Why are Crappie attracted to brush/cover?????
Answer: Predation
I have been asked this question many times. Here is my opinion and it's just that, an opinion.
Crappie like to rest near something that they can see. Can be brush, condo's, timber, trash or an old water hose hanging in the water. Doesn't matter to the fish.
I don't think they go to the cover to feed. If the opportunity presents itself to grab a snack they will do it but they are there to rest and hang out when not actively feeding. When dinner time comes I believe they chase schools of shad/bait fish nearby.
If they only went to the cover to feed then they would only be there a short time each day. If my theory is correct then the hardest Crappie to catch would be fish that are actively feeding because they are suspended away from the brush. The trick is to get the resting fish to feed.
But what do I know, I'm not a Crappie.
Good fishing.
Why are Crappie attracted to brush/cover?????
Answer: Predation
Good theory.
I believe your are right, after all a great crappie fisherman that you are{Ernest} I am sure you have maybe forgotten more then I will ever know. Every time I go to bass pro I try to walk past their big 30 foot wide tank full of many kinds of fish, to see what the crappie are doing--- they are always suspended about 10 deep, 2 to 3 feet off bottom and always suspend within 1 or 2 inches of the rock wall away from the glass front. Maybe using that wall for protection, maybe slightly warmer there? If it wasn't for an occasional movement of a fin one would think they are hanging on a wall hook.
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Last time I talked to a Crappie, she told me she loved me, but was she was homeless. They just looking for a home and a little loving.
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From doing the aquarium thing for a few years I learned a lot about behavior of fish in general.
They snuggle up into branches or holes in rock to sleep. Yes, they do sleep at night.
It is also a place of refuge for them from other agressive fish.
I have had $60 fish die just because of stress. Not enough cover for them to hide in.
I got very good at killing high dollar salt water fish and learned a lot.
I finally learned to go to fresh water and cheaper fish.
Doh
Location, Location, Location
remembering that crappie are pretty low on the food chain, unlike the larger walleyes, northern pike or muskies, they must act accordingly.
the hanging brush, beaver feed piles,or fallen tree gives them a sense of protection until their major feeding periods, first light and dusk.
fallen trees are not allways readily available, they have a few other tricks that make them feel safe. stacing up against sharp rock walls as stated earlier by another, slipping in under docks.
relating to a submerged stump surely can only give them real protection from one angle, but it gives them something to make them feel better.
another thing they do is pod up over deep water.
they will form a tight ball or crappies. often so thick you wouldn't be able to see through the ball. I'm going with the safety in numbers theory here. when evening rolls around the pod disperses and every body in the area is going to catch crappies. this goes for both hard water and soft water seasons.
can they feed in brush piles..? sure they can and do but I believe their primary reason for hanging in the brush is because they themselves are food and must behave in a manner that helps them survive, instinctively.
my 2c
Shade - orientation - protection - ambush point - opportunistic feeding - body shape
Shade = cooler temps (comfort) and camouflage (relating to both protection & ambush)
Orientation = allows them to have a point of reference to key on, when water clarity is low, or when water levels are changing, and when high pressure fronts can cause disorientation
Protection = hiding place from larger predators (fish, birds, & aquatic animals)
Ambush point = using the shade & camouflage effect to pick off any baitfish that wander in, or get too close (also related to opportunistic feeding)
Opportunistic feeding = being as Crappie don't have one specific foodsource, and seeing as how various other critters use brush/cover, it only stands to reason that they would instinctually seek out brush/cover ... being as it provides so many positive factors
Body shape = the panfish body shape is not conducive to chasing down prey, nor using speed & persistance to catch their prey ... but, use stealth & ambush, augmented by the shade & camo of cover, to make short distance strikes at unsuspecting prey that are within their range
... cp
EVERYBODY LIKES TO EAT CRAPPIE
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