How to catch Spring Crappies
Springtime is crappie time. Late ice can be fantastic but as that ice melts away and the lakes start to warm up, the crappie fishing will be as good or better than the late ice period. I start my searching in the bays where the water will usually warm up the fastest. Look to the north shore for the warmest water and this will likely be where you get that first bite! I like to cast a Puddle Jumper and a small jig head under a bobber (float). This is a great locater bait and the nice thing about using plastics is that you don’t have to worry about throwing your bait off with each cast. Puddle Jumpers come in a variety of colors and you will find a wide variety of sizes and colors at some of your local Mills Fleet Farm stores here in Minnesota and throughout the region. Live bait is great too and crappie minnows are tough to beat for the natural presentation. Mills Fleet Farm also has live bait in many of the convenience stores. As for rods and reels, you should look for something that is light action and relatively long so you can get a nice long cast. If you are using a bobber, sensitivity is not super critical but a nice graphite rod is something you will absolutely love. A spinning reel loaded with 4 pound test is the standard for going after these crappies but it’s not the only way to go. Some people like spin cast rods and reels and some people prefer a fly rod. The fastest way to locate the hungry ones is to fan cast an area and then work your way in one direction or another until you find the aggressive fish. An electric motor is a great way to cover water without spooking the crappies but you can also anchor, drift or use a canoe paddle or oars. If you are looking for a good crappie guide here in Minnesota please give us a call, 218-839-5598.

Catching Late Ice Panfish
Laying on the ice might not sound too appealing to a lot of you, but for those of you ice fishers you might want to give it a whirl. The best time to use this approach is now until ice-out. Since the walleye season is coming to a close, it's time to pursue the pan fish and there is really no better way than to watch them bite with your own eyes. Underwater cameras are neat and very useful but when the pan fish move up into the shallows all you need is some waterproof gear and your own two eyes. Lay down on the ice, block out the daylight with your hands and watch what's happening down there. One of the nicest things about this method of fishing is that you can pull your bait out of the way if you have a little aggressive bugger down there. You get a pretty good eye for what you want or don't want to bite on your bait. I like to use a light action rod about 30 or so inches long, a ultra-light reel loaded with 2 pound test, an ice fly tipped with a colored maggot and you're good to go!

Good luck, have fun and stay dry! Walleyedan

Three-fourths of the Earth’s surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the
lawn.
~ Chuck Clark