Experts tell us how to find crappie

Photos and Text

By TIM HUFFMAN

The toughest part of fishing is finding fish. The old saying, “90 percent of the fish are in 10 percent of the water” is often true.

These experts will provide some solutions and tips to help you find fish and create places that will improve your fishing.

Cast To Windy Banks

Most fishermen run from the wind, but some fishermen run to it, as three-time classic champ and Illinois guide Kyle Schoenherr says.

“Lake of Egypt is a hot-water discharge lake, so surface temperatures are warm even in the winter, but wind direction is important,” Schoenherr said. “Most fishermen like to get in places out of the wind, but because the wind blows warm water, I look for the wind-blown side of the lake. If there is a north wind for two days, the fish will be on the southern banks.

“It’s not a secret, but it’s often something many of the other fishermen don’t do. I focus on 1 to 4 feet of deep water and sometimes use a float. A Road Runner is a good bait for casting to the bank.

“A chrome willow-leaf blade gives the look and flash of a shad or minnow. It works when fishing with or without a float. The 75th Anniversary BnM 7-foot spinning combo, matched with 15/4 Gamma braid, is a top spinning outfit for casting.”

Schoenherr says casting jigs has become popular due to Live Imaging fishing, but it’s more fun to cast to structures and not have to watch a screen all the time. Early summer can still be a good time to cast to windy banks, but pick ones a little deeper. Wind improves the oxygen, so baitfish will come into the area and predators follow. It also gets you away from the crowds.

Getting Away From The Crowds

There are times when a fisherman must get in with the crowd, because that’s where the fish are located. Joining in gets you to the fish, but it’s not an ideal way to enjoy a day on the lake.

Keeping your distance from others allows you to target fish that aren’t as pressured, so fish are less spooky. Too many boats mean more noise, so fish become spooky and difficult to catch.

Dan Dannenmueller likes finding crappie in areas that are less pressured by other fishermen. The fish are less spooky and can be caught.

Another reason to get away from others is to maintain concentration. Other noises and watching for other boats create distractions instead of letting you pay attention to your fishing.

A third reason for keeping your distance is being in a quiet place to enjoy a day on the water. Finding a great spot where others aren’t fishing can take time and doesn’t always work. However, it’s worth the effort, because one of those spots could be a gold mine for crappie.

HARD-TO-GET-TO SPOTS

Tournament fisherman Dan Dannenmueller recalled a certain spot just off a river. “I found an area that was a little hole attached to the river,” he said. “It’s accessible during high water but gets cut off during low water. The river had been high, and I caught fish in the main creek and a hole just off the creek.

“As the water went down, the hole became harder to get into. I had to use my trolling motor, and my boat would drag a little on a sandbar. It was probably an acre big but was holding a lot of crappie, including a few big ones.”

So Dannenmueller used spider rigging tactics. His equipment included BnM 16-foot BGJP poles, Gamma 10-pound test line, double-hook rigs with a plain minnow on top and a Road Runner tipped with a minnow on bottom.

“A weekend fisherman should try to find a spot away

See EXPERTS page 22

Experts from page 21 from other fishermen,” he said. “Look for crappie along a shoreline, ledge or laydown. Maybe find a hole off a creek or river like the one I discussed. It’s likely you’ll catch a mess of fish. No matter what, it’s a great way to spend a quiet day on the water.”

Oddball Places

Try some unusual places. For example, a culvert after a rain can wash insects, crawdads and other edibles into the lake or river. Make sure to give these water inlets a try. A culvert is quick to test fish and might hold a lot of fish. Get into places barely accessible by boat. High water is a great time to get into areas of brush or trees with water around it. There have been times when high water allows fish to get up into campgrounds. Concentrate on picnic tables, trees and sidewalks.

Be open-minded to areas and things you see. Don’t eliminate them just because you don’t think there would be fish there. Use it as an opportunity to fish where others don’t.

Placing Beds

Take a trip to Kentucky Lake if you want to see a lot of beds. It’s incredible the amount of beds in the lake, and you can find them with electronics. Do beds work? Not every bed has fish on it, but by checking 10 beds, it’s likely that you’ll find one or two with fish. How can a bed be a secret spot? Nothing can hide from today’s electronics. However, if you build beds where others seldom fish, it’s one way to reduce pressure on them. Another way is by placing a large number of beds. For example, place 15 beds. Maybe a couple will have fishermen on them, but that leaves you a dozen beds to fish. The hard work of placing beds can pay big dividends.

Have A Plan

Plan to find places that others don’t know about. It takes time and work. Start by fishing where you see few other boats. Finding areas without numbers of boats can be difficult because there are so many fishermen compared to pre-Covid. There is more pressure on fish, so working to find less-pressured spots is worth it.

When you find a top spot, protect it. Don’t fish it when others are close. Fish it, pick some fish off and move on. If you stay in one spot too long, a fisherman doesn’t have to be close to know you’re on fish. Windy banks, oddball spots and non-pressured areas can offer better fishing and a more enjoyable day on the water. Kyle Schoenherr can be reached at 618-314-2967. Tim Huffman has been writing for Outdoor Guide for more than three decades. Check out his fishing books at Monstercrappie.com.