Crappie Under the Stars

Special Bonus Features

Article and Photos by Monte Burch

Want to load the boat with crappie this summer?
Try fishing the dark side of the day, when crappie are most active.

ant to beat the heat of summer's "dog days," have some fishing fun and--best of all--collect a mess of mighty fine skillet fare as well? Try fishing crappie under the stars. Granted, you can catch crappie in the daytime during the heat of the summer months, but in many areas the best opportunities occur after the sun's gone down.



	Heaton recommends placing your crappie rods in holders around your boat.

Sam Heaton, well know crappie expert and guide on Alabama's Weiss lake, has his own theory on nighttime crappie angling. "Biologists have told me that until a crappie gets to be an adult, 70% of their diet is made up of insects," says Heaton. "They're big insect eaters. Once the water reaches 75 to 80 degrees in early summer, insects begin to hatch. Many of the most common insects, such as mayflies, hatch at night. The water comes alive with insects coming up off the bottom of the lake or stream and all that really brings on a nighttime feeding binge."

However, Heaton doesn't just go out anywhere in the middle of the lake and begin crappie fishing. He concentrates on those areas he knows he'll catch crappie day or night--drop-offs, river and creek channels, submerged road beds, and intersections of structure. He also looks for cover on those structures. One excellent spot that often concentrates these structures is a bridge. In many parts of the country, you can make out a string of piers at night by the lights of crappie anglers twinkling around rows of bridge piers.

"I anchor my boat right on top of the structure," notes Heaton. "For instance, a river bank that drops off from 6 to 10, 15 and 35 feet in steps, is one of my favorite spots. I anchor my pontoon boat front and back so it won't swing around and won't move."

Heaton uses a generator on his pontoon boat to supply energy for his lights, although he says most people will probably have to settle for propane lanterns. He feels liquid fuel lanterns are not as safe in that situation. Three rods per person are allowed on Weiss Lake, and the guide rigs his rods with a slip sinker, a split shot, No. 1 hook and live bait. He sets the baits at different depths down to around 10 feet.

"You need to fish that outside edge of the lights, where the light and the dark meet," suggests Heaton. "Fish that edge, just like it was a brush pile, blowdown or other cover. That edge becomes a piece of 'structure'. You need to fish with a fluorescent cork so you can see it move. The light will really pick it up."



	Nighttime brings on the best crappie action during the summer months, due to the reduced heat and light as well as numerous insects hatching in the water. Floating crappie lights, tied to your boat or nearby trees or brush, are a good way to attract insects.

Heaton uses long 10- to 12-foot B'n'N crappie rods so he doesn't have to cast, instead merely swinging the bait softly out under the edge of the lights. He then places the rods in holders positioned around the railing of his pontoon boat.

Heaton prefers Spiderwire Fusion line because there is virtually no stretch and even the slightest action is telegraphed to the cork. "I don't use Spiderwire braid because it's too soft, too supple and tangles around my terminal tackle," he notes. "I use the Fusion 6/10 line because it has enough body that it doesn't tangle and wrap, yet it has so much sensitivity that often people think they're getting a bite when it is actually the bait moving the line. I use Eagle Claw gold wire hooks and size the hook to the bait. With a wire hook you can set the hook easier in a crappie and stand less of a chance of putting a rip in the fish's soft mouth. If you use a forged hook and tear a big hole in the fish's mouth, the hook will flop out. Also, the wire hook penetrates so much easier. The cork is also very important. I never use a round bobber. Mick Thill makes the best tapered floats in the world, and that's what I use."

Whitey Outlaw, from Gaston, South Carolina, guides on Santee Cooper and finished third in the 1997 American Crappie Association Classic on Truman last year. Outlaw also looks for creeks with a lot of drops to begin his night crappie fun. "All our lakes have standing timber. We simply take a 12-volt battery with a light and hang the light off a tree or brush pile," Outlaw explains. "Sometimes we just nail a board to a tree and hang a lantern on it. We then set five or six lines out under the light. We usually fish about nine feet deep over 12- to 14-feet of water. The lights draw in the baitfish and bugs and it's really productive. We use a slip cork on a 6 1/2- to 7-foot regular spinning outfit and place a split shot about a foot-and-a-half above a No 1 hook. We normally hook the minnow through the lips, but if the fish aren't biting real well, we hook through the dorsal fin for more action. The fish will tell you what they want most of the time. I try to get rosy red minnows as they tend to work best on Santee".

Right at dusk/dark, just after the sun goes down, seems to produce the most action for Outlaw. He also finds the fishing can be really productive right after a summer storm.

"On a good night, we'll take anywhere from 95 to 150 crappie averaging a pound-and-a-quarter," he says. "Some nights are better than others, but that's fishing!"

This summer, when the boat traffic and daytime sun and heat run you off the lake, consider trying crappie fishing under the stars. But before you go, you best make sure you have plenty of cooking oil and a big skillet back home. You're probably going to need it!

Starlight Crappie Gear

B'N'M Sam Heaton Signature Series crappie rods come in 9-, 10- and 12-foot lengths, are extremely light and sensitive, yet have plenty of backbone. Designed especially for crappie angling, they feature IM6 graphite construction, aluminum oxide Fuji Concept guides and an EVA foam handle. Fit the rod with a Buck's Mini Reel for the complete combo. (B&M Company, 800/647- 6363)

If you're looking for a great starlight crappie platform, consider the Sun Tracker Party Barge 21. Twenty feet, 6 inches in length with a maximum capacity of 13 people, it will handle your entire party for a whole night of crappie angling. Comes in a package with Tracker 40 ELPT power outboard and trailer for just $9,995 less freight and rigging. (Tracker Marine, 800/227- 7776)

The Black Widow Spider Rigging System from Tite Lok allows you to set out three rods in one convenient location. It can be quickly installed on any boat, adjusts to any angle, rotates 360 degrees and locks into 12 different positions. The Tite Lok Lantern Holder can be used to clamp a lantern to a boat gunwale or railing while the Tite Lok Lantern Reflector installs under the top of the lantern nut to shield the back of the lantern and reflect light forward. (Tite Lok, 219/593-2277)

The Coleman 2-Mantle Electronic Ignition Propane Lantern lasts up to 18 hours on one cylinder of propane. It has a matchless, easy-to-light feature, is great out on the water, and has a regulated constant light output regardless of weather conditions. (The Coleman Company, 316/832-2653)

Floating crappie lights, such as the Fish-N-Lite, that can be hung from trees or even tied to your boat gunwale, are available from Bass Pro Shops (800/227-7776)

The Bugslugger Light hangs over the water and has a motor-driven plastic whip that knocks insects into the water, providing food for the fish. As the fish pop the surface to feed on the insects, the noise attracts other fish. (Bugslugger, 903/509- 0170)

Mick Thill Shy Bite super-sensitive floats are ideal for crappie. Sinking light of the Blue Fox Firefly lighted floats signal when you have a strike. All are available from Bass Pro Shops. (800/277-7776)

Key Night-Time Crappie Locations

The best locations for nighttime crappie are the drops of creeks and river channels with cover on them. Sam Heaton doesn't just go out anywhere in the mniddle of the lake and begin crappie fishing. He concentrates on those areas he knows he'll catch crappie day or night--dropoffs, river and creek channels, submerged road beds, and intersections of structure. He also looks for cover on those structures. One excellent spot that often concentrates these structures is a bridge.

Fishing the Edge of Light

Lights, such as lanterns suspended over the water, attract insects and prey fish, which bring in the crappie. Sam Heaton suggests fishing right at the edge where darkness meets the light. "Fish that edge, just like it was a brush pile, blowdown or other cover. That edge becomes a piece of 'structure.' You need to fish with a fluorescent cork so you can see it move. The light will really pick it up."

Your Guides --------- Crappie After Dark

"Biologists have told me that until a crappie gets to be an adult, 70% of their diet is made up of insects. Once the water reaches 75 to 80 degrees in early summer, insects begin to hatch. The water comes alive with insects coming off the bottom of the lake or stream and all that really brings on a night- time feeding binge."

--Crappie Expert and Guide, Sam Heaton

Sam Heaton Guide Service on Weiss Lake Leesburg, AL,		(205) 526-8755

Whitley Outlaw RT. 2, Box 1772, Gaston, SC 29053,		(8035) 791-0026

Monte Burch makes his home in the Missouri Ozarks, where he is an avid fisherman and hunter. His writing is a staple in many of the nations top outdoor publications.