Page 10 - Crappie NOW - December 2016

Q: A good December fishing tip? By Tim Huffman

ROD WALL, - says, “Bait color is important. Look at the pegs at the baitshop

to see which colors are sold out. If you have three pegs with chartreuse-
type colors sold out there is a good chance that is a hot color on the lake.”

JASON SANDAGE. - guide, says, “We’ll be spider rigging with 16-

foot BnM poles and double hook minnow rigs. Our rig includes a sinker
on bottom with two leaders above it. Fish at Reelfoot Lake will be 12
to 14 feet in the Lower Blue Basin. Pushing minnows is a good way to
catch them.”

DANNY KIRKENDALL, OK, - says, “We will be using a 1/16-ounce

jig, The fish can be as shallow as three feet until a layer of ice forms in
the creeks. In open water I’ll look at 14 feet. Brush in 10 to 25 feet can be
good. A single minnow allows working in the deeper brush. My wife will
often use minnows and the fish will come out of the brush to get them.”

DAN JOHNSTON, IL, - says, “On my home waters in southern

Illinois, we are looking for concentrations of shad. Drop to the bottom
and pick it up a foot off bottom. Anything chartreuse works. The fish are
on the ledges at Rend Lake. Typical depth is 11 feet with shad being
a key element. When the sun comes out crappie will move deeper with
the shad.”

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