I have tried to make a April Fools trip to Ross Barnett every year for the last 10-12 years. It didn’t always work out but it’s my kick-off to the Crappie fishing season none the less. Always my travel destination spot for fishing away from my normal wide swing of locations here on the Gulf Coast. I’ve got to say early in this report I saw more long faces, Crappie-less boats this trip than I have in years. To start out with the wind Howled everyday! Everyone was up river above the Hwy 43 bridge trying to get out of the wind. Most were beating the banks with Chartreuse colored jigs, where reeds met the water, moving very fast. 2 anglers would be walking their jigs so they didn’t drop in the same place. This technique must have really produced for a while earlier this year because 90% of the Crappie anglers were fishing that way. Since they were constantly moving I watched some banks get fished by 3 even 4 boats, the same bank, all coming up empty.
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I didn’t catch my fish that way. I didn’t turn on my FFS Sonar the entire trip. I did have the Humminbird 360 on set to look forward, I dropped shiners into shallow tangles to catch these. This trip the Crappie were the worst shots ever! Hookups were weak connections, I pulled the hooks on a dozen over a pound before switching from my normal Mosquito Hook. Switching to a #2 Tru-Turn hook put the fish in the net or I swung them in the boat. I would have a solid dozen plus big Crappie had I not experienced that learning curve.
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This biggest Crappie were all caught on a Southern Pro Stinger Shad 2.0 SS-10 Electric Chicken using one of my custom 1/16oz #2 Matzou Sickle hook jig heads in a Pink Pearl I custom blend the powder to achieve the softer pink color. This one was right under 16 inches. All were caught as soon as the jig tightened the line on the first drop. No Slabs over 15in was caught second or third etc. On the First Drop. I would locate with the jig but squeeze and wring every top holding fish till 10 minutes went by between bites on a shiner. Lots of the fish in my cooler bit 7-8 minutes after I dropped the shiner in the water. Fresh, lively shiners hooked only in their upper lip caught fish. Some of the toughest fishing conditions I have experienced on The Rez.
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I would love to share more but if I do my coolers will be empty too. My Point, if your cooler is empty change what your doing, FFS not showing you fish – turn it off, if you feel eyes on your back when you net a fish it’s more than one pair today on The Rez. I hope if you make a trip to Ross Barnett this report provides the information to help you formulate a Plan of Attack!
