Take a Fish Break -- CRAPPIE TIME

[Ccrider]

Well, I know all of us love to obsess over how to obtain that one hole group. As I unshamely partook in the task after work today, my brother pulled up and set a cooler on the cement. Told me to put the gun down and get my spoon and knife out and get to work.
Well, I am almost finished. Got to wash em vacuum seal em and put em in the freezer. I know some of you know exactly what this is about. Crappie are beginning to spawn here. Time to go fishing.

 

[Ccrider]

Done!

 

[LarryDScott]

Your looking good. The lakes here are dingy to muddy from all the rain. Water temp is right for the spawn. LDS

 

[rockrat]

Thats a mess of good eatin!!!

 

[Ccrider]

Your looking good. The lakes here are dingy to muddy from all the rain. Water temp is right for the spawn. LDS

We have been getting a lots of rain but the rivers are clearing up now. It was 83 today and has been in the 80s the last three days. Another one of my buddies tod me he caught over 100 fish yesterday Hw kept 20 and they were all over 12 inches. I am going as soon as I can shake lose.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Thats a mess of good eatin!!!

+ about a thousand on that.

 

[jpx2rk]

Weiss Lake or ??

I went last week to a popular hot spot, pulled some planer boards and brought home a limit amongst the 15 other boats in the area. Seemed like a demolition derby to some extent, one guy wanted to cut me off, and I ended up catching his line/lure, just cut his line and kept on trolling. People were cutting in front of one another left and right, it's always that way at that spot.

Rain here today, 15-20 mph winds yesterday, rain tomorrow with some wind as well. But the boat is ready for another round of pulling boards. LOL.

 

[Downhill]

I have been checking but it looks like the big freeze here in Texas has pushed the spawn back a bit. But we are always ready for the spring crappie.

 

[snowpro440]

We probably have at least another 6 to 8 weeks or so here in pa. Can't wait to get after those perch though ! Fillet on the grill with lemon pepper....ooh so good !

 

[Fuj]

We probably have at least another 6 to 8 weeks or so here in pa. Can't wait to get after those perch though !

I live just a few miles from Presque Isle. Some ice was still
in the lagoons. A plate or 2 of Crappie would go good about
now, but would favor the Perch first. Getting a bit tired of
Walleye as of late. Too much of a good thing so they say.
Stock of bacon grease is looking good, and will dig out that
Griswald cast iron pan.

What's your favorite.....Batter dip or an egg and dry rub ??
Last couple of years been using a "Shore Lunch" wetted
down with Ale.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Still hard water here, 3-4" of snow from yesterday. We take the skin off here, do you down south scale and fry with the skin on?. Usually the pre spawn runs begin a week or so after ice out, so we still could be a month before boats and panfish. I was thinking about a walleye run to Chamberlain, SD, until the snow storm. May have to wait a couple weeks now.

 

[okie]

sac-a-lait --done et me some -Big Frank Parker caught em and I put em in the grease!!

 

[okie]

I have been checking but it looks like the big freeze here in Texas has pushed the spawn back a bit. But we are always ready for the spring crappie.

they are trying to get on the bank here already

 

[jpx2rk]

Will trade somebody some crappie filets for some walleye if close by. LOL

I usually bake our crappie just to avoid the "fried foods" thing. Just as good, and easier to do IMO, but fried crappie does taste good tho. LOL

 

[Ccrider]

We probably have at least another 6 to 8 weeks or so here in pa. Can't wait to get after those perch though ! Fillet on the grill with lemon pepper....ooh so good !

One of my favorites. I add a touch of red pepper. Also, if you want to try something different, marinade in Heinz 57 for a couple of hours before grilling.

 

[Ccrider]

Will trade somebody some crappie filets for some walleye if close by. LOL

I usually bake our crappie just to avoid the "fried foods" thing. Just as good, and easier to do IMO, but fried crappie does taste good tho. LOL

Baked with lemon pepper wrapped in foil is pretty darn good. Air fried is ok too. But you can’t substitute for plain old fried in hot grease.

 

[jackson1]

Got to wait for the rotten ice to disappear here.

 

[Ccrider]

Still hard water here, 3-4" of snow from yesterday. We take the skin off here, do you down south scale and fry with the skin on?. Usually the pre spawn runs begin a week or so after ice out, so we still could be a month before boats and panfish. I was thinking about a walleye run to Chamberlain, SD, until the snow storm. May have to wait a couple weeks now.

Two schools of thought on that here. Some filet and chunk the bone. I am just old school. My Daddy taught me to scrape them, turn the head off, gut em and split them open in the middle if they get too big. He preferred the smaller ones.

And no, we don’t need or use batter. Season to taste. For Dad that meant salt and pepper only. And then a coat of corn meal is all it takes. Add in a couple of slices of light bread with a full plate of fish and that was a meal.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Golden Dip beer batter, mixed to consistency of paint off the fork tines. 360 degree peanut oil, you only live once might as well enjoy it. 15-17" walleye, 10-12" crappie. Baked beans, fries or chips. Always bleed my fish in the live well, before cooler/ice. Bleeding reduces bacteria, makes wash up quicker.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I have been checking but it looks like the big freeze here in Texas has pushed the spawn back a bit. But we are always ready for the spring crappie.

Dont bet on that. Eggs have been laid and water temps are already 70deg+