Water temps jumped from 59 to 77 last week so like I predicted the crappie spawn will wrap up quickly. Males will be on nests for another week or so but we have switched gears and are walleye/crappie fishing.

The lake remains a foot low and water color is very clear. My shallow crappie spots are thinning but we can still get some so I have been splitting the day. For the crappie I am using a 1/8oz. trolling sinker tied on 12lb. braid. Then a fifteen in. 15lb.fluorocarbon leader and a 1/32oz. white and tensile hair jig. Used it all last summer very effective on a pendulum using the Livescope.

For the walleye I am using a 1/8oz. Big Dude blade bait or a number 5 Rippin Rap. Firetiger, chrome and blue or pearl and pink. Putting the boat a cast away from shallow stumps on points and flats. Then ripping the bait and allowing it to freefall for a second then rip it again. “Very shallow”.

So shallow that my normal tactic of pulling bouncers and spinner rigs isn’t working you can see your Livescope facing forward spooking shallow buffalo and schools of gizzard shad. These in turn spook the walleye.

Once the lake returns to summer pool and water temps rise these fish will get deeper but for now if you are fishing with me I hope you can cast a spinning outfit like a pro. I can throw a blade bait out of sight and hit a pop can every cast. This is what it is taking to get close to shallow stumps without snagging.

Once the crappie go into full post spawn mode and leave the shallows they will suspend out in river channels and mouths of coves. I can double team them by pulling spinner rigs on line counters and bottom bouncers. The line counters will allow me to run baits at precise depths. Double team by using the same baits to work deeper ledges for walleye. Clients love this just set in the boat and troll baits. We catch everything doing this. We need the lake to come back up first so by the end of the month I expect we will be doing this.

Steve Welch
Latest posts by Steve Welch (see all)