It's GO TIME for crappies!

The ice left Lago Casa (my private lake) yesterday morning and by afternoon the crappies were already in the shallows. Almost every cast get a bite. Caught 4 in 10 minutes. Missed a bunch more because they are still very cold and very slow.
The key is to find any incoming water source. Something as small as a trickle of water from an incoming storm drain will have them lined up in front of it as long as the water is slightly warmer than the rest of the lake.
Grab an ultralight rod with 4# Trilene XL. Tie on a 1/32 oz. white jig with a 1" white Berkley Powergrub. Set it 6-12" under a small Thill float (they'll be near the surface trying to absorb heat from the sun.) Cast past any incoming water source or shallow structure like a stcik, old reeds, anything that might hold the heat of the sun. And SLOWLY reel it back in. I'm talking DEAD slow as in if you went any slower you'd fall asleep. The float goes down, wait 2 seconds, set the hook. And yes..it's that easy right after ice-out.
Get out and fish! It's been a long winter.
GO SHOPPING when you get back!!!

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