Crappie Fishing Is A Fun Way To Introduce Your Child To The Sport Of Fishing

Crappie Fishing is a great way to introduce kids to the sport of fishing!

Kids lined up along the channel of Hess Lake in Newaygo Mi.

Ahh...here comes another fish!

Spring Time is Crappie Fishin Time in Michigan!!

Spring has sprung, and with spring comes the fishing bug. If the fishing bug has bit you, but you are just starting to learn about fishing, then here are a few basic Crappie tips that will help you get started.
•Plan where you are going to fish. Are you going to fish from a boat or on the shoreline? Most beginning anglers start from the shoreline and piers. Crappie are often found under piers. But if you are fishing from the shoreline of a lake, then the best times to catch them from shore will be in the Spring and the Fall.

•Get a lightweight rod or cane pole. A medium or heavy action rod will prohibit you from being able to detect the light bite that a Crappie sometimes gives. A good example of a rod and reel combo that you might consider would be a Zebco 202 or 404.

•Use lightweight line. I prefer to use 4-8 lb test mono-filament line. The Stren Hi Vis line helps you to be able to see your line better in many conditions.
•Use #2 hooks. Eagle Claw makes the gold wire hooks which work real well for Crappie. Crappie have tender mouths, so you want to make sure you don’t rip their lip when you set the hook.

•The lighter weight you use, the better. Crappie have a tendency to push the line sideways, and a heavy weighted line, alters that bite. They also like to give slack on the line when tight-line fishing.

•Try to fish around cover of some sort. Crappie hang out around piers, brush piles, logs, and underwater drops and channels. Most of the time, you will find them suspended, so don’t fish on bottom as a general rule.

•When jig fishing, drop your jig by a stump or pier, and let settle to the bottom. Twitch a couple of times if it gets to the bottom and then pick up and re-drop. Most times the bite will occur on the drop, so try to keep your line as tight as possible on the drop, so you can detect the bite easier.

•Probably the best jig color is anything with chartreuse in it. Start with that, and then experiment with other colors. If the water is muddy or heavily stained, go with the bright fluorescent colors. If it is clear and a bright sunny day, the more flashy silver hues may work best. Cloudy days may call for dark colors. Just experiment and be patient.

•When jig fishing, start with a 1/32 oz jig head. If that doesn’t work, then move to a 1/16 oz and so on. Remember, most times the bite will happen on the fall. So you want to keep the jig in front of them as long as possible.

•When fishing from the bank, try tying a number 2 hook about 18 inches – 3 feet below a cork. Bait with a live minnow and cast out.

•When fishing from a pier or a boat, you can tie a light weight to the bottom of the line, and tie a loop knot about 8-12 inches above the weight. Put a #2 hook on the loop. Hook a live minnow under the dorsal fin and drop your line about halfway down near some cover.

•If you are using live bait, you can’t beat live minnows, which can be picked up at the local bait shop. However, while at the bait shop, ask if they have been hitting anything else. If anyone knows, the local bait shop operator will.

As you can see, Crappie fishing does not have to be an expensive or difficult venture. On your next fishing trip, put these basic crappie fishing tips to use and put more slabs on your stringer. Just like everything else in life, the more you do it, the better you will get at it. So go Crappie fishing today!

article source:  http://www.crappiefishing101.com/


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