A Black Crappie to Remember

Panfish can be a joy to catch even on a local creek with only shoreline access

When it comes to panfish, there’s only been one so far that has given me the shakes. You know, the feeling of adrenaline and excitement that is only caused by a big fish? Although I’m talking about a panfish here, this one black crappie holds a memory that will forever stick in my mind. Maybe it’s because black crappie are my favourite amongst panfish, or because it was a fish that almost got away. Or maybe even the fact that it took me some effort to get this one to bite at all. In the end, any personal best creates a memory and motivation to catch an even bigger one! Here’s the story of my personal best black crappie, caught last spring.

I had found a small creek connected to a lake near my house that I was able to access only from shore. It was very narrow and too shallow in some areas for a boat to get into. Even a canoe or a kayak would be overkill for this creek. It was about 8 to 10 feet wide, winding, rugged, and about 3 - 4 feet deep at the very most. It was shallow, with a dark bottom, and surrounded by old reeds and brush. A beaver built a house there, so there were plenty of submerged sticks and trees in the area for fish to hold on. This made for a great environment for crappie to move in, eat, and spawn.

creek shoreline
(Photo credit: Ashley Rae)

Now, this wasn’t a super early season spot, as the crappie moved in here a little later than other areas I’d fished. It was still holding a lot of crappie though, and some bluegill and pumpkinseed as well. I’d caught loads of spring crappie up until this point and was on the hunt for a personal best. This was the type of spot that it was best to creep up to as the fish could spot you and spook away pretty easily. One afternoon I was scoping out the creek and spotted through the murky water a large crappie hovering around a stump. It looked like a nice fish from what I could tell, even through the stained water. I snuck up on this fish and worked a white 1-inch tube under a float right up to it. No interest. It took me what felt like forever (around 10 minutes) of trying various techniques and presentations until I was finally able to get this fish to bite. It seemed to prefer a slow-moving presentation. It was a big crappie!

Normally I always have a net, as this spot especially had a really rugged shoreline that wasn’t always easy to land a fish. Of course, the net was forgotten on this day. I hollered at my fishing partner when I hooked into the fish finally, and he ran over only to realize we had no net but still tried to help me land this fish anyway. I didn’t want to crane this fish over the brush, but before I could give it much thought, Eric jumped into the cold spring water to grab my fish. . .and then he dropped it!


(Photo credit: Ashley Rae)

This is the point where we both felt sick and panicked at the thought that this giant crappie was lost. A second or two later we realized that lo and behold, the fish was still on! The brush on the shoreline kept the fish pinned and hooked for a few seconds until Eric reached down and grabbed it again. Phew! I think my shaking started long before this moment, but it was then that I could feel it the most. After some celebrating, we placed the fish in a bucket full of water briefly to get the camera ready for some pictures.

To date, this is the most exciting black crappie moment I’ve had and this fish measured at nearly 14 inches in length. I know they certainly get much bigger, but this is my current personal best. After a few quick photos, this fish was released to live on and breed. Hopefully, I’ll find it again this year, maybe even on the same stump. Hopefully, it’s gained some length and a new personal best is in store for me!

About Ashley Rae

Ashley Rae is a year-round multi-species angler residing in Ottawa, Ontario. She is a full-time fishing writer and content creator. Ashley is passionate about chasing anything with fins from her boat, kayak, from shore, or on the ice

Recommended Articles

Top 5 Baits for Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass

What baits do you use to target bass? Find out why these 5 are the best!

3 Great Ontario Walleye Destinations

Karl of Extreme Angler recommends must do walleye lakes in Ontario.

Bivins’ Bounce Crappies

This technique is a must for crappie fishing

Top 5 Musky Destinations in Ontario

The Musky Hunter shows you where to land the best musky in Ontario waters.

Wild Brook Trout

Remote Outpost Fishing on Pinei Lake

Four Seasons of Bass in Ontario

Northern Ontario is home to year-round bass.

Reaching Deep For Walleye

Fishing for big Walleye in Ontario's Bay of Quinte.

Top 5 Flies for Smallmouth Bass

The inside scoop on bass flies from the hosts of The New Fly Fisher.

Perfect Fall Fishing

Fishing Bass in Kawarthas & Northumberland

Don’t Be Afraid Of Muskies

Muskies are fish of 10,000 casts and are found in large bodies of water in Northwestern Ontario.

Top 10 Ice Fishing Lakes

Every kind of fish and experience—Ontario ice fishing is some of the best in the world.

10 Facts About Lake of the Woods

10 facts amazing about this massive Northwest Ontario Lake!

5 Travel Essentials When Fishing In Ontario

Packing up for your next Ontario fishing adventure starts with 5 easy tips and tricks.

Heat Wave? Cold Front? No Problem.

Learn how weather patterns can affect fishing techniques and strategies.

Fly Fishing for Bass

Northern Ontario is the destination for incredible bass fishing.

River Run Walleye

The Walleye Fishing Adventures Abound in Ontario's Algoma Country

Beating the Blues

How to Combat the Ice Fishing Doldrums of February

Agich's Kaby Kabins

Fly-in for Amazing Black Bear Hunting and Fishing

Winter Fish Scents

How to Use Fish Scents When Ice Fishing

Weather or Not

Ice Conditions for Lake Trout Has Never Been Better in Northern Ontario