Jerking for Crappie
Want to try something a little different when crappie fishing this spring? Try jerking for them. Jerking is a technique that’s been used in some parts of the country for quite a few years but is just now catching on in others.
Here’s how you do it. Rig a minnow or jig under a bobber, cast it around crappie cover, then move it with short, quick jerks every minute or two. Beneath the surface, your jerks make the bait dart erratically for a second and then flutter down, simulating a wounded baitfish, and that really excites a crappie.
When using this tactic, expect strikes to come within a few seconds of one of those quick jerks. The darting movement will get a big crappie’s attention, and the slow fluttering fall that immediately follows will be too much for them to resist.
Tips for Catching White Bass
One of America’s most popular gamefish is the white bass. The most exciting time to fish for them is during their annual spring spawning run up streams and rivers.
When water temperatures reach the low 50s, whites start moving upstream, out of the lakes and reservoirs, until they reach a dam or other obstacle that blocks their travel. Here they stack up and continually gorge themselves, waiting for the magic 55-degree mark to complete their spawn.
Hungry, aggressive white bass aren’t too picky about what they will eat, but 1/8- to 1/4-ounce curlytail or hair jigs are most popular, with in-line spinners coming in a close second. White is usually best, but chartreuse, yellow, pink, and other bright shades will work, too.
I like using a lightweight spinning reel on a 7-foot soft-tip rod with a stout butt and 4- to 6-pound test line. What I like most of all, though, is frying up a limit of these good-eating fish.
How Weather Affects Walleye Fishing
Spring thunderstorms will cause walleye to go deep or bury themselves in weeds. Big lake suspended schools of walleye may break up or move great distances during storms. Cold fronts can cause them to hibernate. Bright days on clear lakes can also shut them off. When any of this happens, head for the nearest walleye river because they aren’t affected as much by stormy weather.
The best times for walleye are when choppy conditions create current, diminish light penetration, and stir up shallow water causing baits to be more active. Windswept shorelines also will be especially good. A great time for big walleye is the three days before and after a new or full moon. When that happens, you need to be on the water.