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What's good TC fam? Hope you've been out on the water leanin' into the late-summer bite. They're hard to come by right now but the good news is the fall bite will be here before ya know it! 🔥

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5 Q's with Will Duncan

Will Duncan is a TX kayak crappie hammer who posts some epic smackdowns on his YouTube channel. Will fishes a wide variety of lakes around Houston, giving him a front-row view of how crappie act differently from one body of water to the next, and he's been targeting 'em a little different than most. 

We talked with him back in Feb and wanted to connect with him again, so here's 5:

1. What is the most unique thing you're doing to catch crappie right now?

> "Throughout the late summer I've been focused on shallower water...as shallow as 5', which is crazy. The deepest I've really fished the last couple months is around 15-17'. 

> "You shouldn't just go deep and expect to find crappie. You've got to check those shallower brushpiles. I've seen tons of fish just loaded up on laydowns 8-10'. 

> "On Lake Conroe [TX], the docks that I've fished have been anywhere between 4' and 8' deep. I've had plenty of success and caught some really nice crappie shooting 'em. I caught my limit and had then had to throw keepers [back] last time I was out there....

> "Also, shallow flats outside of little coves. I've seen fish scattered and roaming on the bottom. I've been targeting those fish too in about 8-10' – I've been catching slabs doing that."

Will said he uses 1/16- and 1/32-oz jigheads for shooting docks. The 1/16-oz heads will get you back further but he likes the "natural fall" of the 1/32-oz heads.

2. When do you start targeting crappie roaming the bottom?

[Last time we talked to Will, he mentioned that a lot of people miss crappie that sit on bottom around brushpiles and flats.]

> "I do it when the opportunity presents itself – there's a lot of different things that impact whether those fish are going to be sticking to brushpiles or not...especially down here in southeast TX. 

> "Usually any time you see stained water out here, those fish get a little more scattered – that's when I start looking on the bottom. 

> "A lot of times people will go scan with FFS and not see anything – but they're not looking at the bottom."

Here's what Will said about finding those bottom dwellers in a past Target Crappie email:

> "...I'm looking at the bottom contour hard. A lot of time when that pressure gets up crazy [the crappie] might not just be suspended. You might pull up to a brushpile and scan it and be like, 'Oh goodness, there's no fish there.'

> "If you look closely at the bottom you could see a little bit of a difference in the contour around it – a lot of times that's crappie just down there on the bottom."

3. How does the hot weather influence your bait selection?

> "In the summer months I usually like to downsize because those fish are way less active on a lot of days.... But on those days where they're super active...it really doesn't even matter. 

> "I love to go to the Bobby Garland Itty Bit Slab Hunt'R or the Baby Shad Swim'R. Those have been absolute money for me with a 1/32-oz jighead.

> "Those smaller baits seem to get the attention of those fish, or at least I'm able to get a strike that the fish actually holds on to the bait. 

> "I'll also use slightly smaller hook, a #6 hook with that 1/32-oz jighead on that smaller bait. That usually seems to get the job done."

4. Are there certain areas of lakes you like to target right now?

> "I'm generally trying to look for the thermocline this time of year. If I see an area where there's a big thermocline, I'm usually going to try to stay away from it or look for fish that are sitting above it. 

> "If I go out and a thermocline is high – up to 15-20' – I know that the fish usually aren't going to be congregating around structure in those depths. 

> "I'll look in about 8-10' where the thermocline is either non-existent or there's enough oxygenated water above that thermocline where the fish will actually be."

5. Is there a pattern to the bigger crappie that you've been catching lately?

> "It depends on the body of water – they're all just a little bit different. 

> "I'm seeing them closer to smaller pieces of structure...usually either by themselves or there will be 2 or 3 vs seeing a school of 20 or 30.

> "I'll see a good school of crappie that are all 10-12 inches but those bigger 13- to 15-inch slabs are off by themselves. [Solo fish] are usually the focal point when I'm going out trying to catch trophy crappie."

How to find goliath-sized crappies in northern lakes rn

Up north we're getting a taste of fall this week. Could mean a real cold winter or temps in the mid-90s right around the corner. 🤣 Either way, the first cold snap of the year gets the grown ones to start thinking about fillin' their bellies = a great time to get on the water.

Here's a nugget from an older Midwest Outdoors post talking about why MN guide Tom Neustrom chooses larger bodies of water to chase the biggest fish around, and how he does it:

> ...larger bodies of water...are truly the jewels that produce big slab crappies....

> ...those of us who have made a career chasing these freaks of the crappie world know that big, sprawling bodies of water are their home grounds.

> Lake of the Woods, Rainy Lake, Leech Lake, Kabetogama, Upper Red Lake, Big Sandy Lake, Big Toad Lake and certain tributaries of the Mississippi River system all hold 14- to 16-inch slabs, with the potential of 17-inchers....

> ...the larger crappies don't necessarily live right with the younger, smaller crappies. Very seldom do I catch the goliath-size crappies from the same spot that I'm catching 7-9 inchers. 

> The larger crappies are somewhat nomadic....

> For active crappies that nearly always bite, look for schools with fish 3-12' off the bottom with slight separation. Usually this occurs when the day starts to warm and the bloodworms begin to rise off the bottom. That tells you the smorgasbord is set and the fish are likely to be in the mood to eat.



Using an underwater camera helps him dial in the size of the fish:

> ...I'm looking for schools of suspended fish...with either side-imaging or down-imaging...and then I'll look at the fish using my underwater camera. I want to see that they're crappies and what sizes I'm dealing with.

> ...I love my [Aqua-Vu 👆]...it has a color display that gives me a clear picture even when the water is slightly turbid.

How he fishes for 'em

> ...smaller [7-9"] fish tend to be in the top half of the school. The monster crappies tend to be in the middle or lowest portion of the school.

> ...I'll drop a #3 Jigging Rap through the school at a fast pace, trying to bypass the smaller crappies to get down to the big boys. Choosing a relatively heavy jig can accomplish the same thing.

> I usually start with a heavier bait and try to punch it down through the smaller fish, stopping it slightly above the depth the big fish are holding in.

If they're laying in the mud or tight to a hard bottom

> Long-line trolling at speeds of 0.2-0.3 mph with 1/16- to 1/8-oz jigs [on the bottom] is another method that has produced well for me.

> You need to have enough line out to accomplish the dragging technique without imparting too much jigging action. I prefer a slightly longer rod...with 4-lb mono or 6-lb Sufix 832 Braid....

> ...while dragging the jig, let the rod tip "load up"...then firmly set the hook. This can be an amazing presentation when these goliath crappies are gorging themselves on bloodworms. I seldom catch smaller crappies with this presentation.

In that post Tom talks about how he uses his electronics – you can read more about that here.

The thermocline is the deal for late-summer slabs?

Pro crappie angler Dan Dannenmueller says so in this post from In-Fisherman. Here's a few more deets about why it's the deal, where to find 'em and how to catch 'em this time of year:

> ...the key to locating summer crappies is to identify the depth of the thermocline...[which] creates an oxygen barrier to fish. "In stratified lakes, even those with rivers running through, the [thermocline] can occur 12-15' down....

> "A common depth for summer crappies in the mid-South is 18-20'. Eliminate all areas on your map deeper than the thermocline and you've vastly narrowed the search."

Once you do that, find crappies and shad – where creeks meet rivers, or where brushpiles and rocks slow down the current:

> "Ledges along river channels hold a lot of fish. ...find submerged islands near major river channels."

> In mid-summer...fish suspend around deep brushpiles, rocks or little humps...mornings and evenings, crappies can rise as high as 12-15' chasing schools of shad. 

> "At sunup, I look for crappies on the east (shady) sides of the channel ledges, and go to the opposite west-side ledges closer to sundown. 

> "During midday, crappies often linger down in 18-20'. Inactive fish seem to hold up against ledges, while those chasing shad schools can be well off bottom and away from the edge."

Dan trolls Bandit 100, 200, and 300 crankbaits behind planer boards. His pattern holds until the first or second autumn cold front. Here's his setup:

- B'n'M Poles Silver Cat Series

- Abu Garcia line-counter reels

- 10-lb Gamma Panfish Copolymer main line

- 6-lb or 8-lb Gamma Copolymer leaders (2' or longer)

- Precision Trolling performance dive tables

The Marathon Man is back!

Johnston Outdoors' Jeff Kolodzinski – aka Kolo, a good dude and brother in Christ – is going to try to break his own 24-hour fish-catch world record on Sept 10-11. He wants to beat the current 2022 record of 2,977 by 1.

After a little pause he's back – because he wants to celebrate fishing and say thank you to it, and help folks: "to increase awareness and financial support for Camp Dallas [charity] as well as local first response teams."

> "Partnering with Camp Dallas is my way of giving back to the sport that's given me so much, while bringing awareness to a program that supports families of all walks enduring hardships. We hope to raise money – from inside and outside the fishing industry – to fund Camp Dallas' outreach programs and also help local first responders.

> "Along the way, I think we can show people how great the sport of fishing really is – how it promotes nature, healthy relationships, mental health, camaraderie and fun. It's been a huge part of my life and I want to share it.

> "I kind of feel like the Mike Rowe of fishing highlighting these great Americans who are serving their local communities." [laughs]

His goal is to raise $50,000 like he did in 2022. Live feed is at: https://marathonmanfishing.com

> As part of the broadcast, Marathon Man will offer product giveaways from supporting sponsors. Those who donate $25 or more will also be entered into a drawing for...prizes.

> Companies and sponsors interested in making a tax-deductible donation or pledge, may sign up by contacting Kolodzinski via the Contact Page or campdallas.org.

Sounds like they're giving away a ton of cool stuff too:

> As part of the broadcast, Marathon Man will offer product giveaways from supporting sponsors. Those who donate $25 or more will also be entered into a drawing for...prizes.

Donations are tax deductible and you can donate here.

"It’s super simple, quick to tie and tough as nails."

Ran across a cool deal on Lurenet.com with Lake of the Ozarks crappie guide Terry Blankenship talkin' about something called "the tournament knot." He swears by it because of the above quote.

Sounds like Terry relies on this knot for dang near everything: dock-shooting, targeting brushpiles and pitching to shallow cover like laydowns, etc. Here's how you do it – watching the video is easier though!

1. Drape your line over 2 fingers, tag end hanging down.
2. Grab the tag end, loop it back the same way so both ends point down on the same side.
3. Wrap the tag end around the main line 4 times.
4. Feed the tag end through the loop between your fingers.
5. Pinch the tag end tight, hold the bait head, and slowly slide the knot down to snug it up.
6. Lick the line.
7. Pull everything tight, then slide the line to the back of the hook eye for a horizontal hang.

1. TX: Bois d'Arc Lake = best crappie lake in TX?

It's TX's newest lake and it's fishing HOT says Wired2Fish ^. Been some SLABS caught out there and plenty of 'em! Excited to see where this lake goes!

2. TX: Crappie bite is fired up on

> Pinkston: Catch 'em slowly fishing a solid white crappie jig. Crappie ranging from 1.5-2 lbs can be found in 15-20 fish groups in standing timber.

> Rayburn: Crappie are starting to stack up on brush and timber.

> Houston: Crappie are fantastic on brushpiles from 6-10' eating hand-tied jigs and minnows.

3. NY/VT: Find big slabs on Champlain...

...in the backwaters - sounds like they're suspended in small basins too.

4. NC: Crappie bite on High Rock is 🔥

Capt Shane Walser talking:

> "Brushpiles in deep water are where crappie go when the water gets hot.... They're looking for shade, cooler temps and food. And those brushpiles have all 3.

> "It's not about casting far or covering water, it's about getting your bait right in front of a fish and convincing it to bite."

5. Crappie bite on Kentucky Lake is fair to tough

Sounds like the bite is decent in the morning but gets tough after 11 am. Focus on brush with the most shade in deeper water.

6. New jighead from Strike King

It's the Strike King Tour Grade Spotlight Head and it looks like a certified slab-slayer! 👀🔥 For bass but comes in 1/8, 1/4/ 3/8 and 1/2 with a 1/0 hook. Available on Tackle Warehouse now:

7. IA water temps coming down already, panfish bite improving

8. MN DNR proposal: Yellow bass limit going from 30 to 100...

...in Fairmont Chain lakes.

9. SD: 2 anglers cited for 32 bluegills over limit on...

Roy Lake in NE SD:

> ...they were caught catching 62 bluegills, over 2x the daily limit [of] 15 bluegills per person.

10. Check these crazy color-palette FFS differences

Posted by pro angler Brent Chapman:

That green on the upper left wins for us!

11. onX Fish Midwest now covers OH

FYI you can try the app for free:

12. Tackle Warehouse has a decent Labor Day sale

Sale ends TOMORROW (9/4) at 3pm EST – here's a few things that caught our eye, no particular order:

BaitFuel Nano crappie baits

Berkley X9 Braid

Eagle Claw Tear Drop Jigheads – Solid hook keeper too:

> ...a hydrodynamic tear-drop head design that offers a faster rate of fall and prevents snags easier than a ball jighead.

Strike King Baby Squadron Swimbait Head – 1" shank length and hook is stout – but not too stout.

Waterland Polarized Glasses

Find dirty water for the biggest slabs?

That's what crappie hammer Kayle Ward said when we asked him where to find the grown ones:

> "On 90% of the lakes...I'm gonna find the dirtiest, dingiest water in the lake...furthest away from the dam....

> "I'll start on a shallow-water flat, then I'm gonna work down the lake – looking deeper, start checking ditches, creek channels...stuff like that....

> "If it's white crappie, you're gonna find some some singled-out fish – they'll bigger fish. Generally, the dirtier the water, the healthier the fish are gonna be this time of year."

Kade V. of Delano, MN snatched this 16.5" crappie while fishing with his uncle Tyler – released it too! 👊

Back atcha next Wed – hope you get a chance to snatch a few this week! 👊

National Professional Anglers Assoc.

MN-FISH