# Spring crappie



## RyGuy525 (Mar 17, 2005)

Thinking of fishing belleville this spring for crappie. Never done it before and dont really know how. What time of year? What baits? Where in the lake?


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## MrBluegill (Dec 8, 2005)

try to slip bober a minnow about 3ft down then work your way deeper...........try to target shallower water around 10ft chanals work great


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## huxIIIhammer (Feb 28, 2005)

also for crappie tube jigs catch fish period!


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## raisinrat (Feb 9, 2006)

Find the old River bed. And then follow that, and try to find easy access to shallow spawning areas. Or look for areas where it comes close to the shore or a point. You can find some really big crappies this way. Don't wait until the spawn starts I would start fishing for them when the water temps hit around 45 degrees. Then you can vertical jig, fish a float and minnow, or anything you want. Just keep in mind they will be a little slugish at this time. If you can get 10to15 nice ones doing this then you are doing it right. Also you may want to pick up a crappie fishing mag, this time of the year there is some good stuff in there.


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## bigsablemike (Apr 26, 2005)

I FISH BVLLE ALOT SEEMS EARLY IN THE YEAR I GET THEM RIGHT IN THE BRUSH PILES ON POINTS AND IN BACKS OF LITTLE COVES,A MINNOW WITH A SLIP BOBBER WOKS WELL .ALSO UNDER THE BRIDGESIS PRETTY GOOD IN SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER. THE SOUTH SHORELINE UNDER THE POWERLINES HAS DONE WELL IN SUMMER,ALSO FOR SUMMER THE NORTH SHORE JUST EAST OF THE POWERLINES IN FRONT OF THOSE BIGASS HOUSES.


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## scottyhoover (Dec 24, 2002)

I can't imagine what the action would be like in the spring there......we catch them running Hot-n-tots at 2.5mph in the summer , its gotta be a great spring fishery. SHHHH SHHHH

ALSO, READ WHAT RAISINRAT SAID, don't wait for spring,....the fish can be caught within days of the ice-out. 45 degree water is ideal to get out and wack them while they are grouped up.

That said....limit your catch, keep only what you need, I usually catch 6-10 males for every female, so be sensible about it.


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## RichP (Jan 13, 2003)

Crappies trolling hot n' tots? Cool! Was that on purpose or were you guys targetting eyes? Tots seem to work well for eyes on B-ville.

RyGuy525 -- during ice out, another good area is the other side of the dam (Ford Lake). A lot of people dis Ford, but it can't definitely produce some nice size crappies. Near the rocks close to the dam. And like many others have said, minnows with a slip bobber.... (you also might pick up the occasional jumbo perch as well)


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## scottyhoover (Dec 24, 2002)

going for eyes of course, what else is there 

and yes....you could call your shot out there, see a school, and next thing you know 3 rods are bouncing with crappies, suspended over deep water.


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## jstfish48162 (Mar 8, 2003)

there is an article in my latest in-fisherman magazine that describes "pushing or pulling" crankbaits for crappie. they are using regular bass/walleye size baits and catching some HOG crappie. very informative reading for someone wanting a new trick up their sleeve.


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## raisinrat (Feb 9, 2006)

If you are wanting to give "Pulling" a try for Crappies. You need to mount a trolling motor on the side of the boat. Place the motor so that the boat will pull sideways. make sure it is pulling it straight, you don't want the front roaming on you. Here is a link with abunch of great early crappie fishing storys.

http://www.gameandfishmag.com/crappiepanfish/

I think this will help you guys out a bit. We are about a week or week and half from some good crappie fishing if this weather holds and we don't get to much rain.


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## TeamSnapper (Mar 6, 2006)

Do you guys eat the fish you catch on belleville?


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## raisinrat (Feb 9, 2006)

Yes they are safe!


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## RichP (Jan 13, 2003)

The last time the Michigan Fish Advisory was updated was 2004 (would be nice if they decided to keep up with that [sigh] ).

Regarding 'eyes and Belleville Lake, the "general population" are recommended to enjoy an unlimited number of meals. Regarding women and children, if the eyes are between 14-18" then no more than 1 meal per week is recommended. If they are over 18" then no more than 1 meal per month is recommended. These stats are related to PCBs.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/FishAdvisory03_67354_7.pdf

"Generally...panfish will have fewer chemicals." Enjoy your crappies.


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## RyGuy525 (Mar 17, 2005)

If i can ever get my dad's butt off the couch I'd be fishin! The boat is packed away in the garage so it may be a few weeks still


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## engineer20 (Apr 17, 2015)

theyd' be biting at this time of year right? where should I fish if I don't have a boat? You mentioned those rocks near bridge road above the dam where there's a dirt parking lot, across the street is a city park which charges 7 dollars or 30 for a year, and that is the river below the dam, but off the rawsonville birdge, there's a small dirt driveway many ppl park on and i've caught smallies there, bass, as well as channel catfish, but never any crappie, it's about past that bridge where belleville lake begins. are there crappie off the rawsoneville bridge area, and on those rocks, or from the bridge, or is the area near bridge road above the dam on ford lake better? Thanks.


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

RichP said:


> The last time the Michigan Fish Advisory was updated was 2004 (would be nice if they decided to keep up with that [sigh] ).
> 
> Regarding 'eyes and Belleville Lake, the "general population" are recommended to enjoy an unlimited number of meals. Regarding women and children, if the eyes are between 14-18" then no more than 1 meal per week is recommended. If they are over 18" then no more than 1 meal per month is recommended. These stats are related to PCBs.
> 
> ...


You should notice from your link it was updated in 2014; http://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71548_54783_54784_54785_58671-296074--,00.html


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## growninmi (Feb 27, 2013)

Big Frank 25 said:


> You should notice from your link it was updated in 2014; http://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71548_54783_54784_54785_58671-296074--,00.html


This thread is 10 years old.
Angie20 has been reading posts of old and as you can see, just asks for people to catch the fish for him.
Its getting ridiculous, but is what it is.


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## MIfishslayer91 (Dec 24, 2013)

growninmi said:


> This thread is 10 years old.
> Angie20 has been reading posts of old and as you can see, just asks for people to catch the fish for him.
> Its getting ridiculous, but is what it is.


Kinda surprised he only made one post with only 10 questions on exactly where to go and how to catch em. Usually it's 4 posts in a row all a page long lol


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## growninmi (Feb 27, 2013)

MIfishslayer91 said:


> Kinda surprised he only made one post with only 10 questions on exactly where to go and how to catch em. Usually it's 4 posts in a row all a page long lol


Nothing coming from him is a surprise. 
I've bumped into several of his posts to the point I had to share a few with the old lady for entertainment purposes. 

To answer your question engine20, no the fish aren't there anymore. They all packed up and moved to a different lake. 

I'll try and give advice rather than just bust chops. 
Fish move through out the water they are in(they swim around), but some fish spend more time in certain parts. 
It's absolutely ludicrous to think that a fish will be in same spot every day 24/7, none the less asking if said fish are there 10 years later. 
You need to get out and try and find out for your self if the fish are in an area.

Not long ago when we had ice, I ventured out onto the ice. I ran into an old friend of my father's. He was fishing an had a mess of panfish. We chatted a bit, I was ready to move onto where I had planned fishing. As we talked he said he was leaving, told me to fish the holes he had been using and save my self some time and effort of drilling an such. Mind you I watched him pull a few fish In the time we talked. I had same bait, same tackle, so I figured why not. 
I sat on his holes for over 2 hours to catch 5 fish, 3 of which were dinks. He left with a limit. 
Case in point, just cause someone reports that they caught fish there once before or you even watch them catch them, it doesn't mean you will.
I was better off going to my honey hole as planned, but I took the easy road by using his holes, not walking the extra distance to my spot and look what it got me.

The only person who can tell you if the fish are there right now is you while you are catching them.

I can't tell you how many times I've been on a school of good fish, made a call to someone to come join me and by the time they arrive, the fish are gone. 
Only way you will catch fish is to get out there and wet a line. Only you can make that happen. As much as you ask for someone to point you to fish, the odds are not in your favor that the fish people were catching yesterday will be there today. 

Lastly, do yourself a favor and stop relying on what people on the internet are saying, especially fishermen, it's pretty much common sense that all fishermen are liars, myself included. 
Grab your pole, put your other pole away and go try fishing instead of reading about it.


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## engineer20 (Apr 17, 2015)

thanks for the updated fish consumption advisory, that was useful, a lot of the frequencies are lower than they were 6 years ago like the 6x a year walleye which was common. Anyways, any tips on spring crappie? on ford lake? will they be at stoney creek metropark next week?


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