Thread: Beds

I am new to the hole making crappie beds. Anyone got any advise on key areas to look for when i get ready to sink them? Shallow or deep mixture of both? What works best for making beds?

I have found the main key to putting our beds is to put them close to where you know crappie are. I prefer to put them close to creek channels where there is a depth change and in a bend if at all possible. I also like having them in different depths mostly in the mid ranges as I figure that is where crappie spend the majority of their time. When I put them on flats I look for something odd like a hump or a drop. Just the slightest depth change seems to help the beds produce.
Just my thoughts and I am far from an expert.

thanks. When i fish with my dad for crappie all he wants to fish is shallows and brush piles we pick up a few here and there. I will take you advise and hopefully able to increase my number of fish and quailty.

I have been putting out structure (mostly tree tops) for crappie for years now. When I first started, only a hand full of the tops I put out produced crappie. Even now, I expect to catch fish in about half of the spots. For me, this is what works best. Go to the lake during winter when the leaves are off of the trees. Find a good size hard wood sapling, as big as two people can handle, that has enough limbs that will cause the tree to stick up about 5 feet off of the bottom. If there are not enough limbs or if all the limbs are on one side, the tree will lay flat on the bottom and won't produce as well. Tie a concrete block on each end of tree so that it will lay on its side and sink it in 15 - 20 feet of water. This will vary with water clarity. You will have to go deeper in a clear lake. I throw out a buoy when I sink the top and then mark it with my gps. I like to find a flat that has no other structure with a channel near by. But for me, the most important thing is to put the structure in a spot where the is no other cover at all. If your tree top is the only structure anywhere in the area, the fish will flock to it. I also like to put the structure as far from the bank as I can get it. A 15' deep flat out in the middle of the lake that is 30' around will work great. I rarely sink a tree within 100 yards from the bank. Another thing that I have noticed on the lakes that I fish is that some areas of the lake produce a lot better than others. If I am putting out structure on a new lake, I spread out maybe 20 or 30 tops all over the lake. Some areas will produce better, so I focus on those areas the following years. Fishing over structure will spoil you. I don't even bother going to a lake where I don't have structure put out. The deep water structure also alows you to catch crappie year around. My Dad and I brought home 44 nice crappie this past Saturday (end of July) with water temps in the upper 80's. Give it a try and you'll be hooked.

Originally Posted by uofa314

I have been putting out structure (mostly tree tops) for crappie for years now. When I first started, only a hand full of the tops I put out produced crappie. Even now, I expect to catch fish in about half of the spots. For me, this is what works best. Go to the lake during winter when the leaves are off of the trees. Find a good size hard wood sapling, as big as two people can handle, that has enough limbs that will cause the tree to stick up about 5 feet off of the bottom. If there are not enough limbs or if all the limbs are on one side, the tree will lay flat on the bottom and won't produce as well. Tie a concrete block on each end of tree so that it will lay on its side and sink it in 15 - 20 feet of water. This will vary with water clarity. You will have to go deeper in a clear lake. I throw out a buoy when I sink the top and then mark it with my gps. I like to find a flat that has no other structure with a channel near by. But for me, the most important thing is to put the structure in a spot where the is no other cover at all. If your tree top is the only structure anywhere in the area, the fish will flock to it. I also like to put the structure as far from the bank as I can get it. A 15' deep flat out in the middle of the lake that is 30' around will work great. I rarely sink a tree within 100 yards from the bank. Another thing that I have noticed on the lakes that I fish is that some areas of the lake produce a lot better than others. If I am putting out structure on a new lake, I spread out maybe 20 or 30 tops all over the lake. Some areas will produce better, so I focus on those areas the following years. Fishing over structure will spoil you. I don't even bother going to a lake where I don't have structure put out. The deep water structure also alows you to catch crappie year around. My Dad and I brought home 44 nice crappie this past Saturday (end of July) with water temps in the upper 80's. Give it a try and you'll be hooked.

Be careful about this in Ky. It's illegal to cut trees from the bank and warrants a fine of $500 per tree if you get caught.......

I'm not sayin it doesn't happen ya know....

yeah, I guess this is looked at differently in different areas or lakes. I don't think anyone would ever say anything about it down here, but its best to bring the trees from home.

uofa314 what part of north east bama are you. i am in the athens area.