Crappies

[Prober]

Hi,
I'm hoping you can help me out here. I've got a friend coming from Illinois in April and he's interested in fishing for crappies. I live on the Kitsap peninsula and am looking for locations to target them. This will be before the season opens and the less time spent travelling means more time fishing. Can anyone help with suggestions? Thanks in advance!

[Amx]

If this will be before the season opens, then you can't fish for them. Unless you find a lake that is open year around. So read the regs carefully and locate an open lake, then travel to that/those lake/lakes.

[Prober]

OK Tom, I may have been born at night, but it wasn't last night! I appreciate the reply but what I was looking for was information on which lakes I'd be likely to find crappies. I understand about the timing of the season being closed, hence my mentioning it, so anyone replying would understand that whatever lakes were suggested would have to be year-round lakes. There are actually two in Kitsap County, but I don't know if there are crappie in either of them. Perhaps you do- Kitsap Lake and Long Lake?
Thanks!

[Larry3215]

You can look at the fishing reports for both lakes on this forum as well as the info page for species in the lake.

I have fished both of those lakes but not very often. That said, I havent even seen a fish of any kind caught on Long lake in years and only a few small bass and trout on Kitsap. That doesnt mean they arent there of course

[jbball50]

Your bets are long lake and Lake Leland. I haven't caught a crappie at long lake in a long time, heard it used to be good but not sure about now, haven't fished that lake in years because the skiers chop up all the weeds and has too much bs in it to fish last time I tried it. Leland holds some crappie too, if you can find them you can get some nice ones. I've heard Kitsap had them but have never tried for them there and that was back in the 90s when I heard they held them so I'm not sure about how the population is now.

[Prober]

Thanks, jb. I talked to my friend this afternoon and we're probably going to hit LL on Friday, Kitsap on Saturday, then if we want we might hit one or the other Sunday morning. Leland might be an option for me later but we'd rather spend our time fishing rather than traveling this time. It might be something to look into by myself later on. I appreciate the info!

[schu7498]

I would suggest taking the drive to Kapowsin lake. You will catch crappie all day long, though it may be challenging to find one of decent size.

[Prober]

Thanks, Shu. Again, I may try that at a later date but my friend has stressed the point about fishing rather than traveling. I don't know if you remember, but I live on the Kitsap peninsula in Port Orchard and Kapowsin is longer than we want to drive. I don't mind making a trip myself as you know but since he's coming from IL I kind of want to defer to his wishes. If he's willing to make that trip, I want to make his visit as pleasurable as possible. While on the subject, my boat is a v-hull glass. How is Kapowsin for fishing a boat of that kind? I seem to remember hearing it has a lot of submerged hazards- stumps/snags and the like.

[Larry3215]

Those submerged hazards are what can - at times - make it a good fishing lake. The main downside for me is the break-in problem in the parking lot. Its pretty nasty and I wont risk my rig after hearing too many stories of broken windows, doors locks, etc.

[fishinChristian]

Leland can be pretty good, but Kapowsin is off my list due to so many breakins and vehicle damage. There is another thread on those dangers on this site. When fishing leland think light line and edges.

[Prober]

Thanks for the input guys. Especially the security issue. I'd hate to think it's fishermen doing this and it probably isn't but nevertheless It won't make that area more appealing! Leland might be worth a trip in a few weeks though...

[Larry3215]

From all reports its crackheads and other scum.

[fishinChristian]

As Larry says, rough neighborhood, emphasis hood.