captpierre Posted April 23, 2016 Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 Got the cottage open. Nobody out on the lake. No panfish hangin around the dock. Tried for crappie in past springs with no luck. Never catch one fishing for eyes. Catch lots of bluegills under floats in shallow bays. Is there a decent crappie population in the north end? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beans Posted April 23, 2016 Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 There was before they opened the lake for ice-fishing...First spring afterwards the crappie dropped right off...They are still around but nowhere near the numbers we used to catch... I don't get around much nowadays except down to the shoreline at our park and haven't had a bite in two outings...water is too cold yet...Normally, in years past this weekend would have been the opening week of fishing on the lake and that is when we did well for crappie until the pickerel season opened then the crappie fishing died off... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NANUK Posted April 23, 2016 Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 You want water temps around 50 deg, target dark bottom bays with brush pile and structure like docks etc. depending on water temps you can almost site fish them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehg Posted April 23, 2016 Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 Got the cottage open. Nobody out on the lake. No panfish hangin around the dock. Tried for crappie in past springs with no luck. Never catch one fishing for eyes. Catch lots of bluegills under floats in shallow bays. Is there a decent crappie population in the north end? Try throwing float/ white panfish tube jig along very north shoreline from Hurricane Pt. towards Bald lakes. Right along north shoreline is little shallow mud bottom fingers 2-5 ft. of water. Now is good time for searching by flipping float along shore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captpierre Posted April 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Try throwing float/ white panfish tube jig along very north shoreline from Hurricane Pt. towards Bald lakes. Right along north shoreline is little shallow mud bottom fingers 2-5 ft. of water. Now is good time for searching by flipping float along shore. Thanks. I'll give it a try in about 10 days when I'm up again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captpierre Posted April 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 You want water temps around 50 deg, target dark bottom bays with brush pile and structure like docks etc. depending on water temps you can almost site fish them. Thanks. Will try that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecmilley Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Lots and lots. Not as good as a couple years ago keep moving around you ll find them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crappieperchhunter Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Catch lots of bluegills under floats in shallow bays. Why don't you stick with the bluegills? I like catching crappie...don't get me wrong....but for a feed of fish I will take gills every time over crappie. If I am catching both....like in an area I fish on Little Bald....I just let all the crappie go and keep gills for a fish fry. If you haven't gave them an honest try your missing out IMHO. And they are easier to find and catch ALL summer long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigugli Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Why don't you stick with the bluegills? I like catching crappie...don't get me wrong....but for a feed of fish I will take gills every time over crappie. If I am catching both....like in an area I fish on Little Bald....I just let all the crappie go and keep gills for a fish fry. If you haven't gave them an honest try your missing out IMHO. And they are easier to find and catch ALL summer long. What he said! Was out on Sturgeon today and we could not keep the bluegills off the hook. Lots and lots in the 8-10' size. We were catching 4 gills to every crappie all day long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan668 Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Ive never really fished for panfish. Got one 5 years ago, a crappie, that was 15" on a bass jig lol. This was caught on north pigeon. The size shocked me. Ive used 3" grubs before with some success, should i be downsizing? May take a friend to catch a feed, maybe the first time i keep a catch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
206 Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Water temps still down the bluegill have moved in but the crappy seem to be a lil shy still. Water temp comes up you'll get more crappy shallow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beans Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 (edited) Ive never really fished for panfish. Got one 5 years ago, a crappie, that was 15" on a bass jig lol. This was caught on north pigeon. The size shocked me. Ive used 3" grubs before with some success, should i be downsizing? May take a friend to catch a feed, maybe the first time i keep a catch! Fairly soon after we moved up this way I was crappie fishing near an OFC'Rs father and noticed all he caught was slabs...we were using 1 1/2 inch grubs and tubes but his were about 3 inches...I guess he knew sumpin' we didn't...LOL Edited April 24, 2016 by Beans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KawarthaGuy Posted April 25, 2016 Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 Had luck in the Blind Channel a few years back w tubes under a bobber. Also surprised to see that the channel has been closed off and no longer navigable from end to end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captpierre Posted April 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 Had luck in the Blind Channel a few years back w tubes under a bobber. Also surprised to see that the channel has been closed off and no longer navigable from end to end. Thanks. Don't know where the Blind Channel is. Never heard of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KawarthaGuy Posted April 25, 2016 Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 Hey Captain, This map shows the Narrows heading into Buckhorn. The Blind Channel runs off the Narrows on the north side. The water is shallow w lots of wood you can cast to. Should be good now. I was there on Walleye Opener and still caught Crappie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KawarthaGuy Posted April 25, 2016 Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 oops, here is the map.......... http://www.fishingwithpiotr.com/fishing-maps/pigeon-lake/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captpierre Posted April 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 Thanks Found it. Elim Lodge area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esoxansteel Posted April 25, 2016 Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 Why don't you stick with the bluegills? I like catching crappie...don't get me wrong....but for a feed of fish I will take gills every time over crappie. If I am catching both....like in an area I fish on Little Bald....I just let all the crappie go and keep gills for a fish fry. If you haven't gave them an honest try your missing out IMHO. And they are easier to find and catch ALL summer long. Im with you Gills are much nicer to eat and clean that Crappers, and are readily available Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captpierre Posted April 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 Never eaten crappie. If bluegills are as good or better to eat why is everybody so crappie crazy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beans Posted April 26, 2016 Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 (edited) My bro-in-law Dave would say "Bluegills are just the right size for a hamburger bun"... Crappie grow bigger than bluegills and most fishermen like to catch big fish... I don't get to eat either very often...It looks like a chainsaw massacre after I try to clean them...LOL Edited April 26, 2016 by Beans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crappieperchhunter Posted April 26, 2016 Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 Never eaten crappie. If bluegills are as good or better to eat why is everybody so crappie crazy? For me it was a size thing. Who wants to keep something that small? But once I learned a few spots where you can consistantly get larger ones 7.5 inches and up and actually ate a few I realized I liked them much better then crappie and really it only takes a couple more fish to make a good feed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Cliff Posted April 26, 2016 Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 My bro-in-law Dave would say "Bluegills are just the right size for a hamburger bun"... Crappie grow bigger than bluegills and most fishermen like to catch big fish... I don't get to eat either very often...It looks like a chainsaw massacre after I try to clean them...LOL You need a lesson from CPH and an electric knife! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beans Posted April 26, 2016 Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 You are right CLiff... I defy you to find a bone after CPH cleans them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porkpie Posted April 26, 2016 Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 (edited) Never eaten crappie. If bluegills are as good or better to eat why is everybody so crappie crazy? I think it's a perception thing. I never had bluegill before until about 15 years ago a friend of a friend had us fill a pail on a weekend fishing trip, he cleaned em all and fried them for dinner. They where fantastic. I think most people consider them kids fish up here. Down in some states bluegill fishing is nearly an industry. Edited April 26, 2016 by porkpie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmer Posted April 26, 2016 Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 I also enjoy the gills over the crappie. I actually have any easier time cleaning gills and they cook up better. I find the crappie meat a little soft. It's also important to remember that there is a specific limit in zone 17 for bluegill over 7.1". I think an angler is permitted 30 out of their overall limit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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