Fishing from Floating Dock in Rattlesnake

[DTurner]

All, I want to pick your brains on fishing the dock in Rattlesnake at Bartlett.  I don't have a boat so that's the next best thing.  I use lights and minnows.  We usually go with a slip bobber set-up.  It's been good at times, but I haven't really gotten into like I do back home in Illinois.  Anyone have some suggestions for on old Master Sergeant?  Do the tandem rigs work?

[Piscolli]

All, I want to pick your brains on fishing the dock in Rattlesnake at Bartlett.  I don't have a boat so that's the next best thing.  I use lights and minnows.  We usually go with a slip bobber set-up.  It's been good at times, but I haven't really gotten into like I do back home in Illinois.  Anyone have some suggestions for on old Master Sergeant?  Do the tandem rigs work?

Because they allow you to cover different depths at the same time, tandem rigs are always a good option IMO.

[ArZFisher]

Ya those Riggs work but I have had bad luck with them. I find tieing my own double minnow rig inline with each other works for me. If you can setup up a drop shot its that ez. I use two #2 gold Arden hooks usually tied foot to a foot and half apart then drop a small weight foot from end. Also small jigs work well out their. Lately I have been using 32 oz jigs tipped with plastic grub and live Minnow been working pretty good. When you have drop your lights in past have you gotten a good bait ball going?? Also them crappie are ambush eaters. fish on the outer edges of the lights. When I only have my surface lights on my boat I seem to find crappie sitting between 6-14 feet under surface.

[DTurner]

Thank you gentlemen, I will give them both a try. Wish me luck, oh and thanks for the info. I usually get a huge bait ball but I've been fishing right under the light. What kind of plastics are you using?  I usually find the shad from the lake (Bartlett) works best

[The Desert Rat]

Shade/Minnows are usually the bait of choice. However, luck comes in many colors, John Deere , Acid Rain grubs are usually a great back up--good luck

[ArZFisher]

If you can get anything live from lake I think it is best bait. I don't buy bait anymore I just catch my own from lake minnow,shad, etc....  For the plastics I use small tubes and grubs with lil tail. At night I like to use a black and white grub to look more like shad. But also I have found sometimes they don't want shad just minnows. The crappies out here can be real picky sometimes. One trip we maid we had caught only 2 crappies in 4 hrs. As soon has we ran out of the bigger minnows and started using the smaller ones is when we got into them. I guess they wanted a ez small meal that night.

[DTurner]

Thank you gentlemen.  I will give that a try.  Looks like I'm going to be out of luck for a while.  I got two triceps that I have to get reconnected.  Surgery this Tuesday.  Paper work slowed down the surgery date.  But I will make a note of the crappie slaying info you gave me.  I guess I will have time to put my tackle together and get ready for next year.  Lol.  Please keep me posted on your trips.  I can live/fish vicariously through you!  Thanks again.

Darren

[The Desert Rat]

--In August, when I get my 5th wheel back--perhaps you and your sons can still join me---you will just have to sit and watch !!!

[DTurner]

That would still be awesome!  I'll call you after I get this procedure knocked out.

Thanks
Darren

[BloodyDuck2]

DT How are you doing? Did the surgery get done?