North Carolina River Fishing and Canoeing with Mack: The Spring Crappie Bite is on Fire here in North Carolina !!

Thursday, February 22, 2018

The Spring Crappie Bite is on Fire here in North Carolina !!

Thursday February 22, 2018
Location- Central NC

Guys, the Crappie have been on fire here in Central NC for a few weeks but this week has been especially good. The water Temp in the area lakes and some of the Eastern Creeks has been in the mid 50's with Jordan hitting 59 degrees yesterday. This has got the Crappie wanting to spawn and moving into the shallows. Right now on Jordan and Falls Lake there are many many Crappie in 3 -5 feet of water. I have had my best luck throwing a 1/16 oz Monks head with a Kalins Triple Threat Grub In the Acid Rain Color. I have also been mainly throwing this jig on a 6' Berkeley Med Light Lighting Rod with a Daiwa Tierra 1500 reel spooled with 6 lb line. I am also throwing a Mini Rattle trap to weed out some of the smaller fish.

You can get anything Crappie related at Monks Crappie. He is located near Liberty, NC but does do mail order. ****

added 120122 - Note Monk passed away a few years back and his family sold the business so check out http://www.monkscrappie.com/

The Frabill E-Z Checker is a must as the area lakes have a 10 inch min size on the Crappie.

The E-Z Checker is 12 inches long so this ole girl is longer than 12

Get the Frabill EZ Checker Here - https://amzn.to/3FhfpXE

Get your Kalin Grubs Here - https://amzn.to/3XOZuqM

Here is my biggest so far this spring, a fat 14 inch one.

Here is a nice 12 incher I got walking the riprap.

I have kept a few each trip but I am letting go 90 percent of what I catch. Here are 2 gals that went 14 and 13 inches.

Right now since the fish are shallow, fish the back end of coves with overhanging willows , stumps etc. The back end of coves is where most are going to be but some can be found by walking the Rip rap as well and fan casting. They will spawn on the Rip rap.

Here are some of the lures I use for Crappie but if I only had one for this time of year it would be the Kalins in Acid Rain. These are not all I use but these are a must have for Crappie. Starting at the Mini trap and going clockwise are The Mini Trap, Blakemore Roadrunner, the 3rd is a jig with green flake and I think it is out of production I cant remember who makes it. I think it was a company in Virginia. I will post it if I remember the company name. FOUND IT!! They are made by the VIRGINIA GUIDE BAIT COMPANY. Next are 4 grubs by Charlie Brewer then last but not least is the Kalins grub in Acid Rain color. Purple Rain is also a good color.