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Hope you've been enjoying the cooler weather – it's definitely got the big white crappie set up good down in Brett's neck of the woods. He's been getting on the long-pole game and put a hurtin' on some slabs with the BaitFuel Crappie NanoShad in 'cajun cricket'.

Couple quick deals from Brett's trip:

• The lake is pretty flat, relatively featureless and has a lot of timber. Fish were on most of the timber, but were super picky and spooky.

• Big white crappie were roaming within 100 yards of the main channel. When Brett dropped the timber deal and focused only on the white crappie that were roaming and suspended 1-2' off bottom, his catch rate went from 1/20 to 1/2.

Cool deal! Catch us on Facebook and Instagram to stay in the loop between emails. And if a buddy shared this with you, make sure you sign up here to get the free weekly email straight to your inbox.

How to get your graphs clearer and sharper

That's Performance Fishing Electronics' Danny Rogers talkin' about another one of his electronic add-ons, the Clean 16 👆

In the last Target Crappie, Danny talked about Crappie Brakes and the Visualizer. The Clean 16 is a plug-and-play power module that gives graphs a steady 16V for sharper, faster and more-reliable performance without needing a separate battery or charger.

Why did you need to convert lower voltage batteries into 16V?

> "Higher voltage means lower amperage, which means your heat sink has to do less work in the unit. Your unit is going to run cooler in the summer – any touch-screen unit is going to be less likely to start getting less sensitive and more glitchy."

Also:

> "The 16V deal is fine [but] there's not a good 16V charger out there. A lot of my lot of my [pro staff] were having their chargers go bad. [Most inboard chargers are only made for up to 12V batteries.]

> "2 years ago I developed this Clean 16 deal [because] I started looking for ways to maximize our chartplotters and fishfinders, instead of just the (Garmin) GLS10 and the LiveScope black box: The Visualizer only hooks to the black box of the GLS10 or your Active Target."

What's the biggest difference people are going to notice when they put a Clean 16 on? 

> "Way better side-imaging mainly.

> "It also helps your map, because the voltage helps the processor. You ever outrun your map? When the map is trying to load, and it turns into a white screen, then...catch up. 

> "But the side image is the main deal."

Danny also mentioned that since the Clean 16 is constant 16V output, it eliminates voltage drop:

> "People will call [the electronics' companies'] customer service say their side imaging was better yesterday than today. Think about it...

> "...you unplug your boat in the morning, it's fully charged. Any kind of modern motor has an alternator or some kind of charging system. If that [cranking battery] is at 100%, it doesn't excite [your engine's alternator so] you're running your unit about 12.8-13.1V depending on [battery type].

> "You go out and fish, at the end of the day, your battery's depleted some so it's excited the alternator or the charging system on your motor. Now it's putting out 13.8-14.4 all of a sudden. The Clean 16 eliminates that [inconsistency].

> "I have a YouTube video where I took a power supply [with the Clean 16 installed] that I swapped...and the output never changed from 16V...."

Do you see any difference in forward sonar with it?

> "The Visualizer does all the processing power for the GLS10. People with the [Garmin] 8616...want to hook the Clean 16 up because of higher voltage, less amperage, and their screens – they tell me, their screen just looks better. [That's because] they have a good constant voltage to it. 

> "What you're taking care of there is voltage drop. Over the day wires heat up, especially in the summer. The resistance changes and you can have voltage drop that you didn't have before. 

> "Something else that people don't know – you can put it on a [Humminbird] MEGA Live 2 and on a MEGA 360. They'll take that voltage."

[Do that at your own comfort level!]

The Clean 16 is just a little box, what's going on inside of their that allows its capabilities?

> "What we're doing inside there is cleaning [the power] up, stabilizing the voltage, then obviously, we're going to boost the voltage. 

> "That's better on your units too, running at a little higher voltage. I truly think they'll last longer."

What's clean power? What is getting cleaned up? 

> "Most electronics in your boat should run on the cranking battery. A lot of people don't have a house battery. 

> "An engine that has electronics, computers and just has a lot going on – can cause electronic noise from the frequencies they're putting off.

> "A lot of people don't realize your alternator makes AC electricity, then it goes through a rectification process...to turn it into DC. 

> "That [process] can cause a lot of noise, especially aluminum boat, to get in the hull of that boat – that can induce noise into your unit."

Danny said that's also why you can get interference on your screens when you're trimming your engine:

> "That will not happen with a Clean 16. When a motor runs, it's called breaking magnetic lines of flux. When you break that, it creates noise – like when you hit that trim motor and it makes it buzz on there. 

> "That's electrical noise, that's the difference between clean power and not clean power. The micro-noise is what keeps you from getting that best picture...."

Danny said the Clean 16 and the Visualizer both keep your graphs within OEM specs so they don't void the warranty.

Here's a few more noteworthy deals from Danny's YouTube video on the Clean 16:

> "The price – most 16V lithium batteries cost around $599, while the Clean 16 is only $79.99.

> "It’s not just about voltage [amount]. What this unit does is give you constant, rock-solid, stable voltage. Even with a 12 or 13V lithium battery, you still pull the capacitance out of the wiring.

> "This device can be used on your 12V cranking battery or house battery – flooded, AGM or lithium iron phosphate (LiFePo) with a battery management system.

> "It’s compatible with all major brands – Lowrance, Humminbird and Garmin – all of which are safe at 16V.

> "For the price, it just doesn’t make sense to buy a $600 battery when you can do this instead."

Some creek laydown 🧃

How much cover up creeks are you passing up? Dissecting creek laydowns is what TX's Caleb Hensley of the 903 Fishing YouTube channel is up to right now, and just posted a video getting way up a creek in his kayak – dipping jigs into laydowns and breaking down how he's picking those trees apart.

Highlights:

> "I'm just trying to show you guys...some of this junk in the creek that you're passing up has fish in it. These down trees that you're seeing in the creek with all the trash around them and stuff, those will typically hold fish.

> "It's just getting to these spots. You may catch crappie off 1 tree and then the tree 10' up from it may not have any fish on it – it's just a guessing game.

> "Before I go further in [the laydowns] I want to jig the outsides of it – try a couple different depths. Once I put it in the tree, I'm going to leave it there for 10-15 seconds...and then I'm going to slowly pull it out."

Another important deal folks may not think about up creeks is:

> "...you need to be pretty quiet – you don't need to go up in here and hitting the limbs and bopping everything.

> "You better find a nice calm day to do this – I really don't want to anchor up unless I find a tree that I'm just whacking them on."

Caleb's creek gear:

> 1/16-oz Slab City Handtied Jig ('the slab city', 'Granger ghost'), 10-lb ACC Crappie Stix SmoothX Braid, Piscifun Viper X500 Spinning Reel, 6' 6" ACC Crappie Stix 1pc Spinnin' Stix.

The key to vertical jigging

It's where you're doing it! According to the juice from Brian 'Bro' Brosdahl in this post with Angling Edge Buzz, the place to be is on bottom transitions:

> When fall finally arrives, the weeds begin to die off and most of the crappies in the system will start to dump down into the lake’s basins...down to 30'+ of water. 

> Crappies are moving down into these areas because...they're chasing the minnows that are leaving their shallower haunts in favor of the deep basins. 

> As you search for the best areas to fish, look for subtle changes in the mud. You should be able to see these transitions on your electronics.

> Your sonar reading will change from a stratified, soft muddy area, to a firm, solid signal – as you idle over these areas. This is where you need to be focusing your attention. 

> Sometimes these fall crappies will be up off the bottom where you can mark them with your electronics. Other times, they will be hugging tight to the mud, making them tougher to spot. 

> If you can find a hard to soft bottom transition area and there’s bait nearby, you’re in the right location!

Catch Bro's full post on Angling Edge Buzz here!

Think in reverse for fall crappie

The late Ozzy said it best in "No More Tears" – "going forward in reverse"...or in this post from B'n'M poles, it's going into fall fishing in reverse! 😁

> ...crappie anglers need to adjust their thinking...to find large concentrations of fish. In order to successfully accomplish this, it helps to think of spring patterns in reverse.

> Finding fish on natural cover means reversing course and looking at the same or deeper water areas that pre-spawn crappie use a month or 2 before spawning.

When you do retrace your steps and find 'em in the huge schools, B'n'M pro staffer Brad Whitehead says crappie in colder water "many times they won’t move more than the length of their body to eat." More:

> ...concentrate on very specific areas. Most of the time this means a vertical presentation in an area that is densely packed with both fish and structure.

> [The structure/cover] needs to be in an area with sufficient water depth and forage for crappie to be comfortable.

> Crappie legend Kent Driscoll is checking "back down the creek channel, where the major creeks come into the main lake.

> "You’ll need to rely on your electronics, but cover both sides of the channel. When you find those fish, it’s not just 1 or 2. Usually you’ll find 50-100 fish grouped in one spot.

> "...you can’t see what you’re fishing with your eyes. You rely on your electronics and you have to practice pinpoint boat control.

> "When you get on the fish dug down in that structure, you need to keep those baits right in there with them and watch for just the slightest bump."

Team Lindner is crushing 'em on the CountDown

Says it all! A Rapala CountDown Elite is 'silver shad' was the deal. Here's what the crew said on their Facebook post about what was going down:

> The ticket was throwing small hardware that could get down to schooled-up fish.

If you're unfamiliar, the Rapala CountDown is a slick little slow-sinking balsa bait that lets you count it down and fish exactly where the crappie are sitting, with a flutter on the fall that gets bites when they’re acting picky.

Sounds like northern folks need to get on those big basin schools of fish while you can before you're drilling holes for 'em! 😁

1. Jeff 'Gussy' Gustafson is crushing 'em on the...

...Northland Tungsten Short Shank Jig and a Z-Man Tiny TicklerZ. That's Bassmaster Elite angler Jeff Gustafson if you're unfamiliar, and he's a multi-species hammer!

He said that Northland Jig and Z-Man TicklerZ is the deal for pressured fish. 👀

2. Berkley has ya covered for Christmas gifts!

Can't believe we're talking about this already! Let's cut the turkey first. 😂 Anyways, Berkley is rolling out their 'Haul of Fame' boxes that each have some different Berkley gear in 'em.

I'm checking out those tools and Catch 'N Cook sets for us crappie folks! 👀 All sets are MSRP $44.99 except for the 2 'Swigs for Bigs' sets that are $29.99.

3. Garmin has some new screens for ya!

They're expanding their 9000XSV series to include 13" and 17" screens. Super high-end graph series and comes in 10-27" sizes 👀 and MSRP $3,699 up to $17,199 for the 27". 🫣

4. NBT 16" Destroyers are 20% off...

...while supplies last. That'll run you about $2,399 vs the usual $2,999! Those are the big screens compatible with Garmin units that a lot of folks are using for LiveScope.

5. VMC's new Tungsten Bug looks tasty!

And it comes in glow-in-the-dark colors too! That larvae-lookin' deal is gonna be killer when it's time to hit the ice! (And...who said you could only use it ice fishing??) Comes in 1/32- and 1/16-oz, $7.49. Check 'em out here!

6. Shakespeare's gotcha another panfish combo

Their new 'Wild' spinning combo comes in 5' 6", 6' 6", 7', 9' and 10'. That 10-footer could be a good long-poling rod? 👀 MSRP $84.99-$94.99 depending on the rod.

7. Northland has some new juicy panfish goodies!

That's the Tungsten Forage Minnow spoon (L) coming in 1/32-oz, 1/16-oz, 1/8-oz, 1/4-oz, MSRP $8.49-$8.99...

...and the Twitching' Puppet, which is a glide-style jig (R) coming in 1/8-oz and 1/4-oz. MSRP $8.99 and $9.99 respectively.

8. FINS added a 2-lb option to their Icetamer line

What's next? 1-lb? Don't answer that! 😅

9. NC/SC: Head deep for giant bream

> Cooler water sends bluegills and shellcrackers toward deeper holes, ledges and channel bends where they group up and feed less often, but still predictably.

> Those who adjust to the depth can find success both in NC's Lake Tillery and SC’s Lake Murray.

10. CO: Emergency fish salvage on Two Buttes Rez

Lake is crazy low right now and state officials don't know if it'll hold up as a rez in the future. All length and bag limits have been during the salvage period before ice moves in.

11. TX: Expect to fill your livewells on...

...Arlington, Bob Sandlin, Brownwood, Lake of the Pines, Pinkston, Texoma, Waco.

Fish the bushiest piles because...

That's what veteran fishing writer Jason Sealock said on the Quick Strike podcast when he was talkin' how crappie thrive in darker water:

> "With brushpiles, sure they're in there because the bait's in there, but I think they're in there because the cover creates shade – they can just see better when the water is dark.

> "[On Kentucky Lake] we noticed the bushiest cover had the best crappie. The real sparse cover, like a stake bed, had no crappie. I don't think there was enough shade."

Yikes! Hopefully that was just from rummaging around in the wrong spot!🫣 Guess you would call that a cull deer...🤔

Here's one that fell for the new Bobby Garland 1.25” Itty Bit Mayfly! Get 'em here.

National Professional Anglers Assoc.

MN-FISH