Perris panfish lures

These are a few of my favorites for the big Bluegill and Redears at LP.  I usually tip the jigs with a cricket or waxwork or earthworm (Georgia Jumpers are the best!) and those tiny 1/32 oz. Dardevle Skeeter spoons are fantastic on a slow steady retrieve.  That "hot mackerel" color is my favorite.  You need to tie these on with a loose loop knot so the spoon can have more action.  Don't use a swivel.  The fish will chase the spoon and slam it hard.  Almost like a trout.  I like the silver jigs because the larger 'Gills feed on the baby shad.  Got my PB 18 inch crappie there on that red- eyed one.  The belly spinner jig at times has been a good lure to slowly troll, to find the groups of fish.
If you have a longer ultralight rod, like a 6 or 7 footer, and 2 lb test line, you can really throw these tiny baits out pretty far.

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I would like to see a picture of an 18" crappie and those spoons you are talk about sound great, I miss fishing for Crappie. It use to be my summer thing at Lake Gregory as a kid.

Here's that crappie.  When I laid her out flat and closed her tail, and lined her up better on that measuring line, she went 18".  I temporally put her on that stringer so I could have both hands free to get my camera out of the zippered pocket in my float tube, take it out of the ziplock bag, then get a couple quick pics, measure her then release her back into the lake unharmed.  When I first saw the fish down deep as I was fighting it and carefully bringing it in, I thought it was a huge Bluegill!  I thought I had a 3 or 4 pound 'Gill!  But an 18 inch crappie isn't too bad either!
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Thanks for the little clinic Komori!
I met Jeff in person today and was telling him tips and sharing like this is why I like this board.

Yep Jerdon that is what makes this board so cool thanks for the tips and the picture   sweet slab buddy.

to this day I am still hunting for my first Perris Crappie , I have seen multiple ones pulled out around me. from the east end , island to mainly the marina, which seems to be the hotspot this year again as they fixed the lights on the docks and the bait is moving through in force again , But I am too cheap to even pay $3 to fish off the darn things    

WES

Thanks for the tips and those are some nice crappie you got there. Crappie and Blue Gill are still on my bucket list.

.:LOLLY:. wrote:Thanks for the tips and those are some nice crappie you got there. Crappie and Blue Gill are still on my bucket list.

Bluegill are no problem , but Crappie hate me for some reason , I cant catch one to save my life . same thing with a catfish on the tube lol

Cool lures...ive never panfished myself but will now. thanks for the insight!!!

Wes.. (and anyone interested)- The best general area where I have caught several very nice crappie while float tubing, is an area that is out from the Bernasconi launch spot where the lake is about 18 feet deep, then slowly kick along and "troll" a 1/16 oz white trout tube jig with a waxwork tail hooked on it. It also helps to tie on (dropshot style) another tube jig of another color up about 20 inches from the bottom jig. Don't use a jig head on this upper lure, just a # 8 hook pinned through the head end. After you are out about 200 yards or about where the buoy is, turn left and work your way toward the tower at the dam. There is an area of rock rubble or riprap along the shore. This has been a great area at times for big crappie. Stay out several hundred feet from shore. Remember to keep your jig down fairly deep, but not on the bottom. If you have a fish finder, that should be a great help in locating schools of crappie. There used to be some trees down on the lake bottom here, but I can't find them any more. Don't know if they just rotted away or got hauled out. I could always find some nice crappie there. Seems like if you can find standing wood, you can find the crappie.

Thanks , Jeff I will give that a shot , thats where I hooked the crappie back in March and lost it . but it was on a slow trolled lake fork shad blk/char 1/16oz ... I always carry a white tube jig with me , the fish love them there   

Bernasoni this time of year , launching from the spot that has been cleared right at the buoy line is loaded with ants , spiders and snakes gotta watch your step and get in the water fast for sure !

Wes- Aare you talking about the old Bernasconi Road that goes into the lake? I've never had any problems at this spot with any kind of critters. Actually the only one that would worry me would be a rattler, but I'd just make him move on. This has always been a really nice spot to get in your tube. A nice gradual launch area that right next to some good fishing spots. The only bad thing is the long walk from the parking area.

Misfitdog wrote:

.:LOLLY:. wrote:Thanks for the tips and those are some nice crappie you got there. Crappie and Blue Gill are still on my bucket list.

Bluegill are no problem , but Crappie hate me for some reason , I cant catch one to save my life . same thing with a catfish on the tube lol

I know what you mean about the crappie - they disappear when I arrive.

Komori wrote:These are a few of my favorites for the big Bluegill and Redears at LP.  I usually tip the jigs with a cricket or waxwork or earthworm (Georgia Jumpers are the best!) and those tiny 1/32 oz. Dardevle Skeeter spoons are fantastic on a slow steady retrieve.  That "hot mackerel" color is my favorite.  You need to tie these on with a loose loop knot so the spoon can have more action.  Don't use a swivel.  The fish will chase the spoon and slam it hard.  Almost like a trout.  I like the silver jigs because the larger 'Gills feed on the baby shad.  Got my PB 18 inch crappie there on that red- eyed one.  The belly spinner jig at times has been a good lure to slowly troll, to find the groups of fish.
If you have a longer ultralight rod, like a 6 or 7 footer, and 2 lb test line, you can really throw these tiny baits out pretty far.

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Thanks for the reminder, Jeff. I recall you showing those micro spoons a few years back on Big Bluegill.
They inspired me to try small spoons, too (this was about the time we heard of "Musky" Bill Modica's spooning techniques).
I got some of those Skeeters, and hand painted a couple like your 'Hot Mackerel,' but never had much hit em. Then I got my hands on some dinky Johnson "Silver Minnows" (1/12oz), and found the beefy bluegill liked em. That silver plating they have emits a hot flash not found on chrome lures. I added just the tail portion of a white twist tail grub to them and fished em "slow fall" around wood and weeds. Put them close, let them flutter down a few feet and twitch-pause them back. They're usually grabbed within 5 feet of the landing zone.

Good times! Thanks again.

Another very effective lure that I should have mentioned is the good old Kastmaster spoon.  I like the 1/12 oz blue and chrome model, but the 1/8 oz. is good too.  Again, don't use a swivel, just a red snap.  It won't twist your line as long as you reel it back in slowly so it just wobbles and swims.  The factory hooks suck so I change the hooks and put on sharper black or red double hooks, which helps avoid snagging the brush somewhat.
Here's a little bright female that hit the Kastmaster.
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I like the glowing fin tips!

Thanks for the tips! I have a question, when working your jigs, do you tend to use a twitching bobber retrieve or just cast and twitch back in? I haven't caught a gill/greenie in a LOOOOONG time.

Yeah, sorry.. I never really said how to work the jigs. Basically after I cast out, I leave my bail open a short time so the jig will sink down without swinging back toward me. For Redears and Bluegill, you want your jig near the bottom, but watch your line because at times a fish will grab it on the way down. I like to just shake the rod a little bit to give it some action and get the attention of the fish. With marabou feather jigs, they have so much movement underwater that not much rod shaking is needed. Being in a float tube, you don't need to make many casts, as long as you don't mind to keep slowly kicking your fins and "trolling" along. I do this when I eat a sandwich. Just put your rod in a holder and keep your line out. Keep an eye on it. Some of those Redear will try to pull your rod in!
If you want to just sit and relax, then you will be doing some casting and retrieving your jigs. If you are in about 15 feet of water or more, you can just drop your jig straight down and twitch/shake it a few feet off the bottom. It gets real exciting if you have a good fish finder and see a bunch of fish under you.

Koromi, Thanks for the tip! I think it time to take my grandson (11 years old) out to catch some crappie. Tons of fun fishing! This is a great board!