Still Learning

[Kit Papermouth]

I had a weird experience this weekend. I fished the usual structures on the main lake with not much luck. As I motored up the River I noticed a boat half way out between both banks. I dismissed this as White Bass Fisherman. As I slowly motored by, I noticed they were catching crappie casting small jigs. I stopped 200 yards up stream set the long lines and started throwing a Yum Beavertail. I got a couple hits on the beavertail, but didn't snag a lip. The long lines got maybe 10 bites all day. My father put on a Maribou Chartruese jig 1/8 oz and three casts, three keepers. Had to fish on the bottom to 1 ft. off the bottom to get bites.

We pulled a limit of crappie each over the next six hours, but I'm confused as to why these fish were where they were at.
The River is only 300 yards wide with a very slow flow.
The bottom has no sharp features with slow undulations up and down with little dishes into 16 ft. from 12 ft.
Never had any bait fish show up on the Depth Finder.
Never had a crappie blip on the screen.
Down stream just one mile the water is 40 ft. deep.

Anyone ever seen this type of pattern. It's a first for me, but I'm not use to river crappie.

[Bruce Carp]

that's why we call it fishing. sometimes it is more hunt and peck, try something strange and it works, remember it and try it again in similiar conditions. It is hard to predict from November till May, weather and other variables can change things and you wonder why. I just recommend you keep on fishing and maybe when your 80 you will have figured it out. I'm still learning every time out!