Deep Drop Jigging
Crappie tips?
Now I know where the crappie are, but the trick is to catch them. We are fishing a river, only about 50 feet wide, but very deep (20 feet in the channel) with steep banks. There are dozens of fallen trees, perfect cover for the crapppie. Everything we learned about fishing for them in the lake is no longer valid. Basically, you have to anchor the boat at the end of a fallen tree, and use a long rod to drop bait in between the branches. (Lots of lost jigs).
I am looking for opinions on favorite shape, size and color of the jigs, along with favorite baits. Live bait (we use fatheads) or plastics? Tubes or panfish assasins? Any and all comments are welcome!
Caught about 10 crappie today, some pounders, and I am happy, but I WANT TO CATCH MY LIMIT!
river fishing crappie holding to cover as you are I fish the up current side first looking for very active feeding fish with beetle spins,feather jigs or road runners.I then move to the leeward side to feed them live minnows and the jigs casting up to the cover and drifting back.
For fish holding tight to cover I use fine wire hooks as the mustad #3777 draught hook or custom made vertical spinner tipped with waxy or minnow.
The fine wire hooks will bend well with 4 to 6 lb test line and can be straightened out a few times before breaking off.I use 2lb test and loose lots of jigs and hooks but when the bite is good catch many fish.
