Mentioning the Unmentionable.....

[Darian]

OK everyone,...... I've noted that we've discussed most of the warm water species of a piscatorial bent with the promint exception of one:
CRAPPIE

I'd like to know from you guys:
Is anyone out there a crappie fisherman
Does anyone know a Crappie Lake/Pond
How about some Crappie flies
Crappie tactics, too

If any of you Crappie fisherman (I know you're out there... ) are willing to admit it, I'd appreciate hearing from you.

[Hairstacker]

Hi Darian, I'm glad you asked, ha. When I lived in Laredo, Texas, I used to catch a ton of crappie. The standard technique we employed was to anchor the boat right up against sunken tree trunks, brush piles, etc., and then drop a yellow or white crappie jig until it hit lake bottom. We would then lift the crappie jig about a foot off the lake bottom and make it dance in place by jerking the rod tip up and down. Extremely effective once you locate a school of fish.

Well, years back while fishing for bass in the Delta, I remember catching a 13" crappie on a 6" plastic worm (only instance I've EVER heard of, by the way). So, to cut this short, I intend to tie up some crappie flies to try in the Delta this coming April. Essentially, they will consist of a size 8 or 10 3x-long hook wrapped with lead, yellow marabou tail, yellow chenille body, and nickel dumbbell eyes with yellow eyeballs. In other words, I will be attempting a REALISTIC imitatation of the common yellow crappie jig (remember our discussion on "representationalist" vs. "impressionistic" fly tying? ha). I intend to try it in the Delta by fly casting it to any underwater wood structure I can find (brush, manmade docks, etc.) and retrieving it with an exagerated up-and-down jigging motion. I'll let you know how it turns out.

p.s., I also understand there are crappie in Lake Berryessa, although I've never fished for them. I suspect they're very common in Northern California.

[Hairstacker]

Oh, and one oher thing I should mention: If you fish for them and suspect a bite, DO NOT do a hard hookset, like you might with a bass -- crappie have a fragile mouth structure and you will literally rip their lips off. For this reason, I don't recommend a hookset at all, and you will find they generally hook themselves.

[Hairstacker]

Ok, here is my first prototype attempt to tie a realistic imitation of ... a yellow crappie jig, ha. After very careful consideration (about 10 seconds), I decided to go with a 4x long, rather than 3x long, hook. I also eliminated the wire wrap, as the nickel dumbbell eyes should provide sufficient weight and, by placing all the weight near the eye of the hook, should provide that all-important, very desirable jigging action to the ji..., er, fly:



I'll probably experiment further, as I'm not sure I like the way the head looks, since this fly will probably fish upside down due to the weight of the dumbbells. I'm also thinking maybe the tail should be a little shorter and the body ever-so-slightly longer.... If I tie something I like better, I'll post it here as well.

[David Lee]

I haven't taken very many on flies - the few I've gotten have been on a #6 Chart./white Clouser in a local creek (no , I'm not telling the name ....) .
Back when I used spinning gear , Camp Far West was good for a garbage-can full of the not so little guys (My best one , on a full sized dinnerplate , covered it and hung off a few inches on both sides ....) . April was the month to go . Another place was Amador .... fishing off the back of a rental boat tyed to the dock in the Marina one night , I nailed 53 in 56 casts w/ a red/white minijig . The best one was a whopping 5 inches long ....
I thought the bait guys (who couldn't get bit at all) were going to lynch me for my great angling feat . D.J.L.

[Hairstacker]

Ok, here is my second and final attempt at a crappie fly. I moved the eyes forward and shortened the tail just a tad. You can see for yourself how complicated this fly is.... In any case, I have complete confidence these will work and so I've tied up 4 of them. I am good to go!

[David Lee]

That one will do the trick , Mike . For fun , we should do it in white and see how many different things we can get on it . D.J.L.

[Darian]

Hi Guys,..... Caught many a Crappie on some Steelhead patterns without a hackle. Such as, Gold/Silver Comet or Boss, also, using marabou tails.

That fly in the first photo is the one I like. Kinda looks like a "Near Nuff Sculpin" without the hackle.... Oughta ride (with the jigging motion) just right.

Can't wait to get out on the water.....

[Hairstacker]

Hi Darian! One thing that's kind of interesting (maybe not, ha) is the tails on both flies above were tied out of marabou from the same string of marabou. Just thought I'd comment for new tyers (which you are most obviously NOT) on how varied the effect can be when you select from different feathers and even parts of a feather....

Yep, even though good fishing can be had year-round, I CAN'T WAIT for spring.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

You can go to a bait-n-tackle shop like Broadway Bait on ~17th & Broadway and they can tell you where the good Crappie places are now.

I worked in a bait shop, West Capitol Rod & Gun, in ~1970. In the spring we sold thousands of "Crappie Minnows" which were these real small live minnows.

Many would fish the 'Sacramento Bypass' for them and lots would fish Clear Lake. I think New Hogan was famous for lots of big Crappie till they put the Stripers in it.

Some used Crappie Jigs that where white or yellow but I hear about chatreuse now too.

I once saw a professional Crappie angler using a bobber on a windy day along some down trees where he put a Crappie Jig on under this bobber. The wave action made the jig, jig up and down and it worked.

My friend Harry Boley, who owned West Capitol Rod & Gun, caught a big 3 pound plus Crappie in the Sacramento Bypass one spring and had it mounted.

Picture from Land Big Fish.com web site

I am sure the Fish Sniffer magazine or FS Online has Crappie info? ha ha
http://www.fishsniffer.com/fishpage/crappie.html