Enid Summer Crappie Tactics
by Tim Huffman
Stats: 16,100 acres at summer pool; 250 feet elevation at summer pool; holds world record with a 5-lb, 3-oz white crappie.
Enid Lake is a good all-year lake with different techniques working in different seasons. When air temperatures hit the 90’s and water temps climb, fast techniques work. Power trolling, longlining and pulling crankbaits are popular choices.
Les Smith is a local, avid fisherman and has fine-tuned Power Trolling that works at Enid Lake. However, he says many people prefer other methods, too.
“Enid Lake is a good lake,” says Smith. “I would rank this the number one lake in Mississippi for catching numbers of fish. A person can come here and have a lot of fun. They will catch a bunch of short fish (12-inches and below) that aren’t legal but there are also decent numbers of fish over 12 inches.”
Smith says crankbaiting has been the number one method for years because it allows a fisherman to cover a lot of water and it’s a relatively simple technique. Trolling at 1.7 mph for six hours means a fisherman covers 10.2 mile of water. A lot of crappie see the crankbaits trailing behind the boat when that much water is covered.
Bandits are the most popular crankbait with the 300-series getting down as deep as 18 feet. Other baits catch fish too but it’s important to keep all baits the same type no matter what brand and model is chosen.
Longlining is another good tactic for summer crappie. It’s a very simple way to cover water, usually 0.7 to 1.2 mph. Double jigs are the most popular rigging. To be more specific, a 1/8-ounce jig on top and a 1/8 or 1/4 on bottom helps gets baits down to the deeper water that’s required in the summer. Tie a 6-inch loop for the top jig then drop down 30 to 50 inches and tie the bottom jig. Curly tail jigs, Bobby Garland Stroll’R jigs and Road Runner underbody spinners are good to try.
Set-ups can vary but for a simple six-pole setup, use three poles out each side of the boat or out the back. Stagger pole lengths to separate line. An ideal set-up is a 16, 12 and 8 foot on each side. The four foot spread between lines help reduce tangles especially when catching fish. However, you can use whatever length poles you have to get started.
Line distance, jig weight and boat speed determines depths. So with a boat speed of 1.0 mph and all jig weights the same, it makes line distance critical. Most fishermen use a medium length cast and sometimes let out extra line. Some fishermen count pulls of line off of the reel. No matter the method, it’s important to be able to reproduce a successful distance.
Smith says, “Crankbaits and longling are very popular because they are easy. You can pop the canopy up on the boat, toss baits out and wait in the shade for a crappie to find the baits. Get out from the shade, catch the fish and repeat. These methods work, but I prefer another one I’ve used for years. I call it power trolling.”
Power Trolling
“Power trolling is more work. The setup includes using heavy-duty BnM 16-foot poles, 3-ounce sinkers and two jigs. A two-pound fish, 3-ounce sinker and water resistance from the boat movement puts a lot of pressure on a 16-foot pole. A fisherman needs some physical strength to get the pole out of the holder and to hoist the fish into the boat.
“Another key item is a strong rack and holders. I had a custom rack made to fit and I rig it with Driftmaster rod holders. The setup is strong enough it would troll cannonballs.”
Baits are pushed in spider-rig style but at speeds around 0.8 to 1.3 mph. He varies jigs but has good luck with Fin Spins. These jigheads cause the baits to dart, jump and flash drawing attention to the bait. He says the blades are usually a critical element for drawing the most bites. Plastic bodies allow quick color and style changes.
Smith’s rigs include 15-pound test, 1/8-ounce jig on top, a 3-ounce sinker and a ¼-ounce jig on bottom. He says a sinker on bottom works but it often bangs against the boat when landing a fish or pulling in to change baits so he puts the weight in the middle.
“Power trolling isn’t for everyone. It’s start-up cost and the work involved means it’s not for everyone. But for those who choose to use it, it’s a great way to work contours, fish one or multiple zones and catch numbers of fish.”
Smith says whether power trolling, longlining or pulling crankbaits, Enid is a great lake to have a lot of fun. A 100-plus day isn’t unusual with 15 to 25 keepers over 12 inches. But every day is different with slow days and good days.
Enid is not a huge lake so out-of-town fishermen can learn the lake. Also, it’s a little wind-friendlier than Grenada and Sardis, although all the flatland lakes can become dangerous in a hurry.
Author Tim Huffman has written about crappie fishing since 1988. You can find his books “Limiting Out for Crappie” and “300+ Crappie Fishing Tips” in paperback or Kindle versions at Amazon.com.
