Panfish presentations…

  • corey_bechtold
    Posts: 94
    May 5, 2007 at 4:17 pm #1311696

    Well, the Crappies have begun their spring ritual. The males have turned a darker black and are in the shallows protecting their spawning sites and waiting for the females. The fish will take most offerings but I have been having my best luck with Berkley 2″ Power Minnows fished on a 1/32oz jighead under a Thill float.

    Casting the bait around any vegitation like rushes, timber or emerging lillypads gets the most strikes. I will typically twitch the bait around the cover giving the fish a chance to come in and take the bait.

    Look for water temperatures in the mid to upper 60’s and most likely you will be able to find some aggressive Panfish.

    Good fishing,

    Corey Bechtold

    MrTwister
    Dubuque, Iowa
    Posts: 100
    May 5, 2007 at 6:36 pm #568223

    Any particular color working better for you?
    I was out Thursday and caught a ton of small crappie on the backwaters of the Mississippi on a 2 inch white twister.
    Great fishing.

    Mr Twister

    MrPike1
    Posts: 2
    May 6, 2007 at 12:03 am #568259

    Cory, are you two timing sites?

    corey_bechtold
    Posts: 94
    May 6, 2007 at 1:58 am #548147

    Smelt has been an all around good choice. Some brighter colors work well for more stained water or more aggressive fish.

    2-timing sites… Just have friends at both so thought I’d share here as well.

    Good fishing,

    Corey Bechtold

    gjk1970
    Annandale Mn.
    Posts: 1260
    May 6, 2007 at 3:26 am #568298

    Corey you are welcome to share here as well..
    We appreciate your knowledge and what you have to share here with the members of IDA nobody knows everything and when everyone works together and shares what they have learned it makes it a much greater experience on the water..
    Nice slab, nice to see someone is getting fish that knows what time of year it is.. Our crappies are confused still with the weater flux we been getting. Nights are still getting cooler causing water temps to flex up and down and being on the cooler side the majority of the day. So our crappies are few and far between with there color change yet…

    MrPike1
    Posts: 2
    May 6, 2007 at 6:22 pm #568363

    Corey, I was just razzing you. I came across this site for the first time myself yesterday.

    gjk1970
    Annandale Mn.
    Posts: 1260
    May 6, 2007 at 8:48 pm #568387

    Well welcome aboard Mr.Pike1
    Hope you enjoy the site…

    savage_tuna
    Savage, MN
    Posts: 80
    May 8, 2007 at 8:26 pm #569211

    Everyone jumps…we love to share our opinions/expertice and hope everyone has better days on the water because of it! Welcome Mr. Pike! Welcome!

    Tuna

    bill_cadwell
    Rochester, Minnesota
    Posts: 12607
    May 9, 2007 at 6:41 pm #569666

    Welcome guys. Great to have you both with us. Please feel free to share and post all you want.

    Thanks, Bill

    bill_cadwell
    Rochester, Minnesota
    Posts: 12607
    May 11, 2007 at 3:34 am #570294

    My best presentation has been a Mini-Mite jig under a float and tipped with a waxie. Cast it to timber in shallow water but is near deep water. As far as for fishing deep timber the same set up but without the bobber and add a small splitshot above the jig to get it down faster and free line [no bobber] the jig.
    Thanks, Bill

    corey_bechtold
    Posts: 94
    May 17, 2007 at 9:06 pm #572356

    Lately I have been switching between Berkley Power Minnows and Power tubes. The Power Minnows I have been using are 2″ in length and the Tubes are 1″. Crappies will hit both but sometimes the Sunfish want the 1″ Tubes.

    As far as color goes in the Tubes… I’ve been sticking with White for starters and making changes from there depending on how the fish react. Sunfish really like the Orange/Yellow. Crappies change their appetite quite often but White usually seals the deal for me.

    Jig sizes range depending on the style of fishing I am doing. If I am fishing shallow I like the 1/32oz. Casting or jigging I will up to a 1/16oz if the fish are aggressive.

    Being attentive to the fish’s behavior will tip you off on what colors, sizes and style of presentation to use.

    Good fishing,

    Corey Bechtold

    drewsdad
    Crosby, MN
    Posts: 3138
    May 29, 2007 at 1:05 pm #575686

    Memorial day my father-in-law and I accidentally got into some 11″ and 12″ crappies. I was casting ringworms on light jigheads to cabbage edges for walleye and was delightedly surprised to start catching big crappies instead. I think the size of the presentation kept the dinks from biting.

    dd

    corey_bechtold
    Posts: 94
    June 19, 2007 at 9:31 pm #582301

    Lately the Panfish have been moving around and setting up along weedlines. The weedlines with deeper water nearby have been best for me lately. Power Tubes and Minnows again get the nod on a 1/32oz jighead. Right before dark I have been switchig to a 1/16oz jig and fishing vertical. The Smelt Power Minnows have been the best color for me lately but the Chart/Pepper has been taking a few as well.

    Good luck,

    Corey Bechtold

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.