I went out to RR last weekend in my kayak, launched out of Buck Creek and caught several LMB.

However, with all the standing timber an easy paddle from the launch I want to target crappie. I am very much a greenhorn when it comes to crappie fishing. How do I approach this? I'll be using roadrunners and jigs since I haven't rigged up my bait bucket, what should be my strategy? Go up to every tree and fish the jig, move on quickly if I don't get a bite? How deep of water should the trees be in and am I fishing on the bottom or suspended?

Thanks for any information you can provide. Maybe I'll see some of you out there, give me a holler, I'm in a yellow OK Drifter.

They should be suspended and not on the bottom. You will just have to try different depths to see how far up they are suspended off the bottom. As you go under the railroad tressel, try the first trees you get to on the right side of the boat lane. Spend some time there finding the depth they are at then work the larger trees as close to the boat lane as possible. I have never fished out of a kayak so, I don't know how much trouble boat wakes are. If they are troublesome, go to the far right of that timber and fish the larger trees on that edge of timber. Once you find the depth they are suspended at you should move to another tree fairly quick if they are not biting at your current tree.

Good luck.

Cajun21, Get yourself a trolling minnow bucket and a couple of dozen minnows. I think you will have much more success. I use one on my Scrambler. Only issue is you need to bring it in and set it in between your legs while you are paddling or it will submarine on ya. If you want to splurge, Brush grabbers could be real handy but any thing to tie up with should work.

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Brush grabbers are a must. I've also found that my long 10' crappie jigging pole is not fun in the yak. I do much better with my 5' all star classic. The longer pole is a bit of a pain in the arse. It's nice to be able to stretch out a little further but when I'm in the yak, I fish right on the trees and the longer pole becomes cumbersome.

We caught some decent crappie there this morning. WE got there too damn early for the bait store to be open so we were stuck using jigs, which was ok. I caught around a dozen and my buddy caught 3-4. Most were small, but a couple were nice. I also caught this nice slot green trash fish.

I second the brush grabber. I've got one tied to a short piece of rope on my anchor trolley and it works great for tying off to the trees.

I like using my long pole when I'm working the brush in the shallows for crappie, but my fav when working the trees is a 5' spinning rig.

I fish with both jigs and shiners. I've got a Cobra FnD and have a lot of room in front of me. I've got one of those styrofoam bucket inserts with the lid. It'll keep three dozen alive most of the day. I've got an aerator that I'll turn on occasionally for 'em.

I'll usually stop at a tree, work my bait up and down one side and then the other. If nothing happens, I'll move on to the next one. That mobility is one advantage over a PB.

i'm a seasoned angler but have become disabled. i'm gonna try a float tube or a small kayak to get around my old hot spots. i want to give bank poles a try for catfish. i've used trot lines before but could use some tips about best bait and times. i've had good sucess with big creek chubs and shrimp. the best time seems to be around sunup.

i forgot to say before. i live in central illinois by the sangamon river.

Here's another tip:
Take a ruler and marks-a-lot and make a 10" mark on your kayak for quick length checking. Mine is in front of the "console" of my tarpon 120. I like to use jigs mostly, they are easier and don't have to keep them alive. No bucket to fool with. Be sure to use some sort of loop knot, I use a suregon's loop, but any would work. You want the jig to hang horizontal, not vertical. I carry one short rod, 4-5' and one long rod 9-12'. The short rod for when I am close and the long one to reach areas that I could not otherwise reach without moving and retying up. To each their own.

Also, this is just a general tip. I carry a marks-a-lot and use yellow line. When I find the depth, I put a mark on my line near the reel to return to the depth time after time. Using this tip and they are biting steady, I will wear you out against minnows, because I don't have to fool with rebaiting. Catch one, flop him in the cooler, and right back in....

Also, try not to bump the tree if you can. Be stealthy, like ninja, lol! Afterall that's why you bought a kayak right, to be quiet.

good luck, and hope to run into you sometime

Here is one way to find them ...Eagle 350 On My tricked out Yak