FishyMemories Self Help

Sand Bass Slabbing Techniques

There are numerous different ways to work the slab. Some of the techniques may work better at different times of the year. These are a just a few examples.

_Drop the slab straight over the side and let is sit on bottom. A twitch of the rod tip every now and again will cause the slab to lift barely off of the bottom. (Good for inactive fish)
_Drop the slab straight over the side and let it settle to the bottom and lift it a few inches off of the bottom and simply hold it there. (Good for inactive fish on the bottom that want the bait off the bottom. - Think of dropping it in their mouth.)
_Drop the slab straight over the side and let it settle to the bottom and then quickly lift it 2-3' or more off of the bottom and then lowering the bait on a tight line controlling the fall. (This is good for fish that are on or near the bottom and are conducive to being active.)
_Drop the slab straight over the side and let it settle to the bottom and then quickly lift it 2-5' off of the bottom and let it free fall down back to the bottom. (Make sure you know by line resistance where the bottom is. If you get slack line before it hits bottom - fish on. This is good for actively feeding fish that are in the lower part of the water column.)

_Cast out and let the slab fall to the bottom. Lift the rod and let it fall. Think of working a jig'n pig faster. (This is good for those fish that are laying on the bottom and want the bait moving horizontally rather than just vertically.)
_Cast out and let the slab fall to the bottom. Slowly reel just enough to keep the slab off the bottom with a few pauses to make sure that you are "in contact" with the bottom. (This is good for those inactive fish that want the bait moving horizontally.)
_Cast out and let the slab fall to the bottom. Rip it off the bottom and either let it free fall back to the bottom or tight line it back down. (Good for actively feeding fish.)
_Cast out and use a count down method to get the bait to a depth where fish are suspended. Work the bait back as if you are horizontal jigging it. (Good for suspended fish in a tight area.)

As you can see, there are many different ways to work a slab and these are just some examples. One of these techniques should get your slab bit at some point during the year. Sometimes you have to use more than one technique within a cast to get the fish to bite. You simply have to experiment until the fish tell
you what they want.

Crappie Jigging Techniques

Just like the slab for sand bass, there are numerous ways to work a crappie jig. Although, you might be surprised that working your crappie jig less is often the best advice.

_Drop your jig over the side and let it settle to the bottom. Lift your jig just barely off of bottom and hold it as still as possible. The wave action on the boat can sometimes be just enough action for the jig.
_Drop your jig over the side and let it settle to the bottom. Slowly lift the jig 1 to 2’ or more off of the bottom and hold it still at that depth. A longer 8-10’ rod can make this technique easier. This technique targets fish that are holding slightly above the bottom but do not want much action from the jig.
_Drop your jig over the side and let it settle to the bottom. Slowly lift the jig 1 to 2’ or more off of the bottom and hold then lower the jig on a tight line back to the bottom. It’s necessary to know by line resistance where the bottom is. If the jig does not reach bottom, set the hook and reel ‘em in.

_Cast your jig out and let it settle to the bottom. Slowly reel your jig back to you making slight pauses in the reeling. This keeps our jig in close proximity to the bottom.
_Cast your jig out and let it settle to the bottom. Bottom bounce the jig back to you by slightly lifting the jig off of the bottom and letting it settle to the bottom again. This is making your jig take short hops back to you. You may not feel some bites using this technique rather the fish will just be there when you next pick up your bait.
_Cast your jig out and let it settle to the bottom. Lift the jig off of the bottom 2-3’ and let it settle back to the bottom. Reel in the slack created in the line from the settle and repeat the lift. Watching your line is key in this technique for a couple of different reasons. First of all, watching for the “bow” in your line will tell you when your jig has reached bottom again. By not letting your line sit unattended on bottom for an extended period of time, you will decrease your time spent getting jigs un-hung from under water cover such as brush. Secondly, any twitch in the line during the settle is an indication that a crappie has just taken your jig. Hi Visibility line is essential when using this technique.
This is by far one of my favorite techniques for crappie. I use it almost every time I’m out targeting crappie. It can be used over brush, condos, ledges, points and anywhere that crappie are found.

Again, these are just a few examples. Experimenting with one, two or three different techniques within a drop or cast will help you decide which technique the fish want on any particular day.