[johnboy111711]

went out and found some willows, and just like evryone had said, there were crappies everywhere. fish a small section for around two hours and probably caught 20. They shut off for a half hour as two muskie cruised together through the wood. As we fished our way out of the bay, we saw another crappie guy hook and land a really nice muskie. It was probably close to around 20lbs. He said it was cruising with another fish too. Ended the night by catching a few more crappies once the muskies were gone.BTW, walleye weren't biting like on sat.

 

[steely123]

First off, I broke down and registered on a site other than well, ya know...I won't even mention where....do we get credit for 'time served' for our 'join' membership date ?...

I was out there on WB for about 6 hrs sunday, 3 to about 7 ish....caught one large crappie, missed another, and two large mouths.

Not very good. I try fishing the brush near banks and am just not doing very well this year...just one or two here and there....

any advice ?...i've been fishing 1/32 to 1/16 leadheads with medium minnows...even tried casting a couple small tubes....red and white, and red/blue white....

and the guy at West Branch tackle was telling me about the eyes....I think my depth finder is working for once cause I was marking arches off humps in 12 to 19 ft...wonder if it was the eyes....

If I could learn to fish eyes on WB I could stop making the long drive to Pymy...

former GFO, now OGF

steely123

 

[ShakeDown]

Welcome steely!

When you say you "fished the brush", were you fishing the outside edge, or actually IN the brush. We caught all of our crappies on Sat IN the brush...thicker and deeper the brush, the better. You'll lose some lead, but wow was it worth it.

We were using 1/16oz chart jigs with medium minnows about 2-3 feet down, and once we found them (not all brush we found had crappies) we slammed em good.

 

[steely123]

Good point. I guess I would say I was not 'in it' enough.....too far out on the edge.....my problem becomes boat control. ....

do you guys anchor up on there with the bow or stern of the boat sticking up into the brush ?...or do you anchor back and cast up in ?..

or do you just use the trolling motor to stay close but mobile...?

I am in the process of trying to find the biggest lb. thrust bow mount I can find from like wal-mart or dicks.....the transom mount does not give me enough control and I only have a half dead 23 lb thrust motor guide from 197-something....

I am probably gonna sneak out of work this morning...and give it another go...any general locations you can offer ?...I usually stick to the west side past rock spring rd. ....usually on the south side....

I really want to get into them for once this year....should I wait till the evening ?..
thanks for any help...

steely123

 

[Ruminator]

The first thing you want to do is go to Wal-Mart or somewhwere and buy a crappie pole-either BnM, or Wally Marshall will do. Look at one in the "Product Review" section. I don't know about a bamboo pole they might also work. A lot of these guys I see are simply dipping into the wood with them. 10'-and longer poles. No big secret, just an aproach that works better than trying to cast. If you are "all up in there" in the brush, you can't cast; hence the dipping. You are using the right bait, if you read their posts. Minnows are it. Other than that, everyone has to hunt for them every time out.
Good luck, and let us know how you do.

By the way, this was all shared information at the West Branch outing. You should have come out. It was a great time. Don't miss the All-Ohio OGF Outing at Tappan coming up! It will be awesome, I personally guarantee it.

 

[ShakeDown]

I NEVER anchor...that's the basser in me I guess. I guess I like the option of mobility. I just wrote a review (thanks Rumi!) for the 11 foot Wally Marshall rod I use. It's GREAT because you don't have to bang the boat up to hit the thick cover, let alone the fight you get from such a soft rod.

As for location, we ran from the East ramp down to Rock Springs Rd? bridge, right where the no-wake starts. We didn't go under the bridge, we stayed in the coves on both banks just before it. One bank had crappie, the other bank had bass/eyes/musky.

The best hole we found, was on a windswept bank, on a secondary point...not way back in the coves like others have had success. The area we tore em up was exposed to the wind, so my trolling motor got a good workout.

 

[johnboy111711]

I just followed a branch of the Jay Lake area on up untill i found the willows. All fish caught were in 3ft or less and we just pushed the boat right in the middle and casted around due to the lack of a long rod.most were on a chartruese tube and minnow.

 

[steely123]

Good info guys.....I like the idea of this 'dipping method'......

and that is the second time I have heard of the eyes in 3-4 ft. at West Branch....

I will definately be getting a bow mount trolling motor .... ... so I can nose the boat up....stick out the long rod...and hit the heavy cover...

didn't get to put in yesterday after searching the heavens and half of hell for a mower belt and blades..finally got the blades but have to order the belt...then I cut cut cut grass like a freakin madman before the heavy storm rolled in on top of ravenna last eve....

will post how I do if i make it out in between the storms this week....

steely123...

 

[Huntinbull]

Shakedown mentioned an outing at tappan. Where do i find this info? Really looking forward to getting to one of the outings.
Huntinbull

 

[blance]

Here you go http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13582

 

[Parrothead Jim]

Hey steely, If you dont have enough wood in the front of your boat to build a fire you are not geting deep enough into the cover. I fished on Monday and got around 45 crappie, 10 bass and broke off 2 muskie. These fish were in two to three feet of water real thick in the cover. I must of lost around 25 jigs snaging up in the heavy cover but thats where the fish were holding. I even seen a guy beach his boat get out and wade. He was really catching them . I might try that one of these days. When fishing this shallow water try using the lightest jig you can tie on . The fall rate will keep it in their face longer. Chartruce is the hot color for me this year.....JIM

 

[steely123]

Thanks Jim......next time i'm gonna plow bow fist up into some cover....

you gettin' them on the West side past Rock Spring ?...

steely123

 

[TritonBill]

West of Rock Springs road is good but we caught just as many on the other side. We did really well up in the willows at Jay Lake. White or Chartreuse both seem good.