# Erie crappies?



## ErieEye (Jul 16, 2007)

I'm curious if anybody has been getting any crappies in the east/west harbor and Sandusky bay area. The crappies by this time of year should normally be coming into the docks for the spawn but the way the weather has been I don't know. I want to take dad up to the Sandusky bay tomorrow and give it a try, but if the fish haven't moved in I would just as soon stay home and get some work done. Anyone having any luck? Thanks


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## JV1 (Apr 18, 2004)

Tried at my dock in west harbor last week, where usually I get a bunch...nothing yet not a bite. Will try again this evening and tommorow and keep you posted


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## KPI (Jun 4, 2011)

We got some in Sandusky bay nice size too







minnows and slip bobbers


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## puregreen (May 23, 2009)

Awesome what depth was u targeting


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## KPI (Jun 4, 2011)

5-8 feet around the docks at my house


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## aquaholic2 (Feb 17, 2010)

KPI said:


> 5-8 feet around the docks at my house


I tried in my WH marina last Thursday, and struck out...lots of clear/green water 55 deg under my dock. But not takers... I spent the afternoon/night on my big boat at the dock and put my Marcum camera down beside my dock for the last several hrs of sunlight with a minnow dangling in view. Several bass and bluegills sniffed the minnow...and finally a pair of decent crappies moved in, one nipped at the shiner enough to kill it, but never really engulfed it.... I think they are just moving into the marinas....this weeks hot temps will probably turn them on, may be a very short blitz...


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## Juice (Oct 10, 2017)

What type of rig/bait do you use around the docks for crappie this time of year? I am heading to my cottage this weekend up in the islands and would like to try my luck at the docks. Any tips or pointers will be much appreciated - thanks!


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## rutnut245 (Jan 18, 2009)

Juice said:


> What type of rig/bait do you use around the docks for crappie this time of year? I am heading to my cottage this weekend up in the islands and would like to try my luck at the docks. Any tips or pointers will be much appreciated - thanks!


Juice, PM sent.


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## equyst (Apr 10, 2018)

Pretty interesting posting


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## ErieEye (Jul 16, 2007)

Gave it a try today. Me and dad launched the boat in the bay. We tried a couple of channels that we have had good luck in in the past. Long story short the crappies aren't up yet. Waters a bit cold yet at 53 degrees. In 2 1/2 hours we managed 1 crappie. However it was a dandy at 13 1/2". Never had another bite. I would say next week is gonna be good.


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## JV1 (Apr 18, 2004)

Sunday Mon Tues...tried several times during evening to catch a few at the dock (west harbor) no fish yet. Did catch a couple nice bass. According to my transducer the water temp at the dock was 56. Monday night I turned on some underwater LED lights under the boat and an hour later I noticed the fish finder lit up like an xmas tree. Zillions of minnows gathered in the light and something was swatting at them as they were scattering and splashing. Tried to catch one but no takers. Did get limits of walleye Mon&Tues but thats another thread right? 

Any day now


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## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

On inlnd lakes I usually start catching them with water temps in the 40's close to bedding area's. If there are no takers maybe you could scratch some up a tad deeper.


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## JV1 (Apr 18, 2004)

Tried again this afternoon after coming off the lake. Few bass no crappie


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## bucksfanbg (Mar 18, 2009)

My son was fun fishing with his buddies in our west harbor marina. They caught a few crappie but this was their best...









Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Thick white,good one!


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## Lems (Apr 9, 2013)

I was able to fish our West Harbor marina yesterday for about an hour. Used shiners on a bare hook and jig head with no bites. Had my portable Striker 4, and didn't mark very much around several of the docks. Water temp read 62 degrees, so it shouldn't be long. Going back up to fish on Friday and possibly Saturday also.


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## Walleyeguy46 (Jul 10, 2015)

Got this one this weekend in East Harbor, but not many. I think they have come and gone already. I released it.


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## odell daniel (Nov 5, 2015)

aquaholic2 said:


> I tried in my WH marina last Thursday, and struck out...lots of clear/green water 55 deg under my dock. But not takers... I spent the afternoon/night on my big boat at the dock and put my Marcum camera down beside my dock for the last several hrs of sunlight with a minnow dangling in view. Several bass and bluegills sniffed the minnow...and finally a pair of decent crappies moved in, one nipped at the shiner enough to kill it, but never really engulfed it.... I think they are just moving into the marinas....this weeks hot temps will probably turn them on, may be a very short blitz...


you say they are just moving into the marinas.....where are they moving from.


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## Juice (Oct 10, 2017)

Hit the docks Sat and Sun up in the islands but no bite... used shiners under a slip bobber. Once the evening came, smallies everywhere jumping out of the water near shore.


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## JV1 (Apr 18, 2004)

Saturday morning i was packing up the truck to come home and saw a guy catch 2 crappie under a bobber inside the marina. No size to them but he did get a couple


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## gobieX (May 20, 2017)

couple buddies (each took a trip out )have hit the Bay this week, both caught about 12 fish. two people per boat -two trips. may be early still.


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## island troller (Nov 14, 2007)

Caught 1 tonight off our portage river dock tonight. Most years at this date it would be a lot more than 1 fish caught.


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## aquaholic2 (Feb 17, 2010)

island troller said:


> Caught 1 tonight off our portage river dock tonight. Most years at this date it would be a lot more than 1 fish caught.


I tried my west harbor marina Wednesday, with no success. This is the fourth week I have tried this spring in locations that have given up buckets of slabs each of the last 15 yrs....something is just wrong with this picture....water was near 60....plenty warm?


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## Buck-Eye (Jul 9, 2008)

There's still hope guys. Stuck the kayak in the bay this evening. Mostly males, but a couple small females still had eggs. Caught all of them on a 
1/16 oz jig with 2"'white twister. All blacks.


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## thebige22 (Oct 26, 2007)

Those are some nice crappies!


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## JV1 (Apr 18, 2004)

Friday 5/18 they are in here...west harbor at the dock


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## JV1 (Apr 18, 2004)

Unique situation going on here. Bait in so thick under boat lights we cant jig. Every jig of the sonar snags shiners. We are removing the shiners from the sonar and putting them under bobbers and reeling in crappie. Warm and dry under the boat roof in the flat marina with the roar or the lake in the distance


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## 1more (Jan 10, 2015)

JV1 said:


> Unique situation going on here. Bait in so thick under boat lights we cant jig. Every jig of the sonar snags shiners. We are removing the shiners from the sonar and putting them under bobbers and reeling in crappie. Warm and dry under the boat roof in the flat marina with the roar or the lake in the distance
> 
> View attachment 262586
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> ...


Fished TC this morning and did pretty good till the sun got up!


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## JV1 (Apr 18, 2004)

Kids worked over entire marina today with bobbers and minnows no crappie today. Will try again tonight under the lights. They did catch some perch and nice bass. My daughters boyfriend got a nice one.C&R of course


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## JV1 (Apr 18, 2004)

As Im typing kid just reeled in 10" rock bass. Measured and released now she has fish ohio award and all smiles

Still hunting for crappies


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## Brahmabull71 (Jul 30, 2014)

Fished all my favorite spots in West harbor for 3.5 hours. Caught 1 crappie that was 6” long. Not worth the 4 hour round trip that’s for damn sure.

Left Indian lake Saugeye where we had 13 in two passes. Loaded up at 9 and headed North. Stupid move on my part. I’m headed back over to work on Saugeyes in the morning! I give up on Erie crappie this year. No idea where they are, when they came or when they left, but I most certainly missed them


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## JV1 (Apr 18, 2004)

We got 3 decent ones at dusk under the dock. Kids still fishing under the lights im calling it quits headed out trolling in the AM


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## aquaholic2 (Feb 17, 2010)

JV1 said:


> We got 3 decent ones at dusk under the dock. Kids still fishing under the lights im calling it quits headed out trolling in the AM


Guess we just have to accept the concept of change in this environment we like to think we understand. I have been fishing west harbor crappies with a passion since 1967...and never had a season where I didn't catch my share. Docked at Fox Haven for the last 15yrs...and fish it hard spring and fall. This probably has little to do with the crappie dilemma this spring but last fall one of my last trips up, the water in the marina was crystal clear.
Never seen this before, you could see every fallen leaf, water plant, the few fish present in 7' of water.Kind of creepy...seeing the bottom in water that had always been a mystery...huge schools of small shad moving around like the great barrier reef....but not a single crappie, or perch that I was after. Not sure what this might have to do with this spring, but a wake up call to expect the unexpected, I'll blame that nasty Gore guy...?


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## thebige22 (Oct 26, 2007)

JV1 said:


> View attachment 262641
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> ...


Like the AC/DC t-shirt!


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## JV1 (Apr 18, 2004)

aquaholic2 said:


> Guess we just have to accept the concept of change in this environment we like to think we understand. I have been fishing west harbor crappies with a passion since 1967...and never had a season where I didn't catch my share. Docked at Fox Haven for the last 15yrs...and fish it hard spring and fall. This probably has little to do with the crappie dilemma this spring but last fall one of my last trips up, the water in the marina was crystal clear.
> Never seen this before, you could see every fallen leaf, water plant, the few fish present in 7' of water.Kind of creepy...seeing the bottom in water that had always been a mystery...huge schools of small shad moving around like the great barrier reef....but not a single crappie, or perch that I was after. Not sure what this might have to do with this spring, but a wake up call to expect the unexpected, I'll blame that nasty Gore guy...?


Im also in foxhaven on E dock. We just cleaned our weekend walleye and the crappie ....the crappie had eggs still


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## Buck-Eye (Jul 9, 2008)

Went back to the Bay with my kayak this afternoon. Only caught 10 black crappie (jigs). Figured the blow would change things, but now the question, is that it? Water is very clear and 2-3' higher than normal. I suppose they could be elsewhere (?). Will keep looking for a little while before changing species.


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## 1more (Jan 10, 2015)

I went back to the same dock at TC yesterday morning and only caught 4. And yes the water went down on Saturday but some reason Saturday evening the water came back up even with a SW


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## JimmyZ (May 18, 2004)

Crazy. I went 2 weeks ago. Found some fisj stacked on rip rap casting a jig. I rubbed my hands together thinking today gonna be a good day. Fished every dock in that area and the rip rap. Not one fish. And i mean the spot i got them it was as soon as it hit the water.


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