Does anyone know where to fish for Crappie in the Spring at Pineview? I am originially from Arkansas and I am used to fishing in tree tops that have falling into lakes. In Utah lakes I have noticed little to none "wood" structure to fish around. Where do the fish hold and how do you pinpoint them? What technique? By the way, what is your pin number to your bank account. People say on the east side of the lake south of Cemetery Point or north of Cemetery. Need to feed my belly!
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[black][size 3]Hey lordCrappie,[/size][/black]
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[black][size 3]Welcome to BFT ! Nice to have a humble angler like your own self amonst us.[/size][/black]
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[black][size 3]Here's my pin number :[/size][/black]
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[black][size 3]129836759378578402765830203[/size][/black]
[black][size 3]954783930200439674920204394[/size][/black]
[black][size 3]786949304766273653892938563[/size][/black]
[black][size 3]782938562938546283856298347[/size][/black]
[black][size 3]473462396493684723654108761
078436078326413245313454351[/size][/black]
[black][size 3]435198743265189743651983745[/size][/black]
[black][size 3]132876547341987623764901234[/size][/black]
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[black][size 3]But, I'm not gonna tell you any fishing secrets.[/size][/black]
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[black][size 3]BTW - crappie are no different in Utah than they are down in Arkansas - they've just had to adjust - just like you will. Have you ever heard of Bull Shoals ? Them there parts were where my stomping grounds were - when I was a'growing up down yonder over by them Ozarks mountains. Where you hail from in Arkansas ?[/size][/black]
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I am actually from North Central Arkansas. I primarily fished around eastern, southeastern Arkansas along the Mississippi Flood plain area. I remember filling up a cooler full of slab crappie with my father on a regular basis- 1 lb to 1 3/4 lbs easily. Also catfishing at night using YO YO's. By the way, where do you bank at? Thanks for the Pin #.
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[cool][#0000ff]The crappies are likely to stay deep or suspended at mid depth over deeper water until the shallows start to warm up enough for spawning. That usually happens along the north shorelines (south exposure) first and is generally some time in May on Pineview. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]At that time, the crappies act just like they do almost everywhere. They look for flooded brush or stickups and can be fairly shallow as spawning nears. We can't soak live minnows below a bobber in Utah, but small jigs work almost as well. Either cast out from shore or into shore from a boat, tube or toon. In some areas you can wade and make short casts to the fish-holding structure. Some guys like to use the long crappie rods to "dipstick" lures right into the cover.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Unlike the large lakes of the southeast, Pineview is subject to annual snowfall for depth and spawning habitat. In good water years, there is plenty of water and it rises high enough to flood good spawning cover for the perch and crappies. If the runoff is low or slow, fish that need vegetation to spawn do not do well. The last two years have been good but this year is looking "iffy". We need more snow to get the lake full. It is way down below where it needs to be for good spring spawning.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If the brush does not get flooded there will still be some areas in the shallower east end that have enough stickups for some crappie congregating. Move around and cast a bubble and jig combination all over some of the shallower bays until you find fish. Keep the jig about 3 to 4 feet under the bobber. White or chartreuse are the best colors, but some of the two tones and tricolors can be hot at times too. Keep to 1 1/2" or 2" tubes or twisters. If the fish are finicky, tip the jigs with a wax worm, meal worm or piece of crawler.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you have fished for crappies you will know that they are sometimes very light biters. Use the smallest bobber you can get away with and watch it for even the slightest movement. Hits are sometimes nothing more than the bobber moving a half inch to one side. They don't always pull the bobber under. When they turn touchy, keep going smaller and watch closer.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you are in a boat, with sonar, cruise around and find some schools suspending in open water. Note the depth and then move inshore to meter the lake around the shoreline at that same depth. Often the fish will move in to sunken brush at that same depth around the shore. Water temps, oxygen levels and food are the three main factors until they move shallow to spawn. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Crappie suspended in the main lake are usually inactive and tough to catch, even with vertical jigging. But, fish that make it to shoreline structure at the same depth are generally more active. Fish them with small jigs and a vertical presentation.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Suspended crappies are not ALWAYS inactive. Sometimes they are cruising and looking for food. If you find some, back off and cast a light jig into them. Click the bail and "tight line" the jig down through the fish. Count off the seconds of the drop and watch your rod tip and your line and fine tune your senses to feel even the slightest tick. If you get one, set the hook and remember the count for when you got bit. On the next casts, let the jig drop to just above the "zone" and reel just fast enough to keep it there on the way back. Fishing just above the fish is better than fishing below them. They will come up to hit a jig, but will not dive down for one.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Easy. [/#0000ff]
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That was a very "crappie" lesson. Thanks for being willing to share what you obviously know a great deal about. I, for one appreciate it.
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[cool][#0000ff]Glad you liked it. I have had a "fondness" for crappies going back a whole lotta years.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have fished Pineview since the mid 70's, and have seen the "good old days" when hundred fish days were common. That was before smallmouth, perch and tiger muskies became competition and predators.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have also had the good fortune to fish for SLAB crappies over 3# down in Arizona. My biggest was 19" and about 3.5#. But, I still get my enjoys by spanking a few Utah 12 inchers. Mighty fine on the table.[/#0000ff]
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[black][size 3]Ok, so you lived somewhere between Little Rock and Mountain Home and fished somewhere between Greenville and Oceola. That narrows it down substantially. [/size][/black]
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[black][size 3]My own self, for catfishing, I perfered using a hickory switch or pool cue(if need be) or even jug chasers if I had to, but in reality, I'd be fine using just about anything. [/size][/black]
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[black][size 3]My financial institution is the Walker Bank branch of Zion's First Security and my account number is 666. [/size][/black]
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[black][size 3]Anything else I can help you with ? [/size][/black]
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