Page 7 - Crappie NOW | May 2015

slow fall will trigger more bites. Lily Pads
Fishing straight up and down gives fewer
hang-ups. A hook in a pad stem is a problem. Pads can make fishing and landing fish a
Pole length is important to get the bait little difficult. Line wrapped around a pad
away from the boat in the shallow water.
Always use scent. You’ll catch more fish. stem is very common.
Minnows work to catch fish in the pads,
but a jig is easier to use. - Tim Huffman
Everything is behind due to a colder than
normal February and March. Pymatuning, and
other northern lakes, should be prime-time
right now through June. Middle states should
be in late spawn to post-spawn.

Factors
Wind: “Wind can be an enemy or a
friend,” says Bailey. “A wind can be bad but
use it for an advantage. Wind will push baitfish
into the pads. Creating more active feeding
fish. Also, the pads will buffer part of the wind.
A light ripple wind is good to make fish less
spooky.
Cold front: Cold front will be tough for
shallow fish. The fish will still bite but will be
slow.
Clouds/rain: An overcast day will spread
fish out because they don’t need the protection
from the sun.
Sun: Good for moving fish into the shade.
Look for crappie to be tight to the stems.
Contact info for Pymatuning Lake is www.
visitcrawford.org, Crawford County Convention
& visitors Bureau. For Reelfoot Lake visit www.
reelfoottourism.com. Russ Bailey is a crappie
guide and is host for BrushPile Fishing,
www.brushpilefishing.com.

7 Crappie NOW May 2015