Posts Tagged ‘crappie’

Spring Time Panfishing on Small Waters

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

Here is a great early season panfish article published in several sportmans magazines.

From coast to coast, panfish anglers embrace the arrival of spring. Unsafe black ice has vanished and our beloved bluegills and crappies frolic in predictable places. Classic shallow and stained-water locations host much of the activity. Wind protected bays and river backwaters rank high. Many of these venues are considered “community spots”, where boats pile up and shore-casters line the banks. But if you don’t enjoy running with the Jones’, some fine-tuning is necessary to find that “spot on the spot”, away from the masses.

In the spring of the year, panfish chasers focus on the shallowest of shallows and the darkest water Mother Nature affords. They understand that stained and shallow places warm the quickest, attracting prespawn, and later, spawning panfish. Prespawners shallow-up to gorge themselves on emerging insects and schooling baitfish. Spawners come to perpetuate their species. Go a step further this spring. Dissect your favorite waters and locate some Really Small Water.

“Fishy” Locations
Inlets are a good example of Really Small Water. I’m not talking about the inflow of a well documented throbbing creek, because these aren’t secretive and usually attract a lot of anglers. Rather, I’m referring to a trickling stream of warmed water, which had its origins as snow. Lake maps don’t reveal many seasonal springtime inflows. They’re exposed only through careful shoreline studies and time on the water. Crappies and bluegills already know the whereabouts of such dwellings.

The seepage of water through a bog or wall of cattails is another find. Spring’s thaw brings rich and warming water into the main lake, and again, panfish are drawn to such locales.

Boat harbors, be they manmade or not, contain tepid and colored water and with the off-colored water they bring throngs of baitfish and buggy edibles. The average angler earmarks massive multi-slip resort and public harbors, but smaller one and two vessel private harbors often go untouched. Take care to not provoke lakeshore owners by snagging their pontoon’s upholstery or dock posts, but remember too that your state’s waterways are public domain. Courtesy is always the best policy, and it’s amazing how a simple wave and a “Hello” can make any situation a pleasant one.

River backwaters are common panfish lairs. Shallow and current-free expanses get hit all spring long, but you can avoid the boating-crowds by investigating further. Look for high water pools formed behind stretches of shoreline timber. I favor drifting along wooded stretches searching for hidden hollows of water – not true backwaters – which potentially hold fish.

Most of these spots will be bone dry in another couple of weeks. Beds of dead reeds or rushes as well as shoreline oriented or freestanding islands also host early spring panfish. Big beds get noticed, so do smaller ones. But it’s not just an ordinary field of browned vegetation I look for. I prefer one with pockets and openings. You can find these concealed clearings by slowly motoring around an entire weed-mat. Crappies and bluegills love such hideaways, and many go unchecked.

Another commodity worth searching for is newly emerging vegetation within an expired bulrush or reed bed. Rest assured that a bed, or even part of a bed that features fresh growth, rests in warm and fertile waters. This theory also holds true with fields of lily pads. Take note of young lily pads budding from the lake floor.

Speaking of standing weeds, the inside edge – open water section between shore and where vegetation begins – is another overlooked producer. Panfish find warm water, wind protection, and a safe haven inside these gaps. And such places frequently occur on the main lake, where spring anglers seldom take notice.

Tackle
Now that you’ve been introduced to some Really Small Water, I must give you the bad news. These are tough spots to hit. That is, hit with a lure, a jig to be exact. Pinpoint casts are the only way to access these fish. Tangling tree branches and snarling weed tips block passage to the best of the best. But with a little practice, some finesse, and the right gear, no bull or slab is unreachable.

I’ve all but abandoned the notion of attacking Really Small Water with a jig alone. Even with the lightest, most abrasion resistant line, paired with a long but firm rod and aerodynamically designed jig, it’s still an ordeal to reach fish. Any sudden gust of wind or turn of the boat puts your lure in harms way.

A bobber, that’s my solution. And not just any old model will do. The right bobber, or float as some call them, gives you precision depth control, and in this instance, added weight for improved casting distance and accuracy. Many anglers have turned to the Rocket Bobber. Powerful for its size, The Rocket Bobber casts for distance like nothing you’ve ever used. Need 30 yards into a headwind to reach the back of a boat harbor? No problem. Give the rod tip a snap and you’re in; keep the trajectory low for greater accuracy.

Casting distance is crucial because shallow-ranging panfish are easily spooked. Often, pods of fish scatter when a careless angler motors too close. It’s much wiser to visually identify a hunk of Really Small Water, back off, and launch a long distance assault. And the durable Rocket Bobber won’t explode on contact if you misfire and smack a rock or dock post.

Tactics
I’ll conclude with this tactical suggestion. Think small when it comes to bait and lure selection. Frequently hyper-finicky, springtime panfish will shun gaudy jigs and large frantic minnows. Reach for a 1/64th-ounce jig or a miniscule ice-fishing lure. Go to tiny minnows, which I call “slivers”, or wax worms and maggots, because they’re universally accepted. By design, the Rocket Bobber executes flawlessly with light jigs – no split-shot necessary – and announces even the slightest nibble by raising its tip. Pay extra care to your surroundings this spring. Panfish will be in their ordinary community spots, but with a taste of resourcefulness and stealth, you’ll find finer fishing in Really Small Water.

Tags
bluegill, crappie, panfish, panfishing, perch, rocket bobber, shore, spring, springtime

Walleye Techniques with the Rocket Bobber – End Weighting Means Control

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

Here is an awesome article about covering water columns when fishing for Walleyes published in Walleye Hunter Magazine

Control wins in NASCAR. The ability to draft and “trade paint” while jockeying for position. The dominance of one team over another.

Control is an underlying force that breeds success in everything we do, fishing included. We see it in skilled fly anglers as they strip line and precariously place poppers in the pads. In seasoned jiggers, as they deftly tick lead across rocks and timber without snagging, yet remain able to decipher the slight nip of a walleye. Surprising to some, though, might be the fact that control is equally as meaningful to a bobber fisherman.

Control means hanging bait at a precise depth, as well as balancing a float to where the sniff of a bluegill makes it plunge. It’s taking a seemingly elementary bobber and building it into a system, a controlled system that can pry any species from any depth regardless of the time of year. And it all begins with End Weighting.

Fleshed to its core, end weighting is the combining of meat and mass. The hook and weight become one, yielding no mystery of depth or margin of error, but instead transferring control to the angler. It can be achieved in one of two ways: Firstly, the hook and weight can be married in the form of a jig. The hook is now the sinker. Both the float and jig linger endlessly in known and fixed positions.

End weighting is also achievable with split-shot sinkers pinched above a plain hook. The average bobber-user will span some 12 to 18 inches between sinkers and hook. The belief is that by allocating such a generous swim range that the bait is more likely to attract suitors. Not necessarily so. Struggling foodstuffs, especially minnows, will tire and eventually die from the stress. In end weighting, it’s wisest to lay only an inch or two between the hook and shot. As unlikely as it may seem, that allows plenty of scope for the bait to dance seductively, all the while maintaining constant depth.

Too many inches between the weight and bait also promote tangling. During the cast, the bobber, weight, and bait orbit at various speeds, ultimately colliding and weaving with one another.

Total control also involves knowledge of depth. The angler must know exactly where the offering is at all times. If the distance between the float and bait is adjusted to 5 feet, you’re assured the bait is 5 feet below the surface. No inconsistencies triggered by a rambunctious minnow or leech, as would occur with a non-end weighted presentation.

Absolute control concerns balance as well. Balance in the dominion of end weighting and float fishing is often referred to as neutral buoyancy. In essence, matching the weight and bait to the buoyancy properties of your bobber. The goal is to load the bait so the bobber scarcely stays afloat – it’s treading water but still visible. Consequently, even the gentlest bite causes the bobber to descend or at minimum skew from its natural position.

Control also entails the governing of vertical and horizontal space. Casting distance is your vehicle of horizontal exposure. Waters between you and where the bobber comes to rest constitute the horizontal plane. Vertical coverage area – column of water – is addressed by the float’s depth setting and your aptitude to jig. Yes, jig. First and foremost, a bobber is a strike indicator. It notifies the angler that something is going on below. But if end weighted and rigged as a slip bobber, a float also performs as a jigging platform. When line is pulled through the float – reeling or jerking – the bobber-stop slides up and away, consequently raising the presentation a corresponding distance. So if the bobber stop is jigged 3 feet and the float – jigging platform – remains in position, the lure then rises 3 feet, yielding greater vertical coverage. This principle allows you to explore an expanded vertical area, as well as draw fish by way of the lure’s action.

Truthfully, it’s as easy to pick apart a 6 foot deep weed flat as it is a 30 foot basin.

Let’s apply the concepts of end weighting and controlled bobber fishing to something tangible, say springtime crappies. Imagine that you’re attacking a shallow bay. The zone under scrutiny is a 6 foot deep stump filled area with newly emerging vegetation.

Your jig, bait – wax worms, minnow, or soft plastic – and float are composed to neutral buoyancy. Go ahead and set the bobber stop to 4 feet and cast beyond your targeted area. During the retrieve, mix slow reels, pauses, and a few tugs. Again, using the float as a jigging platform, make the jig rise 1 to 3 feet. The presentation ascends and falls in an attractive display, however remains under your complete control. Each cast probes a wide swath between you and where the bobber initially landed. Motor along and continue the process. When a strike occurs, the jigging platform reverts back into a strike indicator and beckons you to set the hook.

A similar scenario unfolds in the presence of walleyes. Suppose that you’re banging the deep transition area of an extended underwater point. You’ll need to upgrade jig size and make a move to minnows, crawlers or leeches. The top of the structure is 12 feet deep with a sharp break that bottoms-out at 20 feet. Set your bobber stop at 19 feet and hurl it onto the 12 foot crown. The bait will begin its quest on the bottom, where a walleye might vacuum it right up. But if not, crank down on the reel a few times. (Had a fish slurped the jig you’d feel its weight.) Continue to work the bait across the 12 foot area. Once off the apex and break, the float will right itself. The bait’s now hovering over a critical area. Let it sit awhile. She’s in a good spot and the live bait is laboring on your behalf. But if nothing filches it, drag the float slowly towards the boat, incorporating pauses along the way. On the following cast you’ll want to integrate a few jerks, raising the jig 1 to 3 feet above its fixed position. Control is with you. A walleye should soon be in the boat.

Choosing a suitable bobber is also important to building an end weighted system. The market place is flooded with slip-bobbers, many of which suffice, but none perform better than the Rocket Bobber. To maximize coverage of horizontal space, the Rocket Bobber is powerful for its size, casting like a surface to water missal. It can be end weighted and rigged as a slip-bobber without cutting the line, or clipped-on and fished traditionally. For end weighting, the large Rocket Bobber is designed to perform with a 1/8 ounce weight and the smaller version a 1/16 ounce weight. In clip-on mode, the Rocket Bobber – fishing for panfish with a light lure – is designed to lay flat on the water. When a fish inhales the bait, the bobber begins standing upright. Set the hook! Now that’s sensitive…

Float fishing needn’t be relegated to dock fishing and partygoers on pontoons. End weighting is a meaningful tool that matches wits with the most high-tech tactics on the water, and it’s easy to do as well.

The astounding Rocket Bobber is available at sporting goods retailers and bait shops nationwide. If your local fishing dealer doesn’t handle them, contact Tackle 2000 Inc. at PO Box 541, Tomahawk, WI 54487-0541. Call Tackle 2000 at 715.224.2229 to place order or request further information.

Tags
bait, bass, bluegill, boat, crappie, fishing, jig, long casting, perch, sensitive, shore, slip bobber, walleye