TFF Update

[Don Pemble]

Fishing action remains decent to very good as my last three trips out on the big pond has produced some nice catches of walleye and crappie. Thursday and Sundays trips were pretty much a carbon copy of each other except Thursday was a half day trip with two clients and Sunday I had three clients for a full day. Both days, my clients and I started out working 6 to 8 feet of water over weeds and submerged wood and came up with good numbers of eyes from these areas, all on Reeves weedless jigs tipped with extra large fatheads. After our walleye were in the well, we spent some time working various cribs and came up with some very nice crappie to round out our trips. Yesterday's action slowed down somewhat, but my two client's/long time friends and I spent a half day in the on and off rain and came up with our walleye after much searching. Starting out working a few humps and only 1 decent eye, we moved to the same areas where I had success the previous two trips and it paid off as we found all the eyes needed to make our half day trip a success.

Will be out the next few days looking for my next fish fry, will keep you posted.

Don's Guide Service
dpemble@centurytel.net
715-776-0098

[DonH]

Hi Don,

I have a simple question. It seems to me that years ago a guy could stumble onto crappies as he walleye fished. We fished Blair lake several years ago and really nailed the crappies in either late September or early October. But I haven't caught a crappie in at least a decade on the TFF, not counting the Blair lake trip.

Is that because there are now a bunch of cribs and the crappies are relating to them, or is the crappie population just not what it used to be?

OK, a 2nd question. If you had to pick one area to catch crappies (not fishing a crib), where would you go? I used to catch them while walleye fishing in the Four Mile area years ago.

We'll be up there on the water Sept. 21 thru the 24th. Maybe we'll see you on the water.

Good Luck!

[sureshot612]

we got some crappie in may and we did not fish cribs .not sure were they would be in sept.
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[Don Pemble]

Hi Don,

You are right, years ago one could catch a crappie here and there while walleye fishing, but years upon years of 25 fish bag limits and no size limits finally caught up with reality, the numbers and size went down. I can recall many years back when the population was very good that many anglers made more than one trip a day out there to fill their coolers with them big slabs and thought nothing of it then wonder where all the fish went the next day. The DNR waited way too long to put panfish restrictions on the Flowage. Yes to your question, there are an awful lot of cribs out there and all species of panfish take cover there along with finding baitfish there. I do believe the numbers have been down for some time but I think they are rebounding. About your second question, if I were to pick one area to fish crappies with out fishing cribs it would be the main lake basins in Sept and Oct. I use weighted 2 hook crappie rigs tipped with crappie minnows and drift the main lake basins taking advantage of the wind. I've had very good luck using this method in Horseshoe, Townline, Rat, Baraboo, and Lake Ten, even caught them with this method in river channels. I try and keep my baited hooks a couple of feet off the bottom to avoid any laid down timber. A little in line spinner attached to these rigs also increases your chances.

Good luck Don, I'll look for you out there.

[Don Pemble]

So did I, some were spawning and some were still in deep water over rocky bottom, just never know when or where they will be with all this crazy weather we have been having.

[Hot Runr Guy]

Don,
Once again, it was a pleasure to fish with you. It never fails to amaze me how you can always find the fish, compared to some of us who just "go for a boat ride".
Take care my friend, and stay healthy. HRG

[Don Pemble]

HRG,

Thank you for the kind words, just letting you know it was also a pleasure fishing with you and Joe, and the fishing action was also a big plus.

Good health to you too my friend.

Don