John's Journal...

Proven Night Crappie-Fishing Methods

Night Crappie Fishing

Click to enlargeEditor’s Note: At this time of the year, you’ll have more success fishing for crappie at night rather than in the daytime and enjoy cooler weather. Years ago, the night was dark with no moon. We saw nothing around us but darkness. My cousin, John Henry Berryhill of Pleasant Grove, Alabama, and I didn’t even know in which direction the bank was.Click to enlarge

A good friend and avid crappie fisherman led my cousin, John Henry Berryhill and me after dark out to the middle of Lake Martin in central Alabama, and said, “If you’ll fish here all night, then by daylight, you’ll have all the crappie you want to clean. Below you is a point where a creek empties into the main river channel. In the hot summer months, the crappie migrate up and down both the river and the creek channels. At some time tonight, the crappie swimming in both directions will create a traffic jam and school-up on that point. Then you’ll catch plenty of fish. I’ve never been able to predict at what time during the night the crappie will start biting. But if you’ll stay all night, you’ll catch numbers of fish.” Click to enlarge

After several hours had passed, and we still only had caught five crappie, John Henry and I wondered if my friend was like the friend who had told us about a sure bet on the stock market that failed the one who had in his possession the treasure map to the Lost Dutchmen’s gold mine that no one ever found or the acquaintance who had given us the tip about the best hamburger joint in town that produced burgers that tasted like cardboard. But at 3:37 am, just as our buddy had predicted, the crappie went on a feeding spree. Every rod and pole on our boat pretzeled under the pressure of pound-plus papermouths. We caught craClick to enlargeppie so fast that our minnow bucket emptied faster than our cooler filled. At 45 minutes before daylight, I recycled the last minnow for the fifth time. The sun peeking over the horizon found our arms weary, our backs sore, our cooler full, and our minnow bucket empty. We had experienced the greatest evening of night fishing for crappie ever, and you can too this summer

Tomorrow: Drop-Offs and Docksides



Check back each day this week for more about "Proven Night Crappie-Fishing Methods"

Day 1: Night Crappie Fishing
Day 2: Drop-Offs and Docksides
Day 3: Bridge Pilings
Day 4: The Great Light Debate
Day 5: Night Fishing Safety

 

Entry 365, Day 1