Last nite

[smedley]

I set out to catch a mess of crappie last night only to find all the places I tried were stacked with shad under my lights but nothing happening. the only place I found any crappie at all was where a creek channel swings into the bank and the water was 20 to 40 feet deep. I caught about 10 really small ones and gave up to go bass fishing. that was the best move I made all night as the bass were on. At least I got to bend the rod and stretch the line a little.

what are some other places I should have been looking for? the lake temp is still in the low to mid 60's and fairly clear. wind was light from the east southeast. I was vertical fishing with minnows, jigs, and jigs tipped with minnows. I tried all different depths and bottom types (flats, steep banks with brush, etc). I sure do need to restock my freezer but the fish are being sneaky.

[Jerry Blake]

Hey Scott:

I don't now anything about night fishing but you should be able to find crappie on brushpiles on points that extend into deep channels - at least in the daytime. If you have cover at different depths down the point they should be there somewhere.

[FalconSmitty]

Sometime when the shad are thick under the lights, the only thing I can get them on are shad. When I get my cast net ready I just flip all the lights out and throw. When the lights go out the shad run to the top of the water all around you. The shad you saw before the lights go out are just a few compared to how many will surround you. Works best on dark nights.
they die fast but it doesn't matter. The crappie want that shad falling down and out of the masses. Give it a try. I use a long pole shad net too if I want smaller bait. I promise you, I have fished with someone using minnows and me using those shad and caught 10-1. If the shad are there, the crappie are there feeding. They just prefer shad at times. When I go to the chicken place I eat chicken. Don't you? That is if you eat chicken.