# Delaware Lake Crappie



## DelawareAngler (Mar 19, 2009)

Has anyone had any luck on delaware lake? I have not caught a dang thing yet i thought for sure those crappies would be biting by now..

Any advice or insight would be appreciated.


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## catfishdude84 (Mar 14, 2009)

fished delaware twice for crappie now, not even a bite.


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## 74chrysler (Apr 9, 2008)

I am going there this coming weekend and will post what happens. Hopefully better news than the last two posts! By the way what were you guys using? It seems to me they are pretty color selective this time of year.


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## CDL (May 14, 2008)

I fished Tycoon Lake this past weekend. We were catching them on white crappie jigs tipped with mealworms. I might head to Delaware this weekend. I'll try to remember to post if I catch anything.


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## DelawareAngler (Mar 19, 2009)

Hey just keeping my other delaware lake buddies informed.

I went to delaware lake today and walked a bit to a path (about 1/2 mile north of the Sherwood Rd. Boat ramp and about a mile or so south of Cole Rd)

Saw a few boats out who didnt seem to catch a dang thing, but suprisingly i was using Crappie Minnows with no weight and i had about 5 bites, only caught one crappie, and i did manage to catch one flathead Catfish as well on a crappie minnow.

The last two times i went to delaware i had no bites so maybe this is the sign of good things to come?

Keep me informed


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## catfishdude84 (Mar 14, 2009)

i was using crappie minnows, silver and chartruese twister tails, black and chartruese tube jigs, and red with black flake tube jigs. tried different depths and many different spots with nothing.


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## LoweBoat (Apr 14, 2004)

I keep saying this but nobody seems to listen. It's way too early for Delaware Lake Crappie. They normally don't start biting until at least the second week in April. I've fished Delaware for almost 40 years now and you can just about set your watch by the date and time the Crappie start there.

LoweBoat


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## Cut Bait (Feb 3, 2006)

Hit Delaware today from around noon till three and caught a total of 4 crappie. 2 were keepers and 2 dinks. It was a bit windy and chilly. Got nice out as we were getting off the lake at 3.
Steve and Chris, we will get them next time. I agree with LoweBoat, that they dont start till mid April and usually the first or second week of May they are on fire.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

> I keep saying this but nobody seems to listen. It's way too early for Delaware Lake Crappie. They normally don't start biting until at least the second week in April. I've fished Delaware for almost 40 years now and you can just about set your watch by the date and time the Crappie start there.


maybe nobody listens cause they don't believe it anymore than i do
what makes delaware so special that it's the only place where crappie can't be caught at this time of year?
i'm not looking for an argument,but i'll lay down money that says i (or anyone who knows a little about crappies) can catch fish there right now.and i have nowhere near 40 years experience on delaware.they simply do not wait till they start moving toward spawning areas to fill the bellies.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

My best day ever a couple years back on Delaware was 68 fish all approx 10" or bigger. I'll have to see if I can get that old pic scanned tonight at home. That hot bite was on March 15. The lake was at winter pool. Unless high water turns the lake into a mud hole, crappie can be caught there nearly anytime. 

Here's a tip. 10am - 3pm aint the prime time this time of year.


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## LoweBoat (Apr 14, 2004)

Whatever Misfit, you go waste your time at Delaware, I'm going where I can catch some Crappie today.

LoweBoat


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Just for you Loweboat!


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Hey Kyle great picture!! If you think crappies do not bite till April then you are missing the boat there so to speak!! Many large stringers have come out of Delaware since ice off. Just stop at Nortons bait and look at a few pictures of fish already caught. Best bite did already happen in One spot on the lake  but now couple other places will be firing up big time. If you notice Kyles picture how many Black Crappies do you see just a few. Delaware Whites fire up right after ice off and then later the blacks. Same was happening at Alum but more of a mix there. Rick is right you just have to know where the locations are at this time of year.  But as Crappiecommander says Loweboat is right they do not start biting till late April!!  So go elsewhere and let the locals keep doing the scouting till then if they would start up i am sure Kyle and Lonnie and even myself will be willing to let you know after mid-April that is.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

crittergitter 1974 called and they want their furniture back.


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## DelawareAngler (Mar 19, 2009)

fishslim said:


> Hey Kyle great picture!! If you think crappies do not bite till April then you are missing the boat there so to speak!! Many large stringers have come out of Delaware since ice off. Just stop at Nortons bait and look at a few pictures of fish already caught. Best bite did already happen in One spot on the lake  but now couple other places will be firing up big time. If you notice Kyles picture how many Black Crappies do you see just a few. Delaware Whites fire up right after ice off and then later the blacks. Same was happening at Alum but more of a mix there. Rick is right you just have to know where the locations are at this time of year.  But as Crappiecommander says Loweboat is right they do not start biting till late April!!  So go elsewhere and let the locals keep doing the scouting till then if they would start up i am sure Kyle and Lonnie and even myself will be willing to let you know after mid-April that is.


Hey i am a local (resident of delaware 21 years ) went and graduated high school at Delaware Hayes and i have no luck on delaware lake with crappies 

Im more of a hunter and new to the fishing game kind of... So i understand how it feels to have a bunch of Franklin County boys come up and take your spots. But with delaware lake besides the few nice guys i have met most of the time All i see are a bunch of bums fishing the shoreline (lol no im not referring to people fishing the shoreline as bums, but literally ive had people ask me for money while fishing the shore on delaware lake at certain spots)

I guess ill just have to get out the ole fish finder and find some spots 
Maybe someday ill find that golden row of crappies.

But just for conversations sake do you have the best luck with crappie minnows?


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## ohiohunter43015 (Feb 23, 2009)

Went Tuesday and I got skunked. The captain got 4 only 2 keepers that wound up getting thrown back. We definatley had to work for them.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Big Joshy said:


> crittergitter 1974 called and they want their furniture back.


Haha! That's funny stuff right there. Don't get me wrong, I have been skunked at Delaware from time to time as well. However, I have had good trips in March. It's like Fishslim mentioned, they aren't always where you expect them to be. Pre-spawn crappies do things a little different. If you fish the same spots and only ever do well in April..........hmmmmmm.........that should tell you something. Right now, your primary focus should be bait. Also, watching for those subtle areas with a 2 degree warmer water is key. Find those two things and structure and you can be in them thick. I do 10% of my crappie fishing with minnows and the rest with either tube jigs or twister tails. Ice out to about now, is when I will use minnows the most. The rest of the year.........not so much. From the picture in question, we used bass minnows(I never buy crappie minnows) until we found them. After that, it was 2 hours of jig fishing with non-stop action.


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## LoweBoat (Apr 14, 2004)

Look guys, I'm not saying that Crappie can't be caught before April at Delaware lake. Any fool with a sturdy stick, some thread, and a safety pin can catch a fish once in a while at times other that the usual. I agree that Crappie can be caught right after ice out and have done so at Delaware. 

What I am saying is this forum is being read by people statewide. People who might drive 30 minutes to an hour or more to get to the lake and want a good chance of catching some fish for their effort. I'm saying wait a couple more weeks before you try. There are much better places to fish early than Delaware. Once Delaware turns on it's hard to beat. 

LoweBoat


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## CRAPPIECOMMANDER (Feb 25, 2006)

Delaware Angler shoot me a PM the next time your heading out and I'll try to at least get you in the ballpark for some fish. As others have mentioned the active fish move around a lot this time of year so a hot spot one day can turn ice cold the next. Believe me there is a method to their madness though, it just takes years to figure out the big picture if you don't have a little help. Sunny days and warm nights are the key, one or two sunny days with above average temps day and night will usually turn them on as soon as the ice gets out. The only other thing I will say is fish shallow, I rarely (almost never) fish any deeper than 6', in fact if I have to fish deeper than that to catch fish I usually quit. I'm not saying that there aren't any crappies in the deeper water, but the most active fish I find are always up shallow. Just keep going the more you go, the more you learn about them. I learn new tricks every year, that's the part I like about it most. Good Luck!


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## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

DelawareAngler said:


> Has anyone had any luck on delaware lake? I have not caught a dang thing yet i thought for sure those crappies would be biting by now..
> 
> Any advice or insight would be appreciated.


I noticed in a few of your posts you mention fishing minnows "without weight". What is your reasoning for not using weight to get your bait down?


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## DelawareAngler (Mar 19, 2009)

Its not neccessarily that i dont use weight, i just try all things if nothing is working. Sometimes i dont use weight if im unsure of the depth.


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