LOZ Limit 12/12 and a question.

[insuranceguy]

I was able to fight the cold, wind and 20% chance of rain all day to scratch out a limit on big niangua. 15-30 fow using slab busters about 10-15' down. Sorry no pictures, to cold and tired to mess with it by the time I got home. My question is how come when you pull up to structure you will catch 2 or 3 keepers then the 6-8 inchers take over? You know there has to be more than 2 keepers on the structure. So do the little ones just get more aggressive and push the big ones out of the way? Just curious if anyone has read any articles on this?

[justfishin]

My theory on this is that you are too close to the structure. We have always caught better fish by staying back a bit than sitting over the brush.

[gatorbitu]

Nice job finding your limit. Congrats

[Just Jiggin]

Way to fight the elements & catch your limit. I have found fishing brush piles the bigger ones will be the first ones you catch & then when the dinks move in I move leave for a while & then come back to it .

[wohlfy]

I think sometimes the larger fish spook a little and move when 2 or 3 get caught but not always. Getting too close probably does it too. Also, I've been catching crappie right and left and hook a walleye or larger bass and Poof! the crappie are gone.

[CrappieCoz]

Wohlfy, sorry to be off subject but I see your from Northwest MO. Are you around the Maryville area? Did you see the Bearcats won the National Division II Football Championships? I played in the 70's under the Galden Dye ara.
On subject, I've never had much luck in catching any crappie in cold weather. I don't think I have ever figured out the winter moves crappie make.

[beagle man]

My experience and from listening to others, the big ones will be on the best spots, and then after you catch the big ones, their spot comes open, then the smaller ones move in, now after a bit the other big fish looking for the best spot run the little ones off and then you can catch the big ones again, also the smaller fish will use more energy,and dont mind chasing bait. so they tend to be a bit more aggresive. but the big fish will always find the best eating spot,

[insuranceguy]

My theory on this is that you are too close to the structure. We have always caught better fish by staying back a bit than sitting over the brush.

Do you mark your main lake structure with a bouy? We always do and doesn't seem to bother them but it does make sense that maybe we should stay back and not sit over the bed after we mark it. On occasion though Ill reach inside a dock well with my 10 footer and I still get the same results. Oh well guess I'll just have to keep hitting 10-15 different spots to get my limit

[insuranceguy]

My experience and from listening to others, the big ones will be on the best spots, and then after you catch the big ones, their spot comes open, then the smaller ones move in, now after a bit the other big fish looking for the best spot run the little ones off and then you can catch the big ones again, also the smaller fish will use more energy,and dont mind chasing bait. so they tend to be a bit more aggresive. but the big fish will always find the best eating spot,

This make sense and was kind of my theory as well. It would be neat to be able to film the whole process and see how the fish react when you pull up and fish a brush pile.

[wohlfy]

Wohlfy, sorry to be off subject but I see your from Northwest MO. Are you around the Maryville area? Did you see the Bearcats won the National Division II Football Championships? I played in the 70's under the Galden Dye ara.
On subject, I've never had much luck in catching any crappie in cold weather. I don't think I have ever figured out the winter moves crappie make.

I'll send you a PM