# Open water winter crappie



## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

for those of us not having ice, the draw down lakes can be a blast this time of year. Rain will swell the lakes and with this warmer winter I’m catching crappie fishing 3’ deep along the bank, with small jigs, Love this kind of fishing. Today after rain caught some nice ones with a bonus nice 14” fish.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

I'm with you glasseyes...my favorite way to fish, I hope we skip the ice this year.


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

I kind of like a little ice fishing, at least if it's fairly local. I'm not going to drive north though to do it. But I really like the winter crappie and Saugeye fishing in open water. Actually over the last ten years or so probably ninety % of my fishing is done from November through April.


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## mike oehme (Aug 17, 2014)

where were you fishing at?


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

Anywhere there isn't ice, crappie fishing can be good all winter long.
I guess it can be good under the ice but it's rare we ever get safe ice in the SW corner of the state.


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

Yes, I have caught them at any lake I've fished that is flood control managed . When lake levels drop and weather fronts produce large amounts of rain and lakes rise, along with these warmer temps, the fish are active.


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## swohiofiaherman (Sep 25, 2014)

Does anybody know if paint creek is accessible (from bank) if it is 5 ft over winter pool? Fished the camping ground site two times last winter, but it was in winter pool. Just don't want to waster 3 hours drive. Thanks.

Sent from my MI 8 Lite using Tapatalk


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

Check this out for Paint Creek water levels

http://www.lrh-wc.usace.army.mil/wm/?basin/sci


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## swohiofiaherman (Sep 25, 2014)

crappiedude said:


> Check this out for Paint Creek water levels
> 
> http://www.lrh-wc.usace.army.mil/wm/?basin/sci


Thank you.


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Very nice crappie!

I would prefer to be fishing on ice, but sonar & ice gear from the kayak is a pretty good substitute. Went out last weekend, and had no problem finding the crappie. Found LARGE schools eager to eat in 15 FOW and 30 FOW suspended but both near the bottom. However, none were bigger than 12”. Looks like the big girls hang out in the shallows with the current conditions?


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

Rooster said:


> Very nice crappie!
> 
> I would prefer to be fishing on ice, but sonar & ice gear from the kayak is a pretty good substitute. Went out last weekend, and had no problem finding the crappie. Found LARGE schools eager to eat in 15 FOW and 30 FOW suspended but both near the bottom. However, none were bigger than 12”. Looks like the big girls hang out in the shallows with the current conditions?


 ive seen schools of small fish or schools of larger ones in close and shallow,


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## Shmang (Mar 2, 2014)

We have been on a nice shallow bite since Thanksgiving. Today was COLD but with the pending snow storm bearing down on Cincinnati I figured they might be chewing. I got a dozen in a little less than an hour - nothing huge-- all on soft plastics under a bobber. Deepest I fished was 5 feet but most were found 3 ft deep.


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

Same here I caught my first one today at 6 am. Fished till 1 pm and not sure how many I caught. I kept 12. , 10" - 11"


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## Shmang (Mar 2, 2014)

I had a few ask about my presentation. What is working for my son and I are one inch Southern Pro tubes, Garland Itty Swimmers, my own hand poured plastics, and my small hand 1/64 oz tied jigs. The key for us are BRIGHT colors like chartreuse, white, orange, pink, etc, fished super slow with long 25-45 second pauses between twitches. I add sparkle flash to the jigs for attraction. These are fished under an ice bobber and the hits are so slight the bobber barely twitches and rarely goes under. It is a slight bite for sure but they have been biting even on the coldest days. Hope this helps.


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

i was fishing water a week ago that looked like chocolate milk, the bite was in four ft of water and 2' deep . the only color of BG shad bait i could get a hit on was blue pearl. Go figure that.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

Normally this time of year I have great success with tubes; purple/chart, black/chart, orange chart & red/chart are my go too. This year I've added twister tails to add a larger profile, jury is still out on them but I have got a few.
I think I'm going to try to get the boat back out 1 more time this week before this cold weather moves in. I hope not but I'm willing to bet after this next front moves through everything will be locked in.


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## ohiostrutter (May 27, 2015)

glasseyes said:


> i was fishing water a week ago that looked like chocolate milk, the bite was in four ft of water and 2' deep . the only color of BG shad bait i could get a hit on was blue pearl. Go figure that.


I frequently do well at a flood control lake that seems to be constantly muddy with those blue pearl Bobby garlands. Only thing they seem to hit consistently in that lake


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