# how early in spring for gills and crappies



## plsplns

Hey Chaunc, Barf or any one who wants to chime in. How early when the thaws come can I get out to the usual lakes to get some hungry bluegills or crappie. I already can't wait for the season to start again.


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## wave warrior

just enjoy the fine art of ice fishing!!! or sit and wait.......as soon as "ice off" happens fish can be caught also...


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## chaunc

Up here, the ice is gone in mid-march and the gills and crappies move into the warmer shallow bays. They'll be sittin high in the water or real close to wood in shallow water. Mid-day to afternoon is best early and as the mornings become warmer, get out earlier. If you dont trust icefishing, you can go to a river and still catch some fish. Fish on the downstream side of blowdowns and anything else that slows the water down so the fish dont have to fight heavy current. Small jigs and maggots under a bobber will work better than minnows at times but take both with you. Hope this helps you. But...... you just dont know what you're missin, if you dont try ice fishin.  Check with bassmaster mjb on the ice forum and he'll take you out for your first trip.


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## crappiedude

Start as soon as the ice goes away.


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## ajangsta04

I've learned that when there's some open water with the ice melting...the bite turns on.


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## wildman

I'm in Cincinnati and there are spots to fish but I didn't think that I could catch Bluegill and crappie's now. Could I go out and fish for them or would I be just sitting in the cold?


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## chaunc

There's guys still fishing from their boats on east fork, down your way. Check the crappie.com websites ohio board.


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## plsplns

Thanks, Chaunc and all you guys, I guess I should maybe try ice fishing, I just saw some cool shows on Verus or VS tv on cable about ice fishing and they had some great carppie fishing on there. Ofcorse it was summertime when they were getting crappies. Again I never have gotten a crappie yet. I didn't realize those fish were that big. I'll try some ice fishing with that guy you suggested Chaunc. Then I guess I'll get out to LaDue in march also. I have a nice set of wadders i'm sure I could get out to the fish or throw my canoe in. I have to get a troler for that thing. I paddled all over the lake last year. Sore arms after a while. Thanks all agian. <><


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## timmyv

plsplns, remember the crappie in ohio are not as big as the ones you see on some of those TV shows. I usually average around the 9 inch mark at Hoover. If you have a canoe then in the spring time you can catch them in the shallows in the brush and on cover. They are really easy to catch. All ya need is a bucket of minnows and a bobber. Do remember there is a new 9 inch requirement with a max of 25 a day on keeping crappie on all public lakes for 2010.


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## crappiedude

wildman said:


> I'm in Cincinnati and there are spots to fish but I didn't think that I could catch Bluegill and crappie's now. Could I go out and fish for them or would I be just sitting in the cold?


Like Chaunc said we caught these today 12/23. The secret is to keep moving till you find them. These ran between 9 1/2"-12" All were caught on jigs.


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## wildman

Where did you have the good fortune of catching those at? 
I am going to try Stonelick. They stocked trout. But I want crappie's 

I have a 20 ft deep haul. I could us it at the big lakes. 

My friends are "vaGinas" so now it's getting a fishing partner.LOL


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## husky hooker

hey, me and chaunc don t want to hear we don t have big crappies in ohio for sure,that would hurt our feelings....lol crappiedude....nice batch for dinner!!!!


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## chaunc

Husky, we both know better than that. I've been getting citation crappies from skeeter for over 10 consecutive years now. And up at Pymy, those things get huge too.


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## CRAPPIE LOVER

Tell him like it is Chaunc we do have some nice Crappies here in Ohio and Pennsylvania...Each year I catch a dozen or more 13+ inchers..And I know you do better...JIM....CL.....


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## chaunc

Got that right CL. Here's a 16" Pennsylvania hog from shenango lake.








And here's 5lbs of slabs in 4 fish.








And while i'm at it..... check these bad boys out.









NOW.... are there big crappie in our area or what? Wait a minute.... check out " the stick "


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## crappiedude

There is no doubt the Ohio is not Ky Lake but there's plenty of good fish here. I think I got more good fish in Ohio last year than any year previous. I don't keep many fish so most are still there.

This is the biggest of our batch last week. Not bad for 37 degree water.









I got some pretty good fish last summer fishing drop offs.


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## husky hooker

oh quit!!!!! you guys are making me hunnnngry!!!!!!!


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## crappiedude

I'm not hungry but cabin fever set in already winter just started.


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## chaunc

Here's a plug for the ogf site.


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## crappiedude

Don't stop now. With these cold temps we're having even the lakes in SW ohio are going to be iced over by next week. Looking at pics is better than nothing.
Bad thing down here is the ice usually doesn't get think enough for drilling most years.

Hey Chaunc, when you going to Ky Lake this year? I went in late April last year and didn't do as good on the crappie. Lot's of gills though. I know you went in May and did good on the redears. If I can't go in early April this year, I think I may just wait until May myself. I think the tough crappie fishing had as much to do with the water falling 5' the week before we got there as anything. We had a tough time keeping the LM bass off our jigs alot of time. We probably caught 50-60 bass a day by accident. I know we gave up on a few of our favorite spots cause the bass were on our jigs or minnows as soon as they hit the water.

Everybody else, post some pics!


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## CRAPPIE LOVER

Crappiedude...Not bad at all for 37 degree water..Nice fish...Chaunc nice fish but I like the decorations on the frig..And you did get a plug in for the OGF...Take care you guy's I enjoyed the pics...Come spring I am going to have too carry my camera....JIM....CL...


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## jigtwins

Here's some nice ones we got at Mosquito this fall. The biggest was 14" . A few over 12".The rest of the crappie 9" or better. Not a bad day If I must say so myself.


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## crappiedude

Nice pic. I bet that made a few good meals. I wish we had some good perch lakes down here. Ceaser's Creek is the only lake in SW ohio that I know that has them and I've only caught a few dinks. I don't fish the lake much so I guess it could be someones well kept secret.


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## husky hooker

punch on photo!!


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## CRAPPIE LOVER

husky hooker those are some dandy fish...And jigtwins you had a great day at Mosquito..I don't know why but I very seldom went to Mosquito and had a bad day..Best days were night trolling for waleye's....JIM.....CL.....


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## Viper684

crappiedude said:


> Nice pic. I bet that made a few good meals. I wish we had some good perch lakes down here. Ceaser's Creek is the only lake in SW ohio that I know that has them and I've only caught a few dinks. I don't fish the lake much so I guess it could be someones well kept secret.


Caesar Creek has perch?? I never knew that


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## crappiedude

A couple of years ago I caught a half dozen or so trolling for saugeye. They were about 6" or 7". A friend of mine who passed away back in 93 used to tell me he would catch them once awhile near the dam so they been there quite awhile.


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## plsplns

Wow , I never thought I would get this much great info from starting this thread. You guys sure caught some great fish. I am going to get all ready for crappie this year. Those are great fish. The filets!!! Yum!!! I cleaned about 7-800 fish this last year. Most came from the Ladue, wt perch fest. I'm still eating those. Just had a batch tonight for dinner. Thanks Guys


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