I started long lining Roadrunners in the late 1970's and did so well I have never stopped when crappie fishing in spring and in fall if you can find a good supply of them then. Here is how I fish them....
First I always use the 1/32 oz size and note the 1/16 weigh way over a true 1/16 oz! So I know going slow these are not going to get very deep so I know that I can troll them even in like 4' water depth, but usually in spring I find them in 6' to 8' water depth holding and running back and forth to the bank. So I believe most are in the holding area for at least a couple months! First thing to do is locate exactly what depth of water they are in, be it 7 1/2' or 7' or what ever. Then I will cast out about as far as a normal cast with a 1/32 using a spinning reel will go and take off. Using my troll motor and sonar GPS I must control track and speed as off track and no bites or very few! Absolutely colors is most important along with speed. I always want to be around Hydrilla or some kind of grass I know they to like being in! Sometime here that also includes lots of stumps which is fine and if hung up just go back and pop it off the side it hung on and take off again.
It is a must that you find what water depth they are in because this is a place they will likey stay in unless there is a big change, like is year with them trying to keep out lake from being much over full pool and opening the flood gates which killed the normal fishing and all had to change and even did some casting to the shallow water to catch fish. However a normal year and this becomes a pretty easy way to catch crappie by the bunch!
Things that just have to be right!
Must know what depth of water they are in!
Color that is best normally and if change has come to water clarity then color will change too!
Speed you go using your TM! I usually will be between .2 and .8 MPH, but most of the lower speed this year especially when I found them in 9' of water and then now in 16' of water and if your off just a little, no bites!
You can do well with these just casting and reeling, but you have to learn to reel so slow it's a pain to keep it that slow!
Also know when trolling I use one rod in my hand! Now sometimes they will give that thump and you set hook normal amd feel nothing so you missed, think probably short strike? Well sometimes you have to swing you hook set very long to catch up to them after that thump so if that happens make sure to swing your rod as far forward as you can reach!
Almost forgot this....this type fishing for them is almost over for this spring, but here and now they can still be caught in 16' of water around Hydrilla! Now of you can find crappie in Hydrilla this fall in water 6' to 20' water depth around Hydrilla you should be able to clean up! I am going to post a picture from what happens when you find them when they first come in for the spawn and this was Super Bowl Sunday last year, like Feb 3rd?
We had 15 crappie that were over 15" long!
Let me know if you have any questions,
Skip
