Page 7 - Crappie NOW - December 2018

HOT ACTION IN COOL WATER

tipped with a plastic trailer,” Overstreet
described. “We’ll single pole jig around
thick cover because we can get the bait
all the way down into the cover better.
We can work a single bait through really
thick stuff and also pull hooked fish out
easier. The head weight depends upon
the current. For jigging, I like a 1/16- to
1/8-ounce weedless crappie jig so I can
get it down where the fish are without
snagging. If the current is really strong,
I go up to a 1/4-ounce jig to hold the bait
down in the strike zone.”
In cold water, many people also use
either live bait or jigs sweetened with
live minnows. Tie a 1-ounce sinker at the
bottom of the line. About 18 inches up from
the sinker, tie a jig or Number 2 Aberdeen
hook. Some people tie a second hook
or jig on a loop coming off the main line
about 18 inches higher than the bottom
hook. When fishing for finicky, fish, many
anglers add a little extra enticement by
attaching scent pellets to their hooks.
“I like to use both jigs and minnows,”
Dunn said. “Color helps too. I play around
with different colors to see what fish want,
but I like blue with some chartreuse or
electric chicken when the water is clear.
Popsicle is another hot color. It’s a bluish
purple with some pink.”
Crappie in frosty waters tend to bite
very softly. Anglers might not even feel
the strike, just a little heaviness on the
line. If in doubt, set the hook!
Since the Alabama River and its
associated streams, lakes and creeks
drain 63 percent of the land acreage in
the Cotton State, most Alabama anglers
should find a good place to fish close to
home. Visitors can make inquiries and
should have no problem finding fishable
water. In the right spot, anglers could find
some hot action on cold days.

- John N. Felsher

7 Crappie NOW December 2018