BLUEGILL, CRAPPIE & BASS

Wisconsin waters offer the fly fisher countless opportunities to enjoy his sport. All its game and pan fish will take a properly presented fly and not the least of these is the omnipresent crappie.

There are two species found in the state, the white crappie and the black. They are similar in appearance and although coloration varies in different waters, the white crappie, as a rule, is silver below with seven or eight greenish vertical bands on the sides and back, while the black crappie is yellowish below with its sides and back mottled with irregular blotches of very dark green or black.

The black crappie has seven or eight dorsal spines as compared to six for the white. It also has a longer dorsal fin. Also the black is much darker overall than the white, and when glimpsed taking a surface fly, often appears to have a brownish cast, much as a rainbow trout looks rose colored when it rises.

Most crappies taken in Wisconsin are black, the white being found in only a few of the state's southern waters. Both have very similar habits and feeding preferences. As a rule, those taken from northern waters are the darkest colored.

Although primarily lake fish, they also inhabit flowing water and are more

apt to be found in rivers than bluegills.

Small to medium size lakes with lots of vegetation, typical bass and bluegill habitat, seem to be ideal. Many large lakes have bays and inlets that duplicate small lake conditions and these are usually a good bet for crappies.

The black prefers clean water but the white will tolerate some mud and silt. Their flesh is very palatable although in midsummer, when taken from extremely warm water, the white may tend to be soft.

Of special interest to the Wisconsin fly fisher is the fact that the black crappie continues to feed right through the winter months and does not go into semi-hibernation as the water cools. There is no closed season on crappies so it is often the first fish to take a fly in the spring and the last in the fall. It extends the fly fishing season from ice-out to freeze-up and even provides sport for the midwinter fly-rodder on open water around dams and power houses.

The name "crappie" as applied to the black, is comparatively new. In this writer's youth they were known as "calico bass" and all but the most recent reference works still give this name.

Dr. James Henshal, a much quoted angling writer and ichthyologist who lived in Oconomowoc around the turn of the century, commented in a book published in 1903 on the "tenacity of life in the calico bass". He said, "A specimen from which a drawing was made, was wrapped in a piece of paper when taken from water, and carried in a coat pocket for over four hours and when placed in water soon revived and seems at the present time to enjoy good health.

He went on to say, "I know of many instances occurring with myself and others, when freshly caught calicos have been revived after being frozen several hours".

They seem to better survive frozen-out conditions than bass or bluegills and many lakes, for two or three years after a winter kill, produce fabulously large crappies. Evidently when competition for food is reduced enough, their growth is accelerated tremendously.

Wet or dry flies, small cork bugs and streamers all work well. Some white or yellow in sunken flies seems to attract crappies. A yellow and white hair wing streamer is usually a good producer. A locally popular crappie streamer is tied with a silver body, a white hair wing flanked by badger hackle feathers and topped with a few strands of peacock herl. Tied on size eight or 10 hooks it looks remarkably like a small minnow and enjoys a loyal following.

Wet flies with stiff divided quill section wings are good. Crappies often like a very slow moving fly that still has action. This type wing will make a fly wobble when retrieved slowly. Goose quill sections cut from the stiff part of the feather work well or the wings can be stiffened with lacquer or varnish.

Crappies have a disconcerting habit of swimming at the same speed as the fly, mouthing it and, if it doesn't seem edible, releasing it without disturbing the line or leader enough to alert the fisher.

This is an instance where white wings can be advantageous. Not only are they attractive to crappies but in clear water the white usually can be seen for a good share of the retrieve. If the white disappears, pull and you've got a crappie.

When they are taking in this manner, fly fishing for crappies is wonderful practice for trout anglers who have trouble recognizing a hit while fishing nymphs.

At times crappies can be very interested in conventional dark patterns. Some anglers rig a dropper on their leader with a small yellow and white streamer attached and a drab colored nymph or wet fly as a tail fly. The theory being that even if crappies aren't interested in taking the streamer, it will attract them close enough to see the other fly and they will probably take that. This does seem to bring good results.

Trying a small popper on the dropper and a wet pattern as tail fly sometimes is a good idea in cloudy weather or early evening when crappies move closer to the surface. The disturbance the popper makes attracts them within range of the sunken fly.

A brown hackle peacock, a regular coachman (with white wings), a peacock herl nymph or a wooly worm on size eight or 10 hooks are all good wet flies.

In midday crappie, in lakes, tend to stay deep. Small, one sixty-fourth ounce jigs can be easily cast with fly tackle and they sink quickly. The ones with plastic "wagtails" are good. Give them time to sink and retrieve slowly.

Bluegills and bass are often taken by casting right into the weeds. Crappies hang around weeds too, but they are more often found cruising in open water out around the weed beds.

Sinking lines are advantageous for daytime fishing as are weighted flies, but ordinarily the two shouldn't be used together.

Using an unweighted fly with a sinking line will mean that the fly can move along above bottom vegetation and snags. Leader length and the fly's buoyancy will determine how high from the bottom the fly travels on retrieve. When fishing deep with a floating line, using a weighted fly as the dropper will let the tail fly swim clear of the bottom.

As evening approaches, crappies move closer to the surface and at dusk frequently take floating lures readily. Many popper fishers have learned that, when bluegill activity ceases, just before dark, crappies start taking their lures, and continue to do so well into the night.

They will come up after surface lures in the daytime, especially on an overcast day but, as a rule they like a faster retrieve than bluegills or bass do. A yellow popper usually is a good choice. Move it with starts and stops but make the pulls between stops brisk.

In most Wisconsin waters spawning occurs in May or June. Until this time they concentrate in schools which when located can produce fast fishing. Later they divide up into smaller groups but, anytime of the year if one is located, there are usually more near.

In lakes, look for them around, but not necessarily in, weed beds, submerged brush or other cover. In rivers checkout fallen trees, overhanging brush and below dams.

Remember, the black crappie is one of the few members of its family(which includes the black basses and sunfish) that does not go into semi-hibernation in the winter. It will take your flies right up until ice-over and can truly extend the fly fishing season.