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Crappie Report OH/IN area

2K views 27 replies 8 participants last post by  Snyd 
#1 ·
Crappie fished yesterday. Caught alot of fish and kept 34 fish between 10-14 inches between me and dad. Also caught 8-10 bass but only 2 were legal sized (and released). All fish came on minnows in 3-4 feet of water. Didn't do much good right on bank and didn't try much deeper because that was producing.
 
#4 ·
Yeah, they were on brush mainly. Alot of guys out hitting the banks and visible structure so we focused on stuff we know about alot of people don't. We have crappie fished that area pretty hard for 30 years so we know some stuff most guys don't. For example, 15ish years ago somebody threw an old box spring on bank. It slowly slid into the water over several years. It rotted and just the springs are left and there is a bunch of brush that has gotten stuck to it. It's in about 4 feet of water but none of it is visible. We caught 5-6 keepers and 2 of our biggest off of it. Just had to wait until there were no other boats around to see us do it :)

But we did catch on visible stuff too, just a little deeper than most people were targeting.
 
#5 ·
Hi Skip,,,, Where you fishing the main River, or it's feeders?
I know dozens of spots like you described ( way up near Pa),,, 'junk in water'/ snags,,,, mostly up some slow-water feeders. It's where we caught dozens of the biggest, thickest slabs I've ever seen, but IN THE SPRING! We never tried those spots for crappies at this time of year.
& Thanks tons for the tips.
 
#6 ·
Hi Skip,,,, Where you fishing the main River, or it's feeders?
I know dozens of spots like you described ( way up near Pa),,, 'junk in water'/ snags,,,, mostly up some slow-water feeders. It's where we caught dozens of the biggest, thickest slabs I've ever seen, but IN THE SPRING! We never tried those spots for crappies at this time of year.
& Thanks tons for the tips.

We were fishing feeders mainly. Did hit a couple spots on the river and caught a few. But 95% feeders. Try the same spots you fish in spring now! We do just as good this time of year as in spring. I like fall better actually because the water quality is usually way better.
 
#8 ·
Got out again yesterday. Fishing was slower with the fronts that came through this week but still brought home 18 fish between 10-13 inches. GF had a monster, probably 15-16 inches come off as she was swinging it into the boat. Fished anywhere from bank to 6-7 feet deep. Most fish still in that 3-4 foot range
 
#10 ·
Blacks are pretty rare on this stretch of the Ohio around me. Alot of people think they catch them in the spring but the male whites get too looking just like a black crappie during the spawn. They catch 'blacks' all spring then can't come fall. They were really catching white crappie all along.
 
#11 ·
Got out again today. Buddy took 15 crappie home 10-12.5 inches. No big ones today. We caught them all on several spots I know that are in deeper water. 6-8 FOW fishing about 5 feet deep above the structure. We caught probably 2X that many throwbacks and at least a dozen bass. Not sure where the big ones were, but he got enough for a meal.
 
#13 ·
Your KILL'N ME Skippy!
YOU gave me the want/ will, to go searching my spots yesterday afternoon,,,, for SLABS!
The first crappie spot that I went to, is a bunch of tree branches that are submerged about 15' from shore,,, under a bridge,,, the water is about 9' deep. That's where 'BIGSPLASH' & I caught the largest slabs ever,,,, two years in a row. SPRINGTIME.
Yesterday, I tried everything & never had a hit.
The only good news is, that that SNAG is still there, & now there's a WHOLE TREE caught just a tad farther out!!!
It's out-of-reach from shore,,,, gotta have the boat. :>(
MAN,,,, I sure hope that that tree 'hangs in there',,,,, through the winters high water & ice!

Thanks again,,,, for the up-lifting reports.
Please keep 'em coming
 
#14 ·
Sounds like you got a sweet spot there!!! I'd love to have that around me! It was slow around here and I was happy to bring home what we did. Most keepers came from one spot... a beaver den from about 10 years back. The beaver got trapped and the floods about 5 years ago washed it into the creek channel. It's stayed there for about 5 years and we have always done good on it. But nobody else knows about it and I keep it real quiet :)

And we do both. The jig bite was hot for me about a month ago but usually switch to minnows and slow presentation down with these temps. Thats what we did Sunday.
 
#15 ·
Here's what we get off of that ONE snag,,,,, 3 trips back in May 2015. Never had the time to hit it in the spring this year. It didn't produce nut'n the other day.
LOVE those feeder Rivers

Fish Fish Fish products Oily fish Seafood


Fish Fish Fish products Oily fish Tilapia


Here's a fat 14"er;
Fish Fish Fish products Oily fish Seafood


The only reason that I'm posting these old pics,,, there's SO many people that DON'T believe that there's QUALITY fish up those little feeder creeks!
Wish I had the time to search 'em all!
 
#16 ·
Here's what we get off of that ONE snag,,,,, 3 trips back in May 2015. Never had the time to hit it in the spring this year. It didn't produce nut'n the other day.
LOVE those feeder Rivers

View attachment 225062

View attachment 225063

Here's a fat 14"er;
View attachment 225068

The only reason that I'm posting these old pics,,, there's SO many people that DON'T believe that there's QUALITY fish up those little feeder creeks!
Wish I had the time to search 'em all!
Oh buddy there is nothing like the quality of size out of the river tribs......
 

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#22 ·
Ppl do not believe me when i say this but here goes. Winter, crappie are in creeks heavy. Spring fall the same. In SHALLOW creeks i think they will leave for main river but i can tell you i fish crappie year round and catch plenty in DEEP brush in creeks 10ft deep or better. Downscan and side imaging are a must fishing like this. Im going to post a graph pic of a downscan shot i snapped the other day. This is out in the MIDDLE of a creek!! Caught a ton of fish out of this that day including one giant which i will post a pic of. Spots like this will hold fish YEAR ROUND
 

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#23 ·
Cat is right. We catch them all winter. I have made some structure I sink in deeper creeks that I can almost always pull a few fish from come Jan-Feb. The only problem is that is also the best time of year for big cats (and sauger) so I don't do it as much as I should. Usually chasing after 50+ pound cats when the snow is flying.
 
#27 ·
Yep,,,, that's where I'm at zack,,,,, I'm A 'NON-BELIEVER' cause I never lucked into a bunch of crappies while drifting or casting for sauger during the winter, in any of 'My' 4 feeder rivers & 2 creeks! & believe me, I know every snag in them!!!

lol,,,, the older I get, the worse my 'luck' gets! I just can't believe that I can't find 'em!
that's why I keep BEGGING for help! :rolleyes:
Like WE caught bucket after bucket full,,, 30 years ago,,,,, Almost too easy.
Now, Why the he!! don't those spots still hold crappies???
 
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