Where are the Crappie fisheries in California?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I know Clear Lake has been very popular for many years.

I think New Hogan was famous for big Crappie until they put Stripers in it.

Spring is a popular time for them to school up to spawn.

I think they like flooded trees and brush for cover along the banks.

When I worked at 'West Capitol Rod & Gun' in West Sacramento we sold tons of small "Crappie Minnows" this time of year for those who fished sloughs and Clear Lake.

I heard that they use to catch a Crappie, then put a bobber on it with a short piece of line and through it back in. It would go back to the school and you could follow them that way. I think it is illegal in some states.

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[Mark Kranhold]

I heard that they use to catch a Crappie, then put a bobber on it with a short piece of line and through it back in. It would go back to the school and you could follow them that way. I think it is illegal in some states.

That's funny Bill! I had a friend that did that with Shad, but he would use a ballon attached to it and then get into the school.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I would try it but I would probably get caught.

[lee s.]

Strange,
We have been jonesing for spme crappie for a private fish fry lately. And you pop up this thread.
We used to catch quite a few under the docks at the north end of L. Mendocino.....12" average. This was when the lake was a good striper fishery. The stripers probably kept the dinks thinned out.
Last spring Susan almost swamped the canoe at L. Sonoma with a bunch of dinks at 7". I have seen crappie from there that cover the bottom of a 5gal pail. I am not good at finding these fish.....only in the spring....and it's pretty much a "gimme" then.
We have done some farm ponds with some nice heavy 10" ers, but they don't really count, do they?
We have also run across some schools of dandy crappie near Frank's tract in the delta.
Wish we could find them whenever we wanted them.....
....lee s.

[catch&release]

I know Clear Lake has been very popular for many years.

I think New Hogan was famous for big Crappie until they put Stripers in it.

Spring is a popular time for them to school up to spawn.

I think they like flooded trees and brush for cover along the banks.

When I worked at 'West Capitol Rod & Gun' in West Sacramento we sold tons of small "Crappie Minnows" this time of year for those who fished sloughs and Clear Lake.

I heard that they use to catch a Crappie, then put a bobber on it with a short piece of line and through it back in. It would go back to the school and you could follow them that way. I think it is illegal in some states.

.

Amador has some of the best Crappie I have seen in a long time. I landed a 3 pound fish a few weeks ago there and had a 40+ fish day for Crappie and landed 6 trout in the 3-4 pound range.

[Scott V]

Amador has some of the best Crappie I have seen in a long time. I landed a 3 pound fish a few weeks ago there and had a 40+ fish day for Crappie and landed 6 trout in the 3-4 pound range.

Problem with Amador is the price to get in and fish. I believe it is upwards of $21 to fish from a float tube. Correct me if I am wrong.

[ycflyfisher]

I really wouldn't expect anyone to believe this, but the Yuba Sutter Bypass has got to be one of the best crappie fisheries in the state. I think the crappies don't get fished out because most of the meat anglers fish it from the bank and are usually targeting catfish. You'd definitely need to have a boat (with a motor) and the put ins/take outs are iffy, but the crappies are big and as long as your casting to the banks as you're drifting, they're almost impossible to miss.

[Darian]

I second the by-pass suggestion. I haven't fished them for a while but originally found them in a canal running on the east side of the by-pass where I-5 crosses it heading west. Lots of holes in that area due to outfalls. The Crappie were the larger models.

So, get out there and have a Crappie day....

[ICE]

Lake Oroville - we use to fish it at night with bobbers and live shiners. We would primitive camp off some of the points and canoe over sunk trees hook one and follow it back to the schools. Some of the biggest crappie I've ever seen diner plate size! One night at camp we met a fellow up there that came to check up on the strangers camping by the lake. He said that there were quite a few rough characters in the area and he usually checked up on them and to keep an eye out. Once he knew we were ok he invited us to his house to pick up some more bait. He had some 100gal + tanks full of shiners. He also raised quail and phesants and shot the wild dogs that would try and kill his birds. The remote areas around the lake can be pretty sketchy (Oroville in general can be pretty sketchy. Great fishing in the area though).
J. Ice

[Garrett S]

I found a huge school in the south fork of the moke earlier this week. A crappie every cast for almost 2 hours