Crappie fishing in Oregon

[mustardthetrout]

I can't find any legitimate information about where and how to fish crappie in Oregon. I've been fishing for nearly every species that you can find in Oregon. I'm definitely not anywhere close to being an expert at fishing for most of them but I've managed to at least catch most of them. However, I am completely lost about crappie fishing.

I hear about nearly every lake conceivably having them, but I feel like they just get lumped into the bluegill/pumpkinseed/perch conglomerate that everyone assumes is in every warm water lake or river system. I also really don't know how to fish for them. If anyone has any spots or techniques they'd like to share I'd really appreciate it.

 

[Fishpdx]

fern ridge has some. a couple spots on the willamette , and columbia. I don't usually target them but they stalk me around this year while fishing for either smallmouth or bluegills. try using green tubes by powerbait. like 1-2 inch

 

[Big3d]

Tubes or jigs under a bobber, small spinners sometimes get 'em. I used to catch a few in the tualatin on those cheap yellow bodied jigs with a powerbait crappie nibble on the tip. They are in Hagg lake 100% sure.

 

[the_intimidator03]

I slayed black and white crappie last week at Ben Irving Reservoir. If you can find submurged wood or structure they will hang amongst it. I was using just a small 1-2 inch curly tail grub both under a float and just casting and retreiving.

 

[bubs]

I've had random days at Hagg lake where I catch a bunch, darker colored jigs with some green have been the hot ticket for me but hard to tell how much color matters with them!

 

[espencer757]

The sure fire way to catch them is to go fishing with me. No, I'm not an expert, but if we use the same lure or jig, same presentation, in the same spot, you will catch them, I will get skunked. For some reason, crappie hate me. All around me, people will knock them dead, and I won't get a nibble. I truly Beetlejuice that if the human survival were based off of me catching a crappie, we would all go extinct. Sad too, because I think crappie are one of the best eating fish there is. Oh, and don't let Carp fool you, I saw a video he posted catching them two at a time. He knows how to target then and he knows how to catch them. He's just being modest.

 

[bass]

Crappie fishing in Oregon

I have not spent time targeting crappie here in Oregon. I have had days where I caught them at Hagg as part of a mixed panfish bag, but I have not found the schools that must be there. On the Willamette I have been told many times that Swan Island harbor has a good population, but I have never fished there during what I would consider a prime time. I would not eat them from there, but if you want to C&R or catch them to use for sturgeon bait it would be worth checking out.

In general I have heard of folks having good success on the Willamette around pilings, but finding the pilings that hold fish will take some searching. I was told that there are plenty of pilings with no fish on them but if you keep searching you will eventually find a bunch. I have never put in the proper effort.

In terms of lures, a jig and a bobber was always a killer. Experiment with depths. If you are not catching fish it is not some subtle error in your presentation. It is because there are no fish there. Keep moving until you find fish. They are a schooling fish so if you do find them you will usually catch a bunch.

Last thoughts. There is a fellow name codeman (who is on a different site) who is a panfish slayer. He shows good reports from Scappoose bay. He launches his kayak but fishes the docks right there.

Best of luck!

 

[O. mykiss]

Take a very small bobber or large corky and toothpick it so it won't move. Try using white, white and yellow, white and red crappie jigs with 1/64 oz jig heads. Go in the evening when the shadows hit the water and fish into the dark. Look structure!!! Down limbs and trees are a must. I have also done really well some days tipping with crappie nibbles. Freeway lakes near Albany has quite a few, fern ridge lake has some hogs, hang lake, junction city pond. If you really want to get into them brownlee reservoir is the top crappie fishery in oregon

 

[TheKnigit]

Like the_intimdator03 I have had pretty good luck for crappie at Ben Irving. I have hooked all of mine on a worm under a bobber from the bank. When I was living over in the Medford area I used to fish Medco Pond in the summer evenings with my fly rod. I did really well casting a black ant fly towards the shallows/cover. I could hardly keep the buggers off of the line.

 

[mustardthetrout]

This is all very helpful! Thank you!

 

[martin s.]

I've caught thousands of crappie in my life time and spent a half of my days trying to figure out the how to,s. Crappies school together, find one, you can find them all. Once you find the depth of there location on the fish finder, you can proceed to target them any where around the lake or river at that same depth of water. Crappies like sunrises and at dawn to feed. The warmer the days, the better fishing in the evenings, the warmer the nights the better fishing early mornings. On still waters you will see them come to the surface to feed along with the BIG bull blue gill, fish these areas. Large crappie don't travel far from there home areas. LETS FISH.... Crappie rod, 8 to ten ft. rod, slow action. {B&M makes an outstanding rod}. 3 to 4 pound test mono. Reel of your choice. Set your drag as light as possible, these fish have paper thin mouths and will rip the hooks out..... LURES, Rebel and slamo make the smallest floating/diving lures, get 2 that are orange crayfish imitations. tie them on to your line, troll them behind the boat at about 30 yds; just fast enough that you can see the rod tip working with the lure, I row the boat instead of a using trolling motor, crappie don't like motor noise. Row over the areas that look productive. If your using 2 rods you will find it nice that the lures don't sink into the weeds while you stopped rowing. THE BONUS..... You will catch a lot of big CRAPPIE worth taking home to mama, plus some nice jumbo Blue gill. The small fish of both species wont mess with this technique. Good luck and enjoy, and let me know how you do. Remember study the water..... Martin S.