# Portage lakes shore crappies



## BASSunlimited (May 7, 2008)

I've been scouting/fishing all around portage lakes area this week and been doing good on crappies. I found areas where there are a lot of 8 to 9 inch crappies and areas that produces a lot of 10 inch plus crappies. There was a pattern I've noticed that are key spots. They were all in less than 3ft of water and located on isolated twig sticking out of the water. There were some spots that were clear enough that i could see them stacked up in there. I couldn't find any fish in deep water, big brush piles or lay down trees. I kept moving until i found the bigger size school. I caught probably well over 100 fish the last couple trips. All were released, except the very last trip I went out I decided to keep 20 for dinner. Didn't matter what you use, as long it fits their mouth they'll eat it. I caught them throwing jerkbaits, crankbait and 3" soft swimbaits fishing for bass. But once i found them any standard panfish lure would catch them, small grubs, tube, minnows and etc. I was swimming my bait 1 ft under the surface. Something cool I find every year inside those big crappies is that when I cleaned them out I usually find 2 to 3 inch bluegills inside of them, like the one in the picture. I got really lucky on Good Friday and witnessed a once in a lifetime big crappies went on a feeding frenzy on those small bluegills for a good hour. First, I thought it were bass feeding and later when I got a closer look it ended up being a school of big crappies feeding. Well, that's my report of the week, good luck.


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## partlyable (Mar 2, 2005)

Nice report way to get out and get them!! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## matthewbedlion (Mar 23, 2009)

Beautiful fish man, sounds like a wonderful day!!


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

Beautiful specks you got there. Some good eatin.


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## Fish2Win (Jan 21, 2009)

Great job


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## Skippy (Dec 2, 2009)

Real nice bunch of crappies. You put the time in and sure do deserve them.. Good post..


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

Good job(and determination)!
You will need a "tiny" filet knife to do the gills however?


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## BASSunlimited (May 7, 2008)

Thanks. Hopefully, I can get into the crappies again this week.


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## sady dog (Feb 10, 2008)

I grew up fishing across from the state park boat ramp in a bay where they would stack up like that ... (off Manchester rd). 
I saw this a couple times ... 
they would actually come up and run the surface with their mouths open and dorsal fin out of water. Super cool !! 
Good job catching. Biggest crappie I ever caught came from out in front of the drainage ditch by Dusty’s landing.


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

Congrats on the success! Makes sense that they would be eating all those dink gills. Those dinks are always the first ones to move into the shallow bays and channels. Was out there last week helping a buddy test out his new boat and saw a guy catching decent crappie from shore. Haven't had a chance to get out there myself yet.


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## REY298 (Apr 3, 2014)

BASSunlimited said:


> I've been scouting/fishing all around portage lakes area this week and been doing good on crappies. I found areas where there are a lot of 8 to 9 inch crappies and areas that produces a lot of 10 inch plus crappies. There was a pattern I've noticed that are key spots. They were all in less than 3ft of water and located on isolated twig sticking out of the water. There were some spots that were clear enough that i could see them stacked up in there. I couldn't find any fish in deep water, big brush piles or lay down trees. I kept moving until i found the bigger size school. I caught probably well over 100 fish the last couple trips. All were released, except the very last trip I went out I decided to keep 20 for dinner. Didn't matter what you use, as long it fits their mouth they'll eat it. I caught them throwing jerkbaits, crankbait and 3" soft swimbaits fishing for bass. But once i found them any standard panfish lure would catch them, small grubs, tube, minnows and etc. I was swimming my bait 1 ft under the surface. Something cool I find every year inside those big crappies is that when I cleaned them out I usually find 2 to 3 inch bluegills inside of them, like the one in the picture. I got really lucky on Good Friday and witnessed a once in a lifetime big crappies went on a feeding frenzy on those small bluegills for a good hour. First, I thought it were bass feeding and later when I got a closer look it ended up being a school of big crappies feeding. Well, that's my report of the week, good luck.
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After being caught in what seems like a unending winter, it does my old eyes good to see that the fish are on the move! Finally! But were you shore fishing or boating? Great job...congrats are in order. Heard some things about that area...is it safe?


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## BASSunlimited (May 7, 2008)

REY298 said:


> After being caught in what seems like a unending winter, it does my old eyes good to see that the fish are on the move! Finally! But were you shore fishing or boating? Great job...congrats are in order. Heard some things about that area...is it safe?


I was shore fishing. I never had any problems fishing portage lakes area. As long as your not walking on private property.


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## Wow (May 17, 2010)

That's a whopper you got there, way to stick it out--Tim


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## bubbster (Jun 2, 2013)

Hard to not be on private property. Definitely not good on long Sunday 44 degrees and nothing.


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