Spent all day (5AM - 10PM) working mostly on the Crappie. Lake is getting really weedy throughout. Good for the fish, just makes it a little tougher to find them. I would drift and cast a small jig head with a 2 1/2" Gulp minnow to the small pockets of open water. Tried to get right next to the weeds. Had some success drifting through the open areas, small as they were, but the smaller "holes" in the weeds produced better. Stayed in at least 11 ft. of water. Minnow colors were black shad and white. The black shad produced more fish but the white caught slightly bigger ones. This might not mean anything though, because the fishing was alot slower than previous trips. Up untill then, if I hooked a fish, I could stop and catch several more from the same spot, typical with Crappie. The best I could do this trip was 2 fish from the same spot, and that was the exception rather than the rule. Kept a 12" and a 13" Crappie, and one each 13" Brown and Rainbow. The Rainbow really surprised me. Also caught several dink LM just north of Jerry's on the same side of the lake. Seems the bass activity shut on and off from about 3:30PM untill about 6PM. Finished the day on Crappie. Went back Sat. (8/1/09) afternoon and caught a 14" Brownie and a few more 9 - 10" Crappie, which I released all. The Crappie seemed scattered, maybe due to the heat. I'm still trying to get used to the fishing up here, but may be getting the hang of it, slowly but surely.

The Jigmiester

8/8/2009 12:35:00 AM

Hey boo. You sound just like me! My favorite crappie jig is that exact 2.5" berkley gulp minnow on a 1/32 eyeball leadhead by canyon lures. The crappie seem to prefer the watermelon /pearl colored minnows up here in the Yakima area and the Basin lakes too. I use a southern pro "Stinger" 1 1/2 black and chartruse single tail on a northland lures black with a yellow eye 1/32 oz jighead when the water is murky as a search lure in stained waters like Eloika. I just wish that the Gulp products were more durable...I've got some extremely realistic minnow jigs you may like to see. anyway, great report! The Jigmiester

uncyboo

8/10/2009 8:51:00 AM

Haven't tried the Watermelon/Pearl yet, maybe should pick some up. Had luck with the white and black shad so far. Would like to see these other baits you are talking about. Is this something you've made yourself or are they "store-bought"? Know what you mean about the durability issue, however I fished Liberty in June this year (see report) and the baits were chewed down to almost nothing, just a nub of plastic on the hook, and they still were eating it like candy. It was literally a "throw it out, reel one in" kind of afternoon. Those Crappie were voracious, just under sized. Been fishing Horseshoe lately, supposed to be Crappie in there. Haven't figured that one out yet, but I will.

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