Am I to laid back to fish Crappie?

I like fishing the creeks this time of year and so I go to a spot here, a spot there and toss out my bobber. I don't have any fancy gear, just and old spin rod I've had forever, a box of jig heads, little bag of spit shot, some bobbers, and a couple different colored baits. I take my time, I fish slow, I catch a few fish, and I enjoy the day.

Well as it so happens, today I was able to get out for a little bit to wet a line and relax a bit. I'd been fishing for an hour or so when suddenly, the winds pick up and three of the most well decked out fisherman appear from the woods opposite from my spot. You could almost hear the rock n roll theme music playing as they swooped down upon the banks and began casting in 100 different directions in less than a minute. Each one looked as though they had dropped no less than $1000.00 on their ensembles and equipment. Like 3 little dust devils, they spun their way down the bank bouncing their baits of everything in site. Cast after cast, they continued this rapid paced frenzy all the while catching no fish until they disappeared out of site further down the banks. And just like that, they where gone. Thinking to myself, "WTF was that?", I reeled in my line, opened the bail, and casually backhanded a cast back out in the spot I'd been fishing and the last sound I heard was BLOOP as my bobber hit the water.

Am I doing it wrong? I may be to old to speed fish for Crappie.

That’s what creek scouting is called to me. When I rarely see that in my I try to focus on what baits they are throwing to try to figure out what they are after.

Don't sound like you were doing anything wrong to me..... As long as you enjoyed yourself and are content with the fish you catch just keep right on keeping on......
I'm one that moves a lot but that's because I want to set the hook.....I go hunting when I'm fishing.... That's what I enjoy......

We have a saying here in Weatherford it is esoteric but makes sense. The number of super expensive bass boats that whirl past known fish holding spot only to fish or beat the bank for 5 minutes, crank up and blast to another spot miles away . The saying is " can't catch fish , the boat costs too much " . The whistles and belles on said boats seems too much to fish out an area . Fancy gear doesn't mean more fish, just fancier gear !

Your first paragraph is all you need.

Fishing is just that “fishing”. Some have different ways about it and some want certain results. Some like to go fishing to kick back with some beers and float a minnow around. If they catch a fish great, if not, they still have a good time. Others (like me) take it a lot more seriously. I want to catch as many big fish as possible when I go and I absolutely hate getting skunked or not doing good because it means I didn’t figure something out. I am on the go the whole time as I want to find the fish and put all the pieces together. This is how I fish because it’s how I want to. Most may think it’s extreme. Bottom line if you are happy with your fishing, how others fish doesn’t really matter.

Fishing is my Therapy.Nuff said.

I've haven't been a bobber/ live bait / hoping-something-bites since I was 10. Nothing wrong with that, but once you get a routine - regardless the activity - it's not something I'm willing to change for no good reason. Targeting fish means casting hundreds of times an outing and in different areas using whatever is needed to get fish to bite. But gun &run like the folks you mentioned is not and has never been for me even when I did own a 150 hp bass boat which accounts for the reason I can't fish with most anglers who own boats.

In line with what VJ related, peace & quiet is as essential to the fishing techniques I apply as is the lures I use. Along with the condition I need to go with the flow of angling, I always listen to a small MP3 player packed with mostly quiet, sometimes nostalgic music. It helps me concentrate and remember why I'm on the water, namely: to make connections to wild and impulsive animals willing to blast my various lures and fight like the dickens when hooked. Gone are my competition days and bass boat having been replaced by the quiet ritual of discovery and my fascination with the fishing experience.

To each his won. Just don't cross my line while I'm on the water or my laid-back demeanor will change real fast!

I don't like sitting at one spot for hours waiting for the fish to bite. I'd hit every hole that has produced for me in the past. If nothing in 5-10mins, I'll keep moving.

That's what's cool about crappie fishing! There's all kinds of ways to do it! if your happy roll with it!!

It’s all a personal preference thing that’s all based on what your satisfied with.
At 70 years old, I’m no expert but I can tell you that crappie fishing has changed over the years.
I’ve fond memories of a night fishing trip to Cedar Creek back in its infancy.
We pulled up in a slough where there were many aluminum boats, Coleman lanterns hanging over the sides and you would hear the occasional sound of a tin minnow bucket closing, a crappie being caught, and the the gentle conversation of all the fishermen.
Regardless, the trips always had one thing in common, minnows that went for 30 cents a dozen. Then, the Fle-fly jigs company started stocking(what they now call hand ties) them at bait houses.
What a novel thing.
The idea of crappie condos? What in the world are you talking about? LOL
Truthfully, I’ve had my share of catching 2 fish the whole trip. I have minimal electronics but enough to search for structure etc. After almost losing my life last year I’m fired up to get in the hunt for that great tasting crappie. I can still enjoy all of God’s great outdoors at the same time.

Liked your "key phrase"; I enjoyed the day. That's what's important when fishing. Whenever the trip ends with "I enjoyed the day"; it was a good day.

This ^^^^.

Just like elbows and well, you know, everybody has one (an opinion or preference on how to, or how they like to fish). It depends on how I'm feeling, how tired I am, where I'm at, time of year, all that on what I like to do, but these days I'm no longer as mobile as I once was.

As far as the people with money to blow and all the fancy colored clothes and sportsman shirts, high dollar boats with mega motors on them, and making a bunch 'a noise. I can live without them. I'm more like the OP, old school and just like to relax and get a few to fry up.

like Big_CatEM sez "I'm more like the OP, old school and just like to relax and get a few to fry up."...thus the TFF handle Crapyetr...i'm with him~~~!!!

There’s a new way for everything but something is to be said about doing it like they did in the old ‘n days. I like your fishing style. Enjoyed your post. I got a clear visual of the scene that transpired on the creek bank that day.

Plus #1.

Depends on what you like to do, some like the experience of hanging out. I like to catch fish. When I’m crappie or sandbass fishing I know exactly what I’m doing that’s going to catch fish. If I spend 5 minutes in a spot and don’t get a bite it means the fish aren’t there or aren’t interested. To me it’s time to move on. I don’t have the patience to sit around for longer than 10 minutes and not catch a fish when I’m fishing for something that’s a numbers thing like crappie. If I want to hang out and drink beer I’ll go fish for flathead catfish, anything else and if I don’t catch something in 5-10 minutes something isn’t right and I’m moving. There just something about leaving the creek or the boat ramp with a limit of fish.

I suppose that's the difference between an angler that just hangs out with a cane pole & float vs a tournament angler that runs & guns all over the lake. In the first case there's no desire to learn more whereas the angler with something to prove needs to learn new things to be competitive - especially when it comes to racking up numbers of fish caught and fish size.

In my case it's experiencing wonder every time a fish strikes a lure - few lures looking nor moving like anything that ever lived. My gear is old bottom-of-the-line, but I can guarantee I can keep up with those that have far more expensive equipment fishing lakes I know like the back of my hand.

I suppose whatever floats your boat....

I have some twenty dollar rods from wally world and I have some high end custom rods. I use them both for different kinds of fishing. I try to never look down on anyone for their type of gear or how they use it. If they are out on the water trying as far as I am concerned they are one up on 99% of the rest of the population.

Life is too short and time on the water is too precious for me to waste it worrying about what someone else is doing or thinking.

Nothing wrong with that. It’s all about what you enjoy and what you want to get out of it. I am usually fan casting, moving, and covering water in a creek. Especially at a new place or one I’m not familiar with. I enjoy hunting them. If I know spots a, b, c and d hold fish at a place, I’ll also often go looking for e, f, and g. The goal is to catch fish, but if the end result is just me learning the water and figuring some things out, I’m fine with that most of the time. It usually pays off later at one place or another. I’ve had it burn me plenty of times too. The bite slows down and I go off on a 1/2 mile hunt and back without much to show for it other than getting tired, while a bud or someone stayed put slow and steady and they nabbed 6-8 more fish in that time.