How do you troll when crappie are above a 12 ft thermocline?
I’d be towing 1/32 ounce heads of some style with a 1 1/2" - 2" plastic of some sort, running 1.0 to 1.5 mph.
Qualifier: I am manually propelled at all times and troll by tossing my lines out the back and getting moving. In my experience, the idea above should keep you above your 12’ limit. A little faster probably wouldn’t hurt but no slower. At .7-.8 mph, I will catch the tops of weeds at around 12’.
No real experience with “X” feet of line out with “Y” ounces of weight at “Z” mph that can be found in some charts that others have posted links to in the past. I guess I run on hope and prayer.
Hope this helps a bit.
2 Likes
It does help. Thanks. I usually troll crankbaits at 16 ft. Now that’s too deep. I will try switching to jigs and maybe run planer boards. Thanks again.
Me, I’d pull 300 Bandits on 25-35 feet of line, using planer boards to get away from the boat. Or 200’s on 35-55 feet
1 Like
To run a jig down to the 12’ depth, I would Push my jigs below 1oz trolling weights @ 1mph with 20ft of line out below the surface. That’s what some charts show, but I base mine on length of line out times 0.6 equals the depth of the lure when running at 1mph. The jig may be running a little less than 12’ but it’s close enough for my purpose.
Of course, if you’re longlining, that equation won’t work (since you wouldn’t be using a 1oz weight). You’d be using more line out to get to that depth, and that’s precisely why I don’t longline with multiple rods. Less line to reel in gives the fish less chance or time to come unbuttoned. It’s also going to be more difficult to make any sharp turns with 50+ft of line out on multiple rods.
FWIW … I’m Pushing jigs out of a 16’ boat w/42# thrust 12v TM on 4 or 5 (depending on wind/wave action & direction)
1 Like
To run deeper, I tend to add some weight up to 1 oz and some extra line if I push, and it’ll be more line if I long line with or without weights. For 12’ pulling Bandit 300s, I tend to just run them with about 55’ of line and no weights. My speeds tend to be no more than 0.2-1.0 mph pushing, although 0.7 mph seems to be a good number when I want to cover water without getting too fast. For crankbaits, I generally start at 1.5 mph, although I’ve caught them between 1.4-1.8 mph.
1 Like
Good stuff crappiepappy. I rarely use jigs but when I do I use Brad Chappels chart and longline. My boat is set up too different to push. Illinois laws dictate that decision.
What JWhite said on cranks. I’m not a jig troller..
1 Like
I can’t push with my set up. I use a 2oz weight and use line counters to adjust line to determine depth. The problem is to run at 9 ft deep it is too close to the boat. I use 7 and 9 ft rods. Thanks
Just a note, if the thermocline is at 12 foot, the crappie will likely be between 8-10’ down. Like always you need your bait above a crappie to get bit, so you will be running your baits at 6-8’ down. If you run baits at 12’ with a 12’ thermocline you will be frustrated.
Quite often when there is a high thermocline (less than 20’) i find crappie at about the 6 foot depth suspended out chasing bait. It seems to me that usually mid summer the bait likes to be in that first temperature change from the surface boiling hot water, which is about 3-5’ down, and crappie right below them. Thats usually where i look first when the water gets around 80f, if i see a big mark about 6’ down its usually a nice crappie.
I dont know of an effective way to troll crappie up this high mid summer without spooking them. Maybe planer boards but thats out of my skillset. If you run over a crappie sitting 6-8’ below your boat on a calm summer day around here, that crappie is a goner. I scope them and cast 1/32 heads with baby shads or swimbaits.
3 Likes
I truly understand. Once I start going more than 8-10’ deep, I need to add more weight (for which there is a limit), slow down, or pull long line, even with 16’ trolling rods when I see that the fish are moving away from the boat. My long line rods are 8’, 10’, and 14’.
1 Like
Well, it looks like some of you are in step with what I usually try. Some of you have some interesting methods. I’ve been doing this for about 60 yrs and not too old to learn new things about fishing. Just too old to remember it 
Thanks all!
1 Like
1/32 oz with a 1.5-2” plastic at 1.5mph isn’t going to go very deep no matter how much line you put out….
We troll all summer above the deep weeds on edges of deep basins, 12-16’ water 4-6 feet of weeds growing up from the bottom 1/8-3/8 oz jigs 1.5-2+mph….1/8 jig with a 3” plastic at 1.5mph 60-70 feet out to run 6-7 feet deep.
