Crappie

[Magicman]

This year's high water must have things just right because the Crappie are really plentiful and biting.  Most folks here use jigs and crappie poles that resemble fly rods.  Of course, some folks also use minnows but that is expensive and troublesome.  The lead head jigs are very reliable.


 
Skillet broiled Crappie filets (in Wishbone Italian dressing) and pan roasted new potatoes.   

[caveman]

Magic, that is a good looking plate of groceries.  I think I would need a bigger plate or stack it quite a bit higher.  Unfortunately, I did not fish for specks this past fall/winter.  Here is a picture of my youngest daughter with a couple of speckled perch (crappie).  We catch them on cane poles dragging jigs early in the fall.  Later, we will cast jigs over holes. When they start bedding, I love to catch them in less than 18" of water around wood with a jig set about a foot under a cork on a cane pole.   

  The fish in her left hand is a male, the other is not.
Caveman

[drobertson]

Them fish and taters by all rights, should not be allowed to be posted ;D   Man, that looks really good! Really good!  Not sure what to do now, I am in a quandary,  can't think right, believe I have a fever, ;D
Caveman, if you do with them slabs what you do with chicken on the grill, well, Lord have mercy on all of us!

[sandhills]

Magic that's a good looking meal, I love crappie, neighbors went fishing Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning and were catching them as fast as they could cast out.  Talk about jealousy  :D!

[caveman]

Drobertson, I haven't tried grilling/smoking specks, although smoked mullet is one of my favorites.  Most of the time I cook fish I fry it in peanut oil battered in corn meal (finely ground Grits).  Occasionally I will blacken specks like one would do snapper in a cast iron skillet.  I am ready to start catching some fish but work keeps interfering. 
Caveman

[WDH]

This thread is taxing on the appetite.

[drobertson]

This thread is taxing on the appetite.

Exactly 8)  Caveman, I did not mean grilling the specks, but I bet it would be good!
corn meal is the automatic go to for sure, at times I will do a lite score, mix some ranch with the meal and pack it in.  Makes good crunchies ;D 

[sandhills]

You guys are killing me, I'm grilling a pork chop  :'(.  I gotta go fishing!

[coxy]

Magic, that is a good looking plate of groceries.  I think I would need a bigger plate or stack it quite a bit higher.  Unfortunately, I did not fish for specks this past fall/winter.  Here is a picture of my youngest daughter with a couple of speckled perch (crappie).  We catch them on cane poles dragging jigs early in the fall.  Later, we will cast jigs over holes. When they start bedding, I love to catch them in less than 18" of water around wood with a jig set about a foot under a cork on a cane pole.   

  The fish in her left hand is a male, the other is not.
Caveman

the crappie around here don't get that big  the perch get to about 15-16in long most crappie are 10-11in and look like a string bean  ;D ;D

[Magicman]

Our river systems are ideal for Crappie.  High (flood) waters sorta flushes things out each year and the cycle continues.  Shad is the key word.  Keeping their bellies full makes large fish.

[caveman]

17"is the biggest that I've caught. 14" with some width (shoulders) is what I call a slab.  They are so fun to trick under a cork with a jig in shallow water.
Caveman