Our waters are what I would call merky. As far as catching them in 60' of water, they are suspended. Normally in the dead of winter the Crappie will be around 18' in anywhere from 25 to 60'. Normally, this year has not been normal.

The funny thing is that someone in OH whats to argue about fishing in AZ, then make some wise crack about what may have been read in a book. I spend a lot of time on the water and have many friends that do also. I am not only a fishing lead at Bass Pro but the President of the AZCA. I get reports from customers, club members and guides everyday. So I'm probably a better source on AZ Crappie than old Yates. Now if I were heading to OH or anywere else to fish for Crappie, I'd listen to the local guys.

This winter has been a very strange one at Roosevelt Lake. The crappie have been deeper than I've ever seen them. The good news for Yates is that the Crappie have started to move up and some are now suspended as shallow as 10', but they are still out in open water around 45' deep. In a month or so they be stacked up in the mouth of coves and by April will be on beds.

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Bill Eveland

Arizona Crappie Association

Piscolli...sorry sounds like your upset, I was not telling AZ. fishermen how to fish...
TeamCSJE post that he had a slow winter bite with a 54 degree water temp...
I though he might want to try something a little diff...
as far as winter fishing by the book there was no wise crack.. again something diff...
you argued it won't work in AZ. not me... crappie are crappie and should be the same in 54F in OH. or AZ. and will be caught many diff ways ...I did not want to upset anyone if you go back and read it again with out being mad you will just see a different opinion...
___________SORRY ! I wish you well with your new AZCA...

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J.I.L. <*)}}}><

No worries Yates, we can match wits without getting mad. Maybe I tried to make my point incorrectly. All I was trying to get across was at that time the Crappie were very deep. Normally I might try your technique. Roosevelt got a lot of new water and the fish had not adjusted. A friend of mine was spooning for bass and caught Crappie at 45’ deep. It has been an unusual and tough winter for Roosevelt Crappie but with spring here and warm temps, that will change soon.

Your right though, Crappie are Crappie. But I would guess our desert lakes are much different from the lakes you fish. Our lakes are in rough rocky terrain with very little trees, its mostly brush out here. Depending on were your at on which lake, there are big rock piles and sharp drop offs. You can check out Roosevelt, Alamo and Bartlett all at National Parks of the American Southwest - Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, California; Slot Canyons & Travelogue.

If you ever come out west holla and maybe we can wet some lines together. My services are very affordable.

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Bill Eveland

Arizona Crappie Association

sounds like a good time..if you come to Ohio.. my fee is a six pack of silver bullet's
after we wet a line.. stay safe Larry

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J.I.L. <*)}}}><

I used to fish Ute Lake and another lake (maybe Conchas) in New Mexico back in the mid 70's. I spent 2 years there. Yeah those lake are definitley different than our Ohio lakes. Then again, they are some what similar to EF Lake and Ceasars Creek Lake in Ohio but on a much smaller scale. EF falls off pretty quick into deeper water (60' -90')especially on the lower end of the lake. These lakes are fairly deep with alot of rock shores but we do have more trees here. And we don't have rattlesnakes.

I know we used to catch most of our crappie at aroud 8'-10' deep suspended over deeper water. What few trees that were there, were magnets. If we could find shallow cover we caught fish. Of couse back then, the depth finder was the anchor and a rope and I was the motor on the boat.

I would think those western lakes would be a great place to add some cover to, condos and xmas trees.

One day I hope to make a trip out west again. I'd like to do it when I can take more time than one week to enjoy it.

Unfortunately it is illegal to add any structure in the lakes in AZ. We (AZCA) have been trying to go through the red tape to be able to place structure but it is becoming more of a pain than it is worth. We'll see though.

No worries Piscolli,arund here Yates is known to be a PROFESSIONAL NETMAN!!

ROTFLMAO, I'd bet all of you guys do pretty well. Heck I'd give Yates 2 six packs to fish with him.

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Bill Eveland

Arizona Crappie Association