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Hey y’all! Hope you’ve been gettin’ after some slabs! We're back with this week’s Target Crappie email! If you haven’t already, please follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay in the loop between emails – thank you!
Please pass this along to your crappie-chasing crew. Or they can get it free every week by signing up right here.
Hope you enjoy this one — God bless and tight lines! 🎣🙏
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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!
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Wally Marshall says docks are 💰 right now
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That's Mr Crappie showing off a giant coppernose he caught on his latest dock-shooting adventure. We caught up with him and got the full rundown on why docks are on 🔥 right now and how to pick 'em apart!
Why do you like dock-shooting so much right now?
> "I went to Cedar Creek [TX] the other day – that lake doesn’t have much structure, so shade is the #1 structure....
> "Those docks provide shade. Crappie spawn under there, and sit back in those dark corners and wait for baitfish to swim by. Shooting docks is key.
> "I fish docks from the end of Mar to Oct or Nov. When it’s hot, they’re on deeper docks near creek or river channels. Early spring they’re in shallower docks. It depends on sun and shade."
How are you picking these docks apart?
> I look for big docks with low decks – I want shade. I shoot under there, let the jig fall. Then I slow reel. If I don’t get a bite, I let it fall 3 or 4 seconds, then reel. If still nothing, I shoot again and reel faster.
> "Sometimes they’re suspended right under the surface. That’s why I use high-vis Mr. Crappie line. You’ll see the line jump before you feel the bite.
> "I keep my rod tip pointed down at the dock and do the 'Wally Wiggle – just a little dip down with the rod to keep the jig in the strike zone longer."
> "I like them old docks. It's got the old wood post and if you can find a dock that's concrete, you're in heaven.
> "If it's got concrete pilings or concrete structures around it, you're in the money there because they just love to get on concrete."
What baits do you like for shooting?
> "My original Slab Daddy, been tying ‘em since ’87. 1/16-oz with a #4 hook. One of my favorite colors is 'gray squirrel' – chartreuse head, charcoal body, grey and white tail.
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> "I use 6-lb test and I can shoot it 35-40' if I need to. I like using a 7' rod for shooting. Most folks use shorter ones, but I like the distance and the power when you hook up on a fish."
What's up with the Speed Shooter combos you use for shooting?
> "They’ve got a fast tip and a lot of backbone. ML action. When you load it up and let it go, it moves. The 6' rods come with a 75-size reel, the longer ones with a 100-size reel. Price point is solid – $59 to $69 retail."
What if they aren’t on docks – where do you go?
> "I follow the water temp and clarity. Right now, post-spawn, I’m looking 6-10' deep – trees, brushpiles. Sometimes they’re spawning down there because the water stayed high.
> "If it’s cloudy or early, they’ll chase bait. But once the sun’s out, they suck under docks."
Anything else folks should watch for when fishing docks?
> "Maps are key. Look for creek channels, standing timber and visible stumps. Sometimes the best spot is an old stump with roots sitting on a bend. You might not see it, but the fish are there."
Bonus tip from Wally on color choice:
> "If it’s clear, I use blue and pearl. If it’s stained, I switch to brighter stuff like orange, pumpkin, green pumpkin/smoke belly.
> "Crappie like contrast. Chartreuse heads, black bodies, white tails –they want bold stuff.
> "I made a bait called 'prism'. It’s clear and reflective like real baitfish. You dip it in chartreuse or orange and it stays translucent."
He has signature Spike-it dyes he uses to customize his baits, especially that 'prism' color (below). Find 'em here! More on that in a future TC....
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Slabs in the wind with the 🐐 Al Lindner!
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Ever try holding on a weedline when the wind’s howlin’ 20-30 mph and your line’s blowing sideways before your jig even hits the water? As Al and Ty Sjodin show in this Lindner’s Angling Edge YT video, a little chop doesn’t mean game over.
In fact, it can turn on those bigger post-spawn crappies sliding out to weed edges. Here’s how the legend puts crappie in the boat in these tough conditions:
1. Boat control is everything
> "We're trying to compensate for the wind every way we possibly can... we slip-drifted...caught a few doing that, then we're going to go back, position, cast up and keep working.
> "I'm right up here Spot-Locked with the wind to our back and we're making really accurate casts.... We're not casting sideways where we're getting big bows in our line...."
2. Use a longer rod to beat the wind
Al keeps the setup light and sensitive to stay in control when the wind’s working against you:
> "We're using that Avid Panfish rod...it's a 7' ML XF. I like that longer rod because even in the wind you can get your really light jigs over those big weedbeds....
> "You don't want to put a real heavy reel on this."
3. Wind turns on the jig bite
> "We're rigged with floats, we're rigged with hard baits, we're rigged with jigs...swimming a jig right now in the super [strong] wind has been the best so far.
> "You better pick up some micro jigs because that is no question the ticket for giant crappies."
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Matt Johnson's Spring metro juice 🧃
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Got with MN guide Matt Johnson (Matt Johnson Outdoors) to talk spring slabbin'. Matt's a panfish hammer and one of the more detail-oriented guides in the game.
He says water temps are hitting the low 60s and the fish are dressed to impress:
> "...here in the MN metro water temps are flirting with 60 degrees, and all the crappie-heads know what that means in our area....
> "...we're seeing our crappies tuxedo up, starting to get their spawning colors on. The females are real, real thick. The males are starting to really darken up. You're seeing some metallic hues starting to hit their gillplates. And to me, that's when things get really interesting.
> "...the bite window is probably going to be pretty good [right now], the fish are going to be predictable, they're going to be shallow, they're going to be hungry, they're going to be explosive, and it's going to be a whole lot of fun."
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> "...starting to catch some fish up shallower in the 4-5' range.... A couple days ago we caught 192 crappies in 5 different bays on Lake Minnetonka and didn't catch a single fish that was dark.
> "I always like it when they move up and they get dark because I know for a period of time I don't care what the weather does – we're going to catch these fish. It seems like once they get into their groove, nothing's going to stop them."
How to know when it's time to commit to 'em up shallow
> "As water temps get into the upper 50s, they just gradually slide in. First they always move into the weeds, and that's when the anglers have a really tough time catching them. Everyone's wondering – what the heck happened?
> "Whenever fish make a big movement, that's when the bite's tough. The fish are changing what they're doing, and the bite gets tough when they're in transition. I feel like they're not thinking about eating as much. They're just re-staging.
> "Yesterday we went up into this bay where these fish stage in like 6-10' of water. They've been there for weeks, relatively easy to catch. Now, they moved into like 4-7' and stalled out....
> "...those are things I think we don't think about enough...a lot of people will go fish and then 4 days later, fish again, and then 6 days later, fish again. So they're not seeing these changes."
How he rigs and fishes
> "I don't cast a bobber and watch it soak. I work it all the way back to the boat.... My float acts as a strike indicator and a way to keep the bait at the desired depth based off of where I feel the fish are going to be.
> "I don't put a weight on between my jig and the bobber. I use the Clam Drop TG a lot [tungsten]. I've been probably fishing that 90% of the time this year in either a 1/32-oz or a 1/16-oz.
> "I'll use VMC MoonEye jigs too – I like the way those hang in the water with a little thinner profile."
More from Matt coming soon!
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Last year the WV crappie record was broken twice in 1 day on the same boat at about this same time of year. Last week it got broken again – on May 6 – by WV's Jerry Porter on East Lynn Lake.
Jerry's slab went 3.6 lbs – beating the previoius record of 3.15 lbs – and was 17.76" long. Apparently he caught it on a 7' Berkley rod with 6-lb line and a 1/16-oz pink jig tipped with a minnow.
Outdoor Life posted:
> At the boat launch Porter ran into another pal...who looked at his big crappie and told Porter it was likely a state record and he should report it to [the DNR].
But the DNR was closed so he kept the crappie alive all night and:
> The following morning he drove into town where DNR fisheries biologist Jake Whalen weighed and measured the live crappie.
Big congrats Jerry! Good job taking care of the fish and keeping it alive.
WV crappie folk take note: He said he's caught at least 4 more crappie over 17" at that lake! 👀
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Your 2025 best filet knife lineup
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When you're cutting up a pile of slabs, what's the fastest way to do it? Here's a post from Outdoor Life with a rundown of some of the best at it:
> I tested blade flexibility, how each handle felt during long cleaning sessions, and the gripping ability of each knife when they were covered in fish slime. I even enlisted the help of a few experienced fish-cleaning buddies – including a couple who do it for a living....
Here's a few from their list:
Best Cordless: Rapala R12 Heavy Duty Lithium Ion
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Pros
- 8' cord
- Comfortable grip
- Responsive trigger
Cons
- Limited to cleaning areas with power outlets
Best Fixed Blade for Freshwater: Kershaw 7.5" Narrow Fillet
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Pros
- Overmolded flexible blade
- Easily to sharpen
- Excellent grip
Cons
- A bit too much flex for really large fish
Best Budget: Rapala 6" Fish ‘n Fillet
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Pros
- Budget friendly
- Wax finished birch grip fills the hand well
Cons
- Wooden handle can get a little slick when covered in fish slime
The full list is here!
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Josh Forsythe of Homerville caught a 0-lb 13-oz spotted sunfish on May 5 from the Suwannee River – which broke a 3-way tie of 12-oz.
3. TX: Crappie bite is "excellent" on...
Bois d'Arc, Cedar Creek, Nacogdoches, Bob Sandlin.
4. MI: Cornwall Dam Reno
> Renovations to Cornwall Dam will begin in May and extend through fall to satisfy state dam safety requirements. Construction will include further dewatering by approximately 1'.
5. VA: Top 5 fishing lakes are...
Smith Mountain, Anna, Bug Island, Claytor, Moomaw.
6. MN crappie report – bite’s on 🔥
Bite is strong across the state. Here’s what’s happening:
- Mille Lacs: Crappie action excellent in pre-spawn/spawning locations, found in shallow water.
- Minnetonka: Crappies on spawning beds or tight to weeds in 6-8'.
- Leech: Crappies showing up in shallow water throughout most bays.
Get the full list of reports here.
7. TN: Old Hickory ramp redo
The Sanders Ferry ramp is now open. Part of a Bill Dance Signature Lakes project.
8. VA: Here are the top lakes for crappie
- Buggs Island – VA's best? Crappie up to 4.5 lbs....
- Smith Mountain – Some years it yields nearly as many citation-sized crappie as Buggs Island.
- Anna – Smaller fish but real good numbers.
- Orange – Small water but good crappies even for shore and disabled anglers.
- Occoquan – Brushpiles!
9. Pick the right trolling motor for your boat
Post from In-Fishermen covering the specs on the Minn Kota Terrova Quest, Garmin Kraken, Lowrance Ghost, Power-Pole Move, MotorGuide Xi5.
10. New pocket-sized lure wallet
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PSA: Sea Foam Marine PRO will get your outboard running better
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Lots of folks are already or about to pull the boats back out for the warmer weather. If you left untreated fuel in, it can cause issues when you're trying to get your rig started up and idling – Sea Foam Marine PRO was designed to combat just that and more. And it really works!
Here's one Sea Foam user's story which might help any of ya who do not have a new motor – which is most of us!
> Paul T in OR's #SeaFoamWorks story: "I was having issues with my Johnson 40-hp motor starting and running. Bad gas was clogging up the fuel system. It was taking multiple attempts to start, and when it did start it would sputter and die.
> "After adding a can of Sea Foam Marine PRO and letting it run a few times, it ran smoother. I repeated the process a couple more times and the motor ran great!"
If you wanna know more about Marine PRO, check its page on the Sea Foam website.
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Check out the big 'ol head on this slab!
That monster fell victim to the Bobby Garland 2" Slab Slay'r in 'fried shad' with an 'orange' Bobby Garland Overbite Sickle Jig.
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