I would like to catch some decent size crappie, went to pine view yesterday and the fishing was really fast but the size just isn't there. Would like to go to Willard and get a few with a lil more size. Any suggestions on a good spot to hook a few for a lonely shore fisher would be much appriciated, thanks.
[signature]
Best bet is probably in/around the north marina. Try to find some brush, weeds or cover and there will be crappie there this time of year.
[signature]
Is there anywhere in particular around the north marina that actually has any cover, last time I was there the water was still so low all the cover was either to shallow to hold any fish or completely out of the water
[signature]
I wish I could help ya there, brother... I'm sure the story is probably the same today, but I haven't been there in a few weeks.
They're not crappie, but I bet you could probably find bluegills from the bank up at Mantua this weekend? They should be gearing up to spawn if the water temp is pushing 65+ degrees.
[signature]
I've been waiting for them the move into the shallows as well but I'm on a crappie kick for some reason lately.
[signature]
[#0000FF]The crappie spawn is pretty much over at Willard. That means there are still crappies around but just not concentrated on near-shore structure. This time of year they tend to move out over deeper water and stratify somewhere off the bottom. Unless you have a boat with good sonar...and know how to separate crappies from large shad or small wipers it will be tough. And even if you find them they are not as aggressive as they are earlier. Trollers still pick up a single here and there while fishing for wipers or walleyes but seldom more than one or two a trip.
There is a little more water in Willard now, but still not more than about 4 feet inside the north marina. That is enough during the spawn but not afterward. You are not likely to find much besides carp and a few cats inside the harbor. But if you fish off the outside points of the channel...where it opens up into the main lake...you might have a shot at some other species. You can reach deeper water with average casts...with a shot at wipers, walleyes and crappies when they move in. Use small tubes or plastics in the 1 1/2" to 3" size range...with heads from 1/16 oz. to 1/8 oz. White is a good all around color with chartreuse working well in murky water or low light conditions. Tipping with a piece of crawler or a small Gulp minnow can help too.
Definitely bigger crappies in Willard. There were trips in April where it was easy to cull a limit of 13 to 14 inchers...with an occasional 15.
We all keep hoping for bigger crappies to return to Pineview but it has been about 5 or 6 years since there were many big ones caught. Still a few in there if you can get past the rats. Greater harvest by anglers and tigers would thin the herd and allow more of them to get larger. Always the tossup between size and/or numbers.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]
Definitely need to thin the crappie herd at PV. Last Sunday we caught 155 and they were all 8-9" clones.
[signature]
I always keep my limit of crappie at pine view, not much meat on them but a couple trips make for some great fish tacos. Thanks for all the advise, wish some of it would have worked, skunked at willard, mantua and the bear. Did manage one heck of a sun burn though.
[signature]
CJ strike res near mountain home idaho.
[signature]