The air is crisp and cool, the wind is light and the sun is beginning to rise. It is the first week in November, and your past years of experience of similar times and weather make you feel good about the day now unfolding. The surface water temperature is in the upper 60 degree range, and the water is stained. The shad are schooling in the creeks and back-end of coves, the water level is about normal for this time of year; “So where do you begin?"
If we all kept detailed logs of everyday we have ever fished, or all our fishing buddies were good crappie guides on the water every day. We would know where to start the day in our search, with hopes of catching a good limit of slab crappie, and maybe a big one worth bragging about. However, if you are like me, we do a poor job of keeping our fishing logs posted, if we have one; and most of us don’t have fishing guides living next-door giving out free information. We do have some things to help us; and that is the habits of crappie, experience, and public information. If we read a few magazine articles, watch a few crappie fishing shows on T.V., do a little surfing on the internet, visit a few bait and tackle stores and ask a few questions (after we buy something not before) , or have a few cups of coffee and chat with the locals in a marina café, or if we have lived and fished enough years to have some fishing experience and knowledge; we should be able to have a good day on the water. Here are 10 more tips to get you started:
1. Start with a good topo. map of the body of water you plan to fish. Study the map and mark river and creek channels with close feeding flats. Look for water depths you know should hold some fish (6 to 15 feet). Mark man-made fish attractor areas, coves and slews with underwater stumps and standing timber, and remember that some crappie like to go up rivers or creeks at this time of year. Way up river, until there is nothing but a narrow channel, stumps, and trees.
2. Remember the areas that the local fishermen discussed as productive areas at the tackle shop or café, but remember they may or may not hold fish. However, if you heard the same locations cited by different people at different places, you may want to check them out.
3. Look for other boats. If you see several boats congregated in the same area, this may be a sign they are catching fish there. Idle by and look and see, nice and slow, no wake…..
4. Be observant; if you see people catching fish, notice what they using (minnows or jigs or a combination), are they fishing deep, shallow, slow trolling, fast trolling, etc.?
5. Look for visible cover such as downed trees, big rocks, and/or steep banks near creek or river channels. Docks with 5 to 15 ft. of water depth can be great.. Older docks are better than new.
6. Use light lines (4, 6, or 8 lb. test) and smaller baits.
7. Try bright colored jigs in stained or muddy water, and light or natural colors in clear water. My all around favorite jig size and colors in the fall are: 1/16 or 1/32 oz. weights, in blue/black/ chartreuse, orange/chartreuse, red/chartreuse, or white/chartreuse. For dock shooting: gray/pink/chartreuse, blue/blue/blue, or black/chartreuse in 1/32 or 1/64 oz. on 4 or 6 pound test line are my favorites. Of course a lively minnow is always a good choice, too..
8. Slow down and fish your target area well. Watch your graph, you may spot a good submerged
man made or natural brushpile loaded with slabs.
9. Trust your own judgement and try what you believe will work for you. Don’t allow yourself to lose confidence in your own ideas just because someone was bragging at the bait shop; remember, fishermen have been known to tell little white lies……
10. Go fishing and spend some time on the water. Try different areas each trip instead of fishing the same area every time out. You’ll get to know your favorite body of water better, and you will learn more of your lakes secrets and patterns. Every lake is a little different, I don’t know why, but they are.
Remember to take a kid fishing every now and then, and watch the excitement in their eyes when they catch a fish. You will feel better and live longer, too. Try making a few good holes of your own by installing wood stake beds, pvc or stick attractors, or at least sink your Christmas tree with a concrete block after the holiday season. You might be surprised to learn how hard guides work each fall and winter making honey holes for their clients. They know it works, and they know they need to have enough spots to have some that are fishable and will produce, on any given day. Rain, wind, muddy water, lake levels, boat traffic with bass tournaments, and heavy fishing pressure, all call for different fishing locations on any given day. By placing fish habitat at several locations, guides help their clients have more frequent success. You should to, then when you take the kids fishing, you will have better odds for catching your limit that day, or helping the kids catch a few, and maybe they will get hooked on fishing for a lifetime…
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