Author Topic: Planning a Spring spawn crappie trip with the Boy Scouts...need advise  (Read 6424 times)

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Offline CamFisher

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Hello gang,

I am beginning to plan a 2-3 day trip to take my local boy scout troop fishing.  There will be 10-15 boys, 14-16 year olds.  Half are novice, other half have some experience.  I would like to ask advice for what lake and approximate date would put these boys on the most fish?  I'm sure the spawn would be best.  If you need to private message me or email me (as to keep it secret) then my email is cam.fisher@gcu.edu. 

As for me, my personal experience is mostly Rosey and San Carlos.  For crappie, I have had great success in the Fall trolling for crappie at SC but I have always struggled to find them at Rosey- windy Hill area...but I have yet to fish the spawn in the early spring.  Every time I fish Rosey (perhaps 5-6 times) I find the bass and cats...but not the crappie.  Wherever we go, the boys will likely be paddling canoes and I assume fishing the coves/shorelines with jigs and minnows for spawning crappie.  Would this be their best bet?  Thank you for any insights you are willing to share.

Piscolli

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I think most of the guys here would say that pre-spawn is the best. The fish are feeding heavy in open water which makes it easy to catch them while trolling fairly shallow baits. Plus the fish are full of eggs/ milt which makes them weigh more.

Alamo is showing signs of pre-spawn now. Bartlett and Rosey should start by the mid/ end of next month.

I don't know much about fishing from canoes so I can't be specific about that.

Offline Fish Hawk

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My .02 cents would be go to San Carlos. More accessible shore line to fish. I think fishing is going to be good there this year. When to go is the magic question.

Offline sparkchaser

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Alamo would be my choice due to fact of such a large group. You could reserve a group site there that would have a bathroom at a minimum, and a covered ramada with a BBQ and limited power. I would target the one in area E.

https://azstateparks.com/alamo-lake/group-planning/group-sites

From there you could either shore fish or drop canoes in the water. I would plan to try and catch the spawn in spring.
« Last Edit: January 09, 2018, 09:40 AM by sparkchaser »
SEA.....HAWKS....

Offline Fishless

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WEATHER, that is the big if, with the way things are going this winter as Piscolli said things could start to happen in February and when the water temp gets up to 64 or so they move to spawn. If we were to get some moisture and cool temps it backs things off a lot. Usually early march things begin to happen but if we have some unusual cold wet weather it can delay till April sometimes.

One thing I am thinking if you go to San Carlos each kid will have to buy a permit and a boat permit? if you go to a state lake if the canoes are registered they are ready to go and the kids up to age 18 can buy a hunt/fish combo for $5 and fish all year :dance:

The other thing to keep in mind with canoes March is the start of our windy season any lake of size can be a little squirrely in a canoe in waves. Roosevelt in the spring has places you can launch remote on the end of the lake and stay out of the big water, Alamo has remote launching up lake with the same situation you can stay off the main lake.
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them." John Bernard Books

Offline CamFisher

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Since I have had success at SC, I am leaning that direction...unless someone wants to teach me a new lake like Alamo or Bartlett  ;D.  I understand the permit situation with the tribe at SC, but I wonder if I speak to their Director over tribal game and fish if he would waive or discount our fees if we do a service project on the lake and clean up a lot of the trash/cans/bottles that seem to be the common landscape there.  If they agree to it then we could possibly fish in exchange for some clean-up!  At least that sounds fair to me.  Boy scouts are always looking for service opportunities.  I also understand that there has been some safety concerns at SC in the past, but with safety in numbers then I believe we would be left alone.  I welcome any additional insights, thanks guys!

Offline OneBlade

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CamFisher, valid points especially if you have an in with the tribal game and fish it would help.  I think fishing there will be good they'll catch crappie for sure.  Let us know when you go, perhaps a few folks from this club will be on the lake at the same time (safety in numbers).  If SC doesn't work, I'd give Alamo the vote.  Follow latest fishing reports but it seems to be doing good right now.

Offline Tombstone King

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Another thing to keep in mind if you are considering camping several days at San Carlos with a group of kids is that there are no porta-potties or other such facilities (that are maintained at present) anywhere on the lake as far as I know.

Offline klamath

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If you decide on Roosie,  you can rent the entire Frazier Group Site that is relatively close to the marina.  The Tonto Pass is inclusive if you rent the campsite for all attendees while you are in the campsite area.  This reduces the total cost.  It is a great site with a large veranda with power, fixed bathrooms, large fire pit, and the ability to close the gate to keep your group area private.  I go to a “No Mother’s” take the kids camping trip ever year at this location. We have a large group of over 50 people including the kids every year.  Always a fun trip. Good luck.

Piscolli

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If you decide on Roosie,  you can rent the entire Frazier Group Site that is relatively close to the marina.  The Tonto Pass is inclusive if you rent the campsite for all attendees while you are in the campsite area.  This reduces the total cost.  It is a great site with a large veranda with power, fixed bathrooms, large fire pit, and the ability to close the gate to keep your group area private.  I go to a “No Mother’s” take the kids camping trip ever year at this location. We have a large group of over 50 people including the kids every year.  Always a fun trip. Good luck.

Good point! The group site are awesome but the tend to fill up in the spring so book soon. The AZCA started in 2007 at the Grapevine group site and we've done Spring CrappieFest and the Bob Hirsch Crappie Classic there many times.

In past years we catch good numbers of Crappie near the Grapevine ramp. From the point on the west side of the ramp east to Wye Cove were good areas. 

 

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