglers who don’t use forward-facing sonar [FFS]. It’s a great way to stumble upon the largest roaming fish in a given body of water.
> Anglers using [FFS] have the most success searching for fish at higher speeds. ...target large individual fish using a long jigging rod (10' or longer) paired with a 2" Original Baby Shad or 1.75" Live Roam’R.
We've also been hearing from guides and pros that the closer it gets to fall, the shallower they're finding their fish – so:
|
|
|
> [In the fall] crappie travel creek channels and basins in search of baitfish throughout the day. They are also usually found higher in the water column as surface temps cool and baitfish spend more time near the surface and shoreline.
> Overnight lows continue to drop, making shallow shorelines ideal hunting grounds in the overnight and early morning hours.
> As the sun rises, surface temps climb, and crappie follow the bait back out to deeper, more stable water.
> As water temps begin to dip into the low 60s/high 50s, reverse this pattern. Start off in main basins and creek mouths, and work your way along the channel ledges to the back of creeks as the day progresses.
> High sun warms the shallow water faster, concentrating more bait into the afternoon and early evening hours.
3 fall cheat codes
1. Wind drives baitfish to shoreline and protected coves. Focus on the wind-driven side of the lake, especially if the wind direction has been constant for multiple days.
2. When water temps are below 70 degrees, find stained water. Muddy water heats up faster than clear water. Combine that with the wind-driven side and you’ll find the highest concentration of bait along with the most active crappie.
3. In these conditions, active baits paired with scent, flash and/or sound will stand out as crappie rely more on their lateral-line system rather than sight.... Try pairing your soft-plastic with Slab Jam, Crappie Rattles and/or a vibrating jighead like the Head Turn’R....
If the bite gets tough like during the turnover:
>...the Bobby Garland Itty Bit Series has become the staple for these types of conditions.
> When fish are stationary or holding tight to cover, it’s a good bet that they will favor a small profile bait.
> Great options include the 1.25" Itty Bit Swim’R, 1.25" Itty Bit Mayfly and 1.25" Itty Slab Slay’R. These baits all pair perfectly with the Itty Bits Jighead, which now includes 1/16-, 1/8- and 1/4-oz head sizes in addition to the original 1/64- and 1/48-oz sizes.
|
|
|
Fish bridges during the summer-fall transition
|
|
|
Water temps are changing and fish are on the move – and they're gonna stop somewhere! If you have bridges across the whole lake or across some creeks, check this post with SC hammer Tom Mundy talkin' why bridges can be your limit ticket:
> ...slow and small is often the secret to his success for crappie fishing around bridges and open-water brushpiles when the weather is transitioning from summer to fall.
> [His] signature technique for catching crappie...is to use 4-lb line and put his little jigs right in the fish’s face.
> "Boat positioning is real important. You want your baits to be right next to or on top of the structure.
> "Some people frown on fishing under the trolling motor, but I’m fishing in 20-25' of water and the trolling motor only goes down about 3' so I don’t view that as a potential disturbance to the fish below."
> Most of the sweet spots he likes to fish under a bridge are where brush has been placed intentionally or collected naturally.
> "It took me a long time to distinguish between a bite and the jig bouncing off a limb. The secret is watching the rod tip. When a crappie sucks the jig in, the rod will go from a limber bounce to a stiff look. That’s when it’s time to set the hook."
Tom also likes to fish from the evening into the night because he's found the bite is way better in low light when it's still hot out during the day:
> "I’ll put lights out once it gets dark: a green light on each end of the boat and a white light in the middle. Fish will come up toward the surface at sunset, then later they’ll settle back down right on top of the cover."
> [After dark he] changes his offerings by switching to a glow-tail jig on a 1/64-oz. He’s fond of tipping the jig with a small live minnow once the lights start attracting baitfish to the vicinity.
> Once he changes into night mode...extra-limber rods in rod holders, fishing up to 8 rods for the entire boat...and wait for a rod to bend over.
A key for Tom's finesse-y technique is his 5' 10" UL B'n'M Slabtail Series Rod:
> "The Slabtail Series rods are so lightweight, a crappie will eat the bait, especially if we tip with minnows, and just swim off and hook himself."
|
|
|
We hear a whole lot about trolling cranks, but how often do you hear about trolling jigs??
With all the bait and fish moving around this fall, it makes perfect sense! Check out how Nick Lindner and Joel Nelson were targeting some fall slabs doing just that in this Northland Tackle YT video:
> "Water temperatures...in the mid-50s and we're finding a lot of crappies in that inbetween depth – between that shoreline area or the weedlines where they like to hang out in summer, and the deeper basin wintering holes.
> "You do have to work a little bit for it and you have to kind of experiment [with depth and jigs]. If you're a crankbait troller...jig-trolling is for you.
> "Later into the evening [crappie are] super predictable. You'll see fish towards the bottom – they're feeding on blood worms and all those things coming off.
> "As those invertebrates start rising and making their way off bottom, you'll see the fish continually rise [with the invertebrates]. The higher they get in the water column, the lighter the lure you gotta drag. And typically the more tuned up and ready to eat they are.
> "Make sure you're paying attention to your electronics. Keep an eye on where those fish are and adjust appropriately."
Here's more Joel jig-trolling juice in this post from Virtual Angler:
> Joel's favorite location to target is the adjacent open water next to cabbage or coontail – prominent points or flats that have a lot of weed growth. ...fish outside of this vegetation over the basin.
> Big schools of crappie will often show up on side imaging and look like specks of salt and pepper. When fish are suspended deeper than 15', they will also show up on 2D sonar.
> Joel stresses that trolling is often the key...with these suspended crappie because trolling allows the presentation to be more consistent and even where these fish can follow and overtake the jig.
> "I cast at these same fish and catch some casting, but it almost seems like the reeling puts too much up and down motion on the jig. Crappies seem to like the jig slow and steady...."
Now that's some 🧃! Useful even if you're casting at 'em – be careful of how much you're moving that rod!
Joel's jig picks for trolling
> "...definitely the Mimic Minnow Shad. This bait is awesome because of the boot tail on it."
|
|
|
He likes a lot of tail action when he's fishing more stained water:
> "...the Thumper Jig is another one of my favorites. It's got that little spinner on the bottom and it kicks off just a little bit extra vibration that really makes it easy for these crappies to find the bait in the water.
> "When you have fish that are scattered...and start rising up the depth column, feeding them a steady supply of jigs that are lighter and lighter as you go towards the evening is a recipe for success."
|
|
How Al's catchin' 'em right now
|
|
|
That would be THE 🐐! Al Lindner, of course. Here's what he had to say in this Facebook post about how he's catching MN crappie and what to look forward to as fall gets rolling:
> The lakes in my area are still warm in the upper 60s. We need a good frost to drive down the water temps and start to kill the weeds.
> In most of the lakes I crappie-fish, the fish are most active late in the day and still use the weeds. It won't be long...they're going to be moving out deeper and schooling up!
|
|
|
3. CA: Lake Isabellla is "pumping out crappie"
5-20' around structure with live shiners or jigs, particularly super small dagger-style mini jigs, crickets, artificial crickets, Get Bent Baits, or 2" Keitech swimbaits....
4. IN: Oct is slab-chasin' time on Cagles Mill
5. TX: Crappie bite is going down on...
> Arlington: "Fish begin to put on more weight for winter and big schools of crappie can be found around brush and timber around river and creek channels."
> Bob Sandlin: "Excellent in timber, brush and around docks with jigs or minnows. The best bite is in 8-30' of water, with a major concentration of fish in 8-15' of water."
Check last week's Target Crappie for more specific Bob Sandlin Juice!
> Bois d'Arc: "Fish are starting to transition to deeper water to a fall pattern, but can still be shallow. Use hand tied jigs or minnows in 8-30' of water concentrating efforts in 15-25' of water."
> Cypress Springs: "Excellent in 12-25' of water on brush and docks with hand tied jigs or minnows 12-25' of water. Try tying a minnow on the hook beneath a hand tied jig."
> Granbury: "Excellent on small jigs and small minnows fished from in town to near Waters edge."
> Naconiche: "Excellent with limits possible with 1/32-oz white and chartreuse crappie jigs."
> Possum Kingdom: "Minnows are the go-to in 12-20' of water around structures and brush."
6. Free exclusive color with any order from Crappie Magnet
That orange/black color ('Trick or Treat') looks 🔥🔥🔥!
|
|
|
...Flambeau Slim Waterproof Tuff Tainer Terminal Box. Definitely a mouthful but looks like a pretty sick deal – first though is that those inserts would keep all of your jighead hoods turning the same color and texture of an overcooked fried crappie filet.
8. New, slower Daiwa Prorex spinning reel
It has a slower gear ratio on purpose. Comes in 2000, 2500, 3000 and 4000 sizes with 5.2:1 and 5.3:1 gear ratios. Could be the move if you're a big jig caster.
If you are interested in finding the SLOWEST spinning reel on the market, here it is: the Abu Garcia REVO Winch SP – just 4.7:1! Very cool-looking too:
|
|
|
If that doesn't look buggy, don't know what does! Just 1.25" and $5.99 for a pack of 8.
10. Humminbird's XPLORE won the ICAST Anglers’ Choice Award
New this year sonar units have a fast quad-core processor, good touchscreen, HD display, and of course seamless integration with Minn Kota trolling motors and anchors.
Also has advanced mapping (comes with maps for the whole country!), waypoint management, and compatibility with MEGA 360 and Live imaging.
Available in 9, 10 and 12", priced from $1,299.99 to $2,699.99 (check ‘em out at Tackle Warehouse).
Brett at Target Crappie is getting one rigged up, more on the XPLORE soon!
|
|
|
Line size matters
Here's a tip from Crappie Magnet talking about why line size matters in getting bit, and how it also is a big factor in bait action:
> Line diameter affects fall rate, visibility and how lively your baits look. In ultra‑clear or heavily pressured scenarios, lighter lines can be the difference between a rejection and a bite.
> Thinner line (e.g., 2- or 4-lb for casting) keeps the presentation natural, and helps small baits reach the target depth without extra hardware.
> Tungsten jigs (1/16-oz weight with 1/32-oz size) get down fast with a compact look – perfect for delicate presentations on light lines.
> Heavier line still has a place for dirty water, heavy cover and slower fall rates to keep the bait above shallow suspended fish. So always let the conditions and mood of the fish choose your line size for you.
|
|
|
Nice shot taken by Brad from Get N Bit Productions! Brett had the pleasure of hanging out with Brad this past weekend in MN and that dude catches some certified slabs! Check him out on Instagram here.
|
|
|
Sign up another crappie-head!
If you're forwarding Target Crappie to a friend who loves to crappie fish or want your fishing buddies to get these emails, just send us their email addresses and we'll take care of it! (We won't sell the addresses, use them for spam, etc.)
|
|
|
FRIENDS OF TARGET CRAPPIE
|
|
|
|
