# Crappie help



## ltroyer (Feb 6, 2013)

Fish for crappie alot in the inland lakes but am thinking about trying for them on lake Erie and I never fished for them up there.anybody care to point me in the right direction on where to find them? I figure the bay area's is where to look.thanks in advance


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

ltroyer said:


> Fish for crappie alot in the inland lakes but am thinking about trying for them on lake Erie and I never fished for them up there.anybody care to point me in the right direction on where to find them? I figure the bay area's is where to look.thanks in advance


Yepp marinas bays rivers harbors all hold them. A small boat will help with access.
Same baits work here as they do there.
The spawn is usually a couple weeks after The inland spawn.
There was a few good threads from last year I could dig up


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

There used to be a member named Jim...can't remember his handle that did a lot of Sandusky Bay crappie fishing.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

JimG was his name. Doesn't look as though he is a member anymore. Thought I heard he passed.

http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/thre...-crappie-at-sandusky-bay.267839/#post-1912244


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## Jim Stedke (Dec 5, 2005)

I've been told the crappies get on the bridge rip rap pretty heavy in the spawn. Never experienced it but from a reliable source.


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## island troller (Nov 14, 2007)

I always found late April early May as prime lake erie waters for Crappies.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Jim Stedke said:


> I've been told the crappies get on the bridge rip rap pretty heavy in the spawn. Never experienced it but from a reliable source.


Black crappies love spawning on rip rap so probably right on!


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## Buck-Eye (Jul 9, 2008)

Jim "Mr Crappie" Grachek from Sandusky passed away on 3/27/15.


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## Jim Stedke (Dec 5, 2005)

Best crappie guy I know says mid April to early May, but hedges on weather, saying it can go either way by a week. That makes the 3rd week of April a winner.


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## ltroyer (Feb 6, 2013)

Are we allowed to fish the docks unless it private docks? Appreciate the info am hoping to make a trip up there in a few weeks


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

ltroyer said:


> Are we allowed to fish the docks unless it private docks? Appreciate the info am hoping to make a trip up there in a few weeks


Most all the marinas are private. And I have no idea on public assess in the bigger bays or east West harbor from the bank. I'd check out Google earth before heading up. Surly there are some public places but might be hard to find. But with a boat/kayak/canoe you can float into any of them and not be trespassing.
Good luck


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## Workingman (Jan 21, 2016)

Seems like there should be some spots to fish in and around east harbor state park. Also any public ramps with break wall areas, just be respectful of boaters going by!


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## kraftmatic (Dec 28, 2007)

Ask some of the private marinas found half or more will let you fish especially if there is only a few boats in the water. Been in a few marinas the last few weeks around Toledo. Had some real good days and some not good at all. Good luck


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## ltroyer (Feb 6, 2013)

Is there any good size gills around?Sounds to me like my boat will go with so I have more places to get to.am excited bout trying it as I love walleye n perch fishing up there but am a fan of pan fishing also . Sometime it good to try new areas


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

ltroyer said:


> Is there any good size gills around?Sounds to me like my boat will go with so I have more places to get to.am excited bout trying it as I love walleye n perch fishing up there but am a fan of pan fishing also . Sometime it good to try new areas


Should be plenty of nice gills. Also bass


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Like stated earlier they will use the rocks/docks to spawn. But also for ambushing. So they don't have to be spawning. But if you time it right the spawn will give the best chance like anywhere else. 
But I like pre spawn for the big slabs


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## 25asnyder (Dec 10, 2016)

Whites Landing Sandusky Bay especially when they are starting to get them on the rip rap


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## kraftmatic (Dec 28, 2007)

So far we have caught crappie, bluegill, perch, bass and a pike and a catfish


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

ltroyer said:


> Is there any good size gills around?Sounds to me like my boat will go with so I have more places to get to.am excited bout trying it as I love walleye n perch fishing up there but am a fan of pan fishing also . Sometime it good to try new areas


Right now it depends on the day!


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

ltroyer said:


> Fish for crappie alot in the inland lakes but am thinking about trying for them on lake Erie and I never fished for them up there.anybody care to point me in the right direction on where to find them? I figure the bay area's is where to look.thanks in advance


Also east harbor has better Gil size over west or the portage river that's what I have seen! Would love to see redear in Erie , they would do good cause of all the mussels I know Their not native but who cares cause of all the other non native species at least this one people will fish for!


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## JCsHOOK (Apr 18, 2004)

brad crappie said:


> Also east harbor has better Gil size over west or the portage river that's what I have seen! Would love to see redear in Erie , they would do good cause of all the mussels I know Their not native but who cares cause of all the other non native species at least this one people will fish for!


I bet you are right, redear / shellcrackers would do real good in the lake with all the mussels. I've caught some big ones in Florida.


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## Hoosier77 (Sep 22, 2014)

25asnyder said:


> Whites Landing Sandusky Bay especially when they are starting to get them on the rip rap


Where is the closest boat ramp?


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

I've seen some very nice bass around the docks at Geneva. but don't know if they'll give permission to fish.
sherman


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## KPI (Jun 4, 2011)

Hoosier77 said:


> Where is the closest boat ramp?


Check out bay harbor marina in vickery Ohio they have a ramp and docks that is at whites landing I am just not sure about what size boat you have and if the launch will work for you hope this helps


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## TheShoreman (Sep 17, 2015)

sherman51 said:


> I've seen some very nice bass around the docks at Geneva. but don't know if they'll give permission to fish.
> sherman


On the rocks yes but no dock fishing.


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## beaver (Sep 28, 2010)

I've caught redears in east harbor through the ice.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

beaver said:


> I've caught redears in east harbor through the ice.


Those are pumpkinseeds bud but u might of just saying pumpkinseeds are native! I fish up their a lot and have not caught one!


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## beaver (Sep 28, 2010)

I don't know. Sure looked like what we call redears down here to me. What we call pumpkin seeds have a lot more color to them than what I was catching up there. Could just be colored different in the lake, and could just be a difference of terms. I've never heard a bowfin called a dogfish or a yellow belly mudcat called a bullhead until i started fishing up there either. Haha I only fish up there a few times a year, maybe more if it's a good ice year. We catch a bunch of redears here, and they get pretty big. 10+ inchers aren't uncommon, but what we were catching up there weren't anywhere near that big. Just good eaters. I'll see if I can dig some pics up.


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## Fishermans#1Son (May 10, 2013)

whites landing on south side west of edison bridge is good crappie fishing. it usually starts mid may.


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## QutWrkGoFsh (Jun 28, 2013)

I got this guy in East harbor this year threw the ice. Isn't this a red ear?


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## QutWrkGoFsh (Jun 28, 2013)

And here's some bluegills from east Harbor


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## bobberbucket (Mar 30, 2008)

QutWrkGoFsh said:


> I got this guy in East harbor this year threw the ice. Isn't this a red ear?


That would be a pumpkin seed. 

This is a red ear.


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## QutWrkGoFsh (Jun 28, 2013)

bobberbucket said:


> That would be a pumpkin seed.
> 
> This is a red ear.
> View attachment 232134


So pumpkin seeds have a red spot behind the gill also?


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## bobberbucket (Mar 30, 2008)

QutWrkGoFsh said:


> So pumpkin seeds have a red.spot behind the hill also?


Yep.


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## walt green (Mar 8, 2016)

brad crappie said:


> Also east harbor has better Gil size over west or the portage river that's what I have seen! Would love to see redear in Erie , they would do good cause of all the mussels I know Their not native but who cares cause of all the other non native species at least this one people will fish for!


Put in Bay has some monster red ears


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## Tom 513 (Nov 26, 2012)

If you plan on fishing the crappie spawn look for the water temps to be a steady 56-58 degrees


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

QutWrkGoFsh said:


> I got this guy in East harbor this year threw the ice. Isn't this a red ear?[/
> Yep pumpkin seed


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## JCsHOOK (Apr 18, 2004)

QutWrkGoFsh said:


> I got this guy in East harbor this year threw the ice. Isn't this a red ear?


It sure looks like one to me. And the pic of what you call a pumpkin seed isn't what I have caught in Florida in the St. Johns river. But there is a 1000 mile difference and names of fish change also.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

JCsHOOK said:


> It sure looks like one to me. And the pic of what you call a pumpkin seed isn't what I have caught in Florida in the St. Johns river. But there is a 1000 mile difference and names of fish change also.


Hey guys am not expert but I got a 2 year degree in fish and wildlife and the pic from bobber is a redear and one from east harbor is a pumpkinseed! Also just goggle both and see for yourselfs and all around the country different regions call fish different slang names! The bluegill bunch like readers , pumpkinseeds , green sunfish longear and warmouthes can cross breed! Then it is sometimes hard to tell the difference! Crappies can cross breed to!


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

Also went out yesterday out west way caught over 40 craps! That was first time I been out in 2 weeks!


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## 1more (Jan 10, 2015)

brad crappie said:


> Also went out yesterday out west way caught over 40 craps! That was first time I been out in 2 weeks!


Any decent size?


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

1more said:


> Any decent size?


Yes 4 to 5 12 to 13 30 over 9


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

1more said:


> Any decent size?


Also did not keep any 95 % whites


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

Nice work Brad!


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

laynhardwood said:


> Nice work Brad!


ThAnks I been out


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

U been out


laynhardwood said:


> Nice work Brad!


U been out


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## QutWrkGoFsh (Jun 28, 2013)

brad crappie said:


> Hey guys am not expert but I got a 2 year degree in fish and wildlife and the pic from bobber is a redear and one from east harbor is a pumpkinseed! Also just goggle both and see for yourselfs and all around the country different regions call fish different slang names! The bluegill bunch like readers , pumpkinseeds , green sunfish longear and warmouthes can cross breed! Then it is sometimes hard to tell the difference! Crappies can cross breed to!


Brad what makes the one in East a pumpkin seed? And the one bobber posted a red ear?


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## matticito (Jul 17, 2012)

If you plan to fish cleveland, it's likely you'll get rock bass in your catch as well. Tried for crappie one and only got 1 rock bass. I plan to try harder this year.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

QutWrkGoFsh said:


> Brad what makes the one in East a pumpkin seed? And the one bobber posted a red ear?


Easiest way to learn is look up a fisheries identification book shows good pics and tell u how!


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## bobberbucket (Mar 30, 2008)

QutWrkGoFsh said:


> Brad what makes the one in East a pumpkin seed? And the one bobber posted a red ear?


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

brad crappie said:


> U been out
> 
> U been out


Not yet I'm thinking maybe the weekend after next. The temps look good for the water to start warming up


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

bobberbucket said:


> View attachment 232368
> View attachment 232369


Nice job bobber thank u!


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

Must to article on Gil's in the infishermen March / April 2017 on


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