# Mississippi Crappie Trip



## deerfarmer (Apr 21, 2012)

I kept hearing how large Mississippi crappie were so in Feb I started planning a trip to Lake Grenada. I went to crappie.com and started to research places to stay and how much a guide would cost. Guides were 350.00 to 400.00 a day and places to stay were 50.00 a night for room with to queen beds and refrig and micro. We choose to stay at Hambone rentals because you could park your boat right outside your room door. And because the boat ramp was a mile down the road. So early on we decided we were going to try it without a guide knowing neither one of us were very good at slow trolling for crappie. 


The trip to Grenada Mississippi is 700 miles and took around 11 hours. I couldn’t leave until 8 pm and we drove straight through and arrived around 6 am. You cross a timeline somewhere along the way so you gain an hour. We launched and was fishing by 7. The weather was supposed to be sunny and winds less than 5. Yep you guess it rain and windy.

Grenada is a flood control lake that is just about 10 times the size of alum creek when it is a full pool. They drop Grenada 15 foot for winter pool and when they do they lose 2/3 of the lake. They had a lot of rain right before we got there and the lake was within 5 foot of being at full pool. And you guess it was muddy. The dark blue on map is winter pool and the next shade of blue is full pool with the light blue being flood pool.










The first day we fished 8 to 10 fow and the fish were hitting about 2 foot down. Grenada has a 12 inch minimum and we were able to catch 12 keeper with the large fish being 1.5 lb. We missed a lot of fish because of not being used to catching fish on long poles in 2 foot of water. One we figured out that you had to adjust your drag so not to pull the fish out of the water we started boating more fish.












Day 2 was the nicest day of trip sunny and low winds. We started fishing the same area we fished the day before and the fish had moved up to shallower water. We moved in to 2 to 5 fow and started catching them again. We ended day 2 with 8 keepers.



















We listened to news Friday night and Sat a cold front was going and bringing 30mph winds with it. So we went to plan b which was driving 2 and ½ hours to Eagle lake. Eagle lake is a smaller lake about the same size as alum creek that has houses on one side of the lake that have really long docks that stick out into the lake. We choose Eagle because we thought we could catch crappie without slow trolling. When we pulled into the ramp there was only one boat trailer in lot and we had two locals pull up and said you guys aren’t going out in this wind are you. We hugged the north side of the lake to try to stay out of the wind and were able to find a few fish bobber fishing. Eagle has huge Black crappies and we were able to catch 8 keepers. Eagle has a 11 inch minimum. I started shooting docks with a road runner and a small swimbait and on the second cast something nailed it and started stripping drag. Never knew it but Eagle lake has hybrid bass also. I could see something braking the surface out in the lake and switch gears and started throwing a 2.75 lemond pearl joshy and for the next two hours it was non-stop. We caught well over 30 and actually got tired of catching 2.5 to 3 lb hybrids. I can’t wait to go back.


----------



## slowtroller (Sep 28, 2011)

It took 17.50# for seven fish Sat to win on Grenada Lake. The Mississippi State Championship is this coming Friday/Sat. 

Great report Steve, sorry you did not have better weather.


----------



## Gfhteen (May 20, 2004)

Sounds like a great time


----------



## Draggin along (Nov 8, 2012)

Awesome report. I always talk about going south for a crappie trip but haven't done it. You have proven the stories that I have heard about Mississippi crappies to be true. Pics don't lie. Would also love to fish Kentucky Lake too.


----------



## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Draggin along said:


> Awesome report. I always talk about going south for a crappie trip but haven't done it. You have proven the stories that I have heard about Mississippi crappies to be true. Pics don't lie. Would also love to fish Kentucky Lake too.


Same here man!


----------



## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Way to climb out of the box STEVE and try something most of us would love to do. nice fish!!!

Sounds like a lot of fun in spite of high muddy water and stiff wind.


----------



## kfi (Nov 11, 2013)

Nice report. I know you were shooting for a 2 pounder and didn't see you mention in report. But several nice fish nonetheless. Sounds like your getting the hang of slow trolling. Gearing up to give it a go this season so any pointers you have I'm all ears.


----------



## deerfarmer (Apr 21, 2012)

My large fish of the trip was 1lb 15oz so I technology didn't get a 2 lber. You can use 4 rods each down there. We had rods sticking out all over the place.


----------



## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

deerfarmer said:


> My large fish of the trip was 1lb 15oz so I technology didn't get a 2 lber. You can use 4 rods each down there. We had rods sticking out all over the place.


Spider rig!!!


----------



## deerfarmer (Apr 21, 2012)

Slow trolling, Spider rigging whatever you want to call it.


----------



## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

deerfarmer said:


> Slow trolling, Spider rigging whatever you want to call it.


I ment did you ever try spider rigging


----------



## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

Wow that is awesome diy southern crappie! I don't want to thread hijack but it makes me wonder what some of the he lakes around here could produce if they were to incrementally raise the size limit. Congrats on a trip we all dream about and I hope some day I'll have the time to do!


----------



## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

Congrats on the dandy crappies. Shame weather did not cooperate for you but looks like you made the most of it.


----------



## rutty (Feb 5, 2007)

We made the trip to Grenada last year end of March and it was great. We didn't get a lot of fish, usaully about 5-20 keepers a day but we got some hogs. I was wanting a 3lber but didn't get that but had a 2.87, 2.86, 2.72, 2.65 and a lot of fish in the 2.3 range. It was awesome and gets you spoiled compared to the fish we catch in Ohio.


----------



## Draggin along (Nov 8, 2012)

Size limit matters!


----------



## catfish1605 (Jan 18, 2009)

A size limit change would be great, but they need to enforce it. We have the 9" size limit in effect now, but I see people every year keeping every crappie they catch. To me a 9"size limit is just too small, it should be at least 10".


----------



## Wildturkey (Mar 26, 2011)

catfish1605 said:


> A size limit change would be great, but they need to enforce it. We have the 9" size limit in effect now, but I see people every year keeping every crappie they catch. To me a 9"size limit is just too small, it should be at least 10".


----------



## Wildturkey (Mar 26, 2011)

Yes I agree with Catfish, enforcement is the key. It doesn't matter what the actual limit size is if people don't pay attention to it and it isn't enforced. I am heading south to Lake Wattaree and Santee Cooper to chase that elusive four pound Crappie, ten pound LM Bass, and fifty pound Arkansas Blue Catfish. Everybody has a dream, right? I'll post results when I get back.


----------



## bman (Apr 20, 2009)

Sounds like a great crappie lake. Saw a crappie fishing show on this lake and they also caught some really good ones including one just shy of 3lbs.


----------



## scioto_alex (Dec 30, 2015)

I camped at Wyalusing State Park where the Wisconsin River meets the Mississippi. It isn't a simple junction; the Wisconsin breaks up into a delta of streams about the size of the Olentangy.

You can rent a canoe and paddle a marked trail in the delta, but part of the loop takes you out on the Mississippi itself. We paddled past bouys that were bobbing like they were being towed at 10 mph. That is the only time that I have feared a body of water that I was paddling on.

WDNR's map of the canoe trail:

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/wyalusing/pdfs/wyalusingcanoetrail.pdf


----------



## puregreen (May 23, 2009)

Awesome trip and great pics


----------

