Pineview Crappie 1/21

[obifishkenobi]

Pineview Crappie has been the most consistent bite I've fished this winter. I fished with four people last night from 4-11:30pm, three of us limited out and the other two caught 9 between them, those two where newbies to Crappie fishing. our total was 69 crappie between 9-11". we where near the care takers house in 42' of water with most of the fish hooked around 32' down. We all used some variation of a dropper under a spoon I tipped mine with meal worm, everyone else used glow crappie nibbles. The best bite was as the sun was setting and it got progressively tougher from then, I caught half of my limit in the first 2.5 hours. 

If you fancy yourself a finesse fisherman then the crappie bite is fun, you almost have to will them to bite, which is so light you wonder if you  imagined it. The best tactic  for us was to drop our offering into the top of the school and dead stick and wait for the lightest of taps, then anticipate the next tap, lift the rod over your head and if it loads up start reeling. otherwise drop it right back down and repeat. 

I dropped my favorite panfish rod and reel down the hole last night and one of the other guys dropped a pair of sunglasses. Ice conditions are great, firm edges, frozen slush, and several inches of fresh snow on top, It is good to go for any type of machine, if you can find a place to get it on the ice. it is a bit of a work out climbing back out to the Parking by the Caretakers house where I park, with the low water, but I just take it one step at a time and imagine that I'm climbing up a long set of stairs. I didn't get home until 1:30 am, one of the guys brought his snowmobile to give it a shake down run before our trip to the Berry next Saturday and got stuck trying to get out of the Wind Surfer beach parking pulling his trailer with a 2 wheel drive pick up, I ended up hooking his trailer to my truck and pulling it up to the Highway for him and even then it took him a number of attempts to get out, he would lose momentum and traction few feet short of the pavement.

[wiperhunter2]

Wow Shawn, you are killing them at PV, two trips and limits both times, were there many folks staying out there that late in the night? Bummer about losing your rod and reel. Was you friend able to get his snowmobile unloaded and down to the ice from Wind surfer beach?

[obifishkenobi]

Wow Shawn, you are killing them at PV, two trips and limits both times, were there many folks staying out there that late in the night? Bummer about losing your rod and reel. Was you friend able to get his snowmobile unloaded and down to the ice from Wind surfer beach?

There's a small city of ice shelters out there every night, there where still a dozen or more shelters set up when we left. He was able to get his  snowmobile  on and off the ice, at Windsurfer Beach, I didn't see him do it because I parked by the care takers house and walked in from there so I'm not sure how difficult it was.  I went down to Sportsman today and was able to find the exact rod I lost a 13 fishing Vital  24" ultra light, I really love how sensitive the tip is and the best part is they are only $20.

[doitall5000]

Wow Shawn, you are killing them at PV, two trips and limits both times, were there many folks staying out there that late in the night? Bummer about losing your rod and reel. Was you friend able to get his snowmobile unloaded and down to the ice from Wind surfer beach?

There's a small city of ice shelters out there every night, there where still a dozen or more shelters set up when we left. He was able to get his  snowmobile  on and off the ice, at Windsurfer Beach, I didn't see him do it because I parked by the care takers house and walked in from there so I'm not sure how difficult it was.  I went down to Sportsman today and was able to find the exact rod I lost a 13 fishing Vital  24" ultra light, I really love how sensitive the tip is and the best part is they are only $20.

A few years ago, when I was able, if I could park close I would throw a rope down the steep slope.  Tie it to my truck, or to the guard  rail and go down and fish.  Leaving the rope to use getting back up the slippery slope. Going up was not so bad, after tieing my slay to the rope to pull up after I climbed up. 
A few strangers used it but I didn't mind. Doesn't work every where. Rockport was a good spot on the hyway side.

[MWScott72]

Man - I need to get up there. The crappie were as consistent as could be last year. Sounds like they are setting up the same way this year. Having a super sensitive tip to see those bites is probably the most important thing. If you can't see them bite, it's hard to catch them!

[obifishkenobi]

Man - I need to get up there.  The crappie were as consistent as could be last year.  Sounds like they are setting up the same way this year.  Having a super sensitive tip to see those bites is probably the most important thing.  If you can't see them bite, it's hard to catch them!

It is like last year but the average size is better.

[FishfulThinkin]

Thanks for the report! I guess I'll have to get up there and spend an evening.