# Ice out up north crappies



## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

For the past 32 years I’ve been headed south to fish at ice out here in Pennsylvania but this year I decided to stay home and fish my home area lakes. Asked a few friends for advice and did some research on where to look for them at this time of year and got some good info. Put it to use and here are my results.
First day I fished my home lake closest to me and did very well. Fished a marina area and found fish in 7ft, 5ft down.















Second lake I fished I used a different approach and different style. I fished shallow pad stems in 3ft water. Small jig and bobber put a lot of panfish in the boat. Fished there twice in four days.















Fished a third lake last week using the same pattern as I used on the second lake. Did very good there too. Used my hand tied hair and chenille bodied jigs to load up the box. They were in the stems there as well. Had a buddy with me that I hadn’t fished with since back in the early 80’s. Had a great time remembering old times growing up together.















Went back to the same area a few days later and they weren’t there anymore. Previous day we had 50 mph wind sweep thru our area and it dropped the water temps 5* to 50*. Had one fish in the boat at 12 o’clock but didn’t give up. Moved up lake to a similar area that was a foot deeper and found some crappies and gills. Water temp was up to 54 by then.








Had a good couple weeks this March. Hope I can keep it going in April.


----------



## CoonDawg92 (Jun 1, 2016)

Very nice, glad you had some good days out and good times with an old friend!


----------



## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

I recognize and have fished the similar areas so many times this time of year. Thanks for the post!


----------



## kycreek (May 31, 2006)

You are on a roll Chaunc. Keep it going my friend.


----------



## Pike (Apr 7, 2004)

Well done, thank you for sharing!


----------



## bare naked (May 1, 2015)

Yes well done.


----------



## TheKing (Apr 15, 2004)

I do not see a need for KenLake in this instance.


----------



## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

TheKing said:


> I do not see a need for KenLake in this instance.


I didn’t head there just to catch fish. I have friends there I look forward to seeing every time I’m there. Getting away to more stable weather and relaxing is a major part of my trips there now too. When I first started going there over 35 years ago, it was all about catching fish but as the years moved on, so did my purpose for being there. I look forward to seeing the changes that take place from year to year too. I’ll be going back, maybe even this month or next. Love my friends from that area like they’re my family.


----------



## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

Update. Had a fantastic April as well. Fished two of those three lakes and put my friends on some great crappies. May is shaping up to be a good month too so far. Crappies are hitting baby shads under a bobber, both shallow and deep.


----------



## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Good job chaunc! You stay on the crappies!


----------

