Tips needed on small impoundment

[SlaterSlinger]

I fish a 100 acre FS lake close to home. It's average depth is 9 ft. At the north end it's a couple feet deep, towards the south end it eventually gets to 17 feet. The deepest part is by the levee with a 2 ft. drop where the channel runs through it at 18.5-19ft. This channel runs the length of the lake.

I did well earlier but since the water temp has dropped below 46 it's gotten slow...baaad slow. Minnows seem to always outfish jigs. The few fish I do catch are adjacent to the channel, sometimes. Other times they seem to be hanging around in open water in 15-17 ft. Some on the botttom some 10 ft deep suspended. It seems if I catch one there would be more around? I pay special attention to what speed I was going and the presentation. Throw out my marker where I caught him, and fish for an hour and catch nothing. Is the fishing just THAT slow? Water is stained but not muddy. Prob 10 inches max visibility. Should I take off my high vis? Any tips on bait selection, jig color? I have been using small minnows it seems larger don't produce.

There are tops in the 15-17 fow but after the fall bite it seems after 1 or 2 it's nothing doing. Should I fish em harder?

Also I haven't fished this lake in the spring, would it be realistic to assume the fish will use this channel to head to the shallow end to spawn? On the north end there are to flats where it's 4-6 ft deep. On the south end by the levee there are a couple of coves with decent ledges that move up to shallow water. Which seems like a more likely spot? I would think the fish would like the coves by the levee since they are adjacent to their winter haunts. But I always hear they follow the channel, or does this go out the window in small impoundments?

My personal best out of this lake is 18 inches with most being b/w 11-13 inches with plenty of 15" to boot. It's tuff catchin' 3 slabs in 5 hours would like to put more in the boat.

BTW these are white crappie in this lake, if that helps any.

Thanks for any information.

[Trout]

I fish small lakes on the Holly Springs NF- and when it gets really cold like this, the fish do seem to stop biting. Maybe cause there is no deep, somewhat warmer water to get into? But when we get a warm up- a string of sunny days in the 50's look at the shallow ledges adjacent to deeper water- that where I find them. Those flats on the north end along the old channel, maybe. But in general, I just pull 3 or 4 poles with 2 jigs on each- and the bite is spotty just like you say. Best fish I've gotten up here was 17"

[SlaterSlinger]

Thanks for the info trout.

[smoothlures]

Fish slowwwwww then slow down some more. Fishing jigs under a float and moving it maybe a foot every 30 seconds isn't bad. Fish don't eat much when it's this cold, but if it warms up, do like trout said and look for those areas where it's shallow water up against deeper water...the shallow will warm up faster. Colors, I use my pink/black/pink, green chart/black/green chart, and a silver/gray combo. Don't be afraid to use 1/32nd and smaller jigs.

[keith dodd]

fish it slow and try some roadrunners sometimes that flash will get their attention.