# West Branch crappie



## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

I had the week off from work last week and spent most of the week casing crappie on West Branch. It was quite interesting the day-to-day differences in size and numbers and locations. Last Sunday, the 11th was the best day.
They had the brush pile fishing crappie tourney going on. Russ wasn't on the lake and was at Ravenna Marine from what the guys on the BPF boat told me. So, that meant not marking or anchoring on the usual good spots with all the prying eyes on the lake. Caught a few smaller ones in the back of a small bay in 2fow and moved on to another spot after an hour.
Pulled in quite a few in 5-7 fow from the new spot. Most were 10-11.5 inches with several 12 an 13" fish. Only a few small ones. 63-64 degree water temp.

Front came through on Monday and mowed and planted tomatoes on Tuesday so the next time out was Wednesday.
Went back to the same two spots and the water temp dropped by 3 degrees. As I was sitting on the one small bay I hear a plane coming down the lake real loud. I had my camera ready and grabbed it real quick and turned it on (I still use a real camera and not a phone).
The red plane turns the corner of the lake roaring down about tree top level. It keeps going down the lake till the fixed wheels below the fuselage touch the water throwing up a spray.
I half expected it to flip over and crash and shred from the force of the water but it slowly gain altitude and roared down the lake towards RS Road bridge. I have some good photos on my 20mp camera.
The catching was slow. All were below 9". 60.2 water temp
Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Water slowly warming up to a high of 65 degrees on Saturday. Hit many spots including the condos. Was a mixed bag each day. Some large and some small noting consistent. They definitely are not out on the large summer flats feeding like in
mid-summer. All caught near the shoreline and cover in 10fow or less. Most in 2-5 fow,

Anyone know was the brush pile tourney results were?


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## swine (Jan 13, 2007)

thanks for the report. I was out Saturday and caught a ton but all but a few were small. No fish fry on Sunday.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

One thing I noticed this year is even the 11 and 12"ers look small. No shoulders at all on the bigger ones.


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

Almost went to west branch last week. Want to figure out the crappie and walleye spots there. Glad I didn't because the trolling motor battery wasn't working well. Gas motor is not working either. Went to Mogadore and only caught 5 crappie, only 1 keeper sized. Got some sunfish and small bass too. Haven't had the time to fish this year that I usually do.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Gee, why would BPF choose WB? I'd go to Berlin, Skeeto, even WFT(or Walborn) first for a crappie gig!! No "docks to shoot", no real "brushpiles"!!! Likely "recommended/sponsored" by Rav Marine! I did not hear abt this tourney there prior to this thread.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

Here ya go CJ. Looks like it was a NEO crappie club tourney. Don't know why BPF jumped in on this one. I'm not on inyourfacebook either but they let me look at this one without signing in for some reason.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/BrushPileFishing/posts/


*BrushPile Fishing*
May 7 at 3:54 PM ·
BrushPile Fishing has two teams participating in the West Branch Classic May 10th and 11th at Ravenna, Ohio! Tournament is sponsored by Northeast Ohio Crappie Club. Registration begins at 5:45 a.m. at Rock Spring Road Ramps. Fishing from 7 am to 3:30 pm - in weigh-in line by 4:15.

Be sure to stop by Ravenna Marine, one of Brushpile's great sponsors!

Complete tournament rules: http://northeastohiocrappieclub.com/2018-tournament-schedu…/

...
Weather forecast is mid 60s, rain on Friday and partly cloudly on Saturday.

See More

northeastohiocrappieclub.com

2019 Tournament Schedule – Fish title
2019 Tournament Schedule Salt fork Lake – OPEN 4/13/2019 – Salt Fork Marina Ramp Pymatuning Lake 4/28/2019 – Linesville Ramps / SUNDAY West Branch (Classic) 2 Day Event 5/10 & /11/2019 – Rock Spring Road Ramps NEOCC & Brush pile Fishing Team up for a 2 Day Classic Event FRIDAY / SATURDAY Ber...

http://northeastohiocrappieclub.com/2018-tournament-schedule/


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## Zanderis (Sep 20, 2018)




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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

Launched at Knapp Rd yesterday in the kayak wanting to fish all that area. I have done well in that area many times in the past and with them up and shallow near the shorelines thought it would be worth a try. I also have caught my largest WB northern in that area. Went all the way up the river way past the old RR tressle.
Threw the fluke and minnows under a slip bobber. Only 1 LMB and no crappie at all.


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

Went wading in the brush today, from waist deep to knee deep and only two keeper crappie , and about ten small ones. West end was white capping and getting muddy late day. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

Here's those plane pics at WB. Finally have my camera with me. This plane has wheels and not pontoons.


View attachment 308163











View attachment 308167


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## mchewyw (Mar 31, 2015)

Wow, that's wild!


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## Eliminator (Aug 26, 2006)

Those little bush planes are amazing!


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## Steelheader88 (Aug 14, 2008)

that's a good pilot, likely scaring the poop out of a passenger...


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## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

Two words you never want to hear a pilot say..."watch this".


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## RedJada (Jun 21, 2009)

TClark said:


> Two words you never want to hear a pilot say..."watch this".


Or, hold my beer. LOL


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

He was brushing water past that peninsula and out of my view. A loooong ways.

Those float planes scare the heck out of you. I have encountered many in Florida and
Canada in the Vancouver area.


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