I am a bass fisherman, but have some good fly equipment that I would like to start using on crappie this spring at Fork.

Any suggestions on how to catch spring crappie from a boat would be appreciated.

Welcome, sir. How deep are the crappie during the bulk of the summer months? If they're more than 30 feet down, it can be pretty challenging to get them on a fly rod. It can be done, but it requires patience and some fly gear that is a little different than what you'll find at Academy et al.

With a lake as good as Fork, I'll unsolicitedly advise you to not limit yourself to crappie. A nice bass on the whippy rod is a wonderful thing.

The crappie will be in the shallows threw the spring at the edge of the grass anywhere from 2 to 6 foot.

I think my equipment is too light for bass. I have an Orvis T3 8.5 ft 4 wt. and an Orvis Superfine 3 wt. A buddy got me into trout fishing, but it just didnt stick with me.

I was just wondering if anybody had experience fly fishing for crappie from a boat on Fork. I dont have a clue of what flies to use or how to fish them for a sucsessful trip.

Those rigs should be fine for crappie, but I'd probably go with the 4wt just to be safe. It sounds like you've got some good quality gear. That depth range is just about perfect for fly fishing as well. The only issue I see is that by fishing for crappie, you'll be indirectly fishing for bass since they eat some of the same foods, but the size of artificials you'll be using should keep the new state record from attacking you.

As for the lures, I'd probably go with some woolly buggers, mylar minnows, clousers, etc in colors that closely mimic what the crappie are used to consuming there in Fork and in hook sizes around 8-12.

I see you live in Gilmer. If you don't have big plans for this weekend, I'd suggest you come down to the Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens for Fly Fish Texas. There will be a lot of activities such as casting clinics and species specific seminars which could be of use and interest to you.

Hopefully that will get us started and someone more informed than me will happen along to help you further.

Crappie spawn in the reeds and lily pads because they attach their eggs to the reeds and lily pad stems. You can cast to the outside edges of the reeds and let your fly sink 2-4'. The crappie will pick it up but you will probably not feel them until you begin to work the fly in. Then you'll feel a tension on the line. I use #4-#10 wooly buggers, and the same size clousers. Strip the fly in very slowly, just a few inches at a time.

I caught a lot of big crappie at Caddo and Bellwood Lake in Tyler using this method. Good luck!

I might also suggest a bead-head wooly bugger, with a prop in front of the bead. Forget what you call this fly. A spinning wooley bugger, or something like that. Anyway, I have caught crappie, on this fly several times. You would fish it back, slowly, just as Cliff suggests. And I would think of it kind of like fishing a crappie jig or a road runner, just with a fly rod. Size 4-8 would be good. Otherwise, small Clousers sounds like a great idea, as they are a great minnow immitation. Best of luck.

One other thing. I would pay special attention to the end of your fly line. Think of it as a sort of bobber, or strike indicator.

And Red Raider is exactly right. You will be indirectly fishing for largemouth. So leave the trout leaders, at home. Suggest Bass leaders or straight mono, for a leader. Would recommend minimum 10# line, and really think 14 - 20# might be best. Used to know an older gentelman who crappie fished Fork, regularly. He used live minnows, on telescopic poles, with 20# mono.

By the way, the state record largemouth was caught by a crappie angler, at Fork.

Jigging for crappie always always brings some monster bass to the boat! Have fun!

I made my state record crack above and had completely forgotten that the current record was a crappie fisherman, and a bait fisherman on top of that! I'm not sure if I want the next state record caught on a fly rod or not. It sure would get crowded out there with wall to wall fly flingers if that happened.

Good luck to you, Breid, in your pursuit of fun.

The bugger with a prop on the front is called a Pistol Pete, it works well.

Thanks, Cliff. The same fly worked very well for white bass, at Colorado Bend SP, a couple of years ago. Also caught an 8 lb black drum, on that fly, on the same trip. A good all around fly. Thanks again.

Thanks for the help, the info will be a good starting point.

I usually quit crappie fishing when they move out of the deep winter water, but i want to start staying on top of them threw the spring to continue stocking the freezer. And I figured there would be no funner way to catch them but on fly gear.

i busted out my rods earlier, and the T3 is a 5 wt. I would love to hook into a big ol' bass, but i am looking for dinner.

pistol pete is my go to fly when i am looking for crappie. olive works best for me for some reason.