Smithville 5/1 and 5/2

[APKape]

Well, the fishing has definitely gotten better. Both the males and females are biting pretty good. The boys are on the bank and girls are deeper. Water is around 61 degrees and holding, and the clarity is 3+ feet deep. My bait was the usual 1.5" tube jigs with crappie nibblets. The deep fish were biting on black/chart and blue/chart. The shallow bite was on blue/chart and blue/white.

I didn't have much time to fish this weekend so I kept to the main lake. My best spot for both days was the brush piles southeast of the W Bridge (Area 1). I've been catching a lot of big fish here. Most of the ones I'm catching are blacks and females. I can't recall a time that I ever caught so many large black crappie before at Smithville. This spot's been very consistently big white crappie in the past. Depths didn't matter. The fish are all over the piles from 6' down to 18'. This place was a blast.

My second best spot was the first cove on the west side of the lake south of the W Bridge boat launch. I've only fished this spot a few times over the years but decided it give it a try this weekend. I gotta tell you, this small cove can hold some fish. The males are on the bank. Don't waste your time, they are all small. I seen guys pulling them in by the dozen and not keep one. The females are in the trees at middle front of the cove to the middle of the cove in the deep water. And there are some big gals to be caught. The fish seem to be moving in the cove not really holding on the structure. It was kinda fun to find the schools, follow them around, and catch what I could when I caught up to them. They were schooled anywhere from 6’ to 12’ deep.

I tried Sleepy Hollow Cove. It was bad for me an everyone there - enough said.

I tried my hand at the Camp Branch side of the lake too. I fished the new brush piles (Area 3 and 4). Not much to report here. The fish were small and 90% of them were blacks. You could really catch your fill of small males around Area 4. My thumb started to really get raw unhooking the small fish I caught. If you got kids and wanna have fun catching fish, this is the place. I talked to a couple of guys that fished Owl Creek Branch (the coves that Y off up the Camp Branch arm by the W Bridge). They said the males on the bank were all small. I wonder if the big females are hiding in the deeper parts of the cove? Might take a trip up the lake next week to see for myself.

Well, that's about it for today. Had a good weekend. Look forward to the next. If anyone has a report, I'd like to hear how you did. Post a report.

[Jim C.]

If a guy could not catch fish after that report he better stay at home. The only thing better
would be to be in your boat with you. Hope to get out this week sometime if the weather holds on. Jim C.

[nvrgvup444]

Nice job! I will be out there lots this week so if you see my old beater stop by and say hello!

[KCcrappie]

I fished Camp Branch side Sat. evening and caught 7 keepers. Caught aleast 50 small ones. Today i fished little platte side and caught 8 keepers and cought 100 small ones. Fishing is good but keepers have been few. I did catch 2 that were over 13 inches. I know their there somewhere.

[Joedog]

WTG, Alex....another great report, too.

Which I appreciate cuz I'm takin' my youngest out tomorrow. Kept promising him there'd be a day when we'd be catching 'em fast and furious...hopefully make some memories tomorrow.

[rugsrme]

WTG, Alex....another great report, too.

Which I appreciate cuz I'm takin' my youngest out tomorrow. Kept promising him there'd be a day when we'd be catching 'em fast and furious...hopefully make some memories tomorrow.

Great report indeed, I only wish I could make some use of it.

Joe, good luck with the memory makin'

[snakedodger]

thanks for the report alex,been catching plenty of keeper males, limit on saturday +20 other keepers. been wondering where them big brides are.

[keeferfish]

Got anxious yesterday and got on the lake with my son just in time to get caught in the storm. Hail hurts when you’re trying to seek shelter under a bridge! Needless to say we didn’t last long due to the lighting. I could have waited it out but the little one was under the console and ready to go. No reason to push it, there will be better days ahead. Try again this week. Glad you’re having fun Alex, stay after them!

[got crappie]

Nice report Alex.Joedog thanks for the help Sat. at camp.

[APKape]

thanks for the report alex,been catching plenty of keeper males, limit on saturday +20 other keepers. been wondering where them big brides are.

I should say that the only males I saw were at the cove and the brush piles. Glad to hear you got into some nice males for the spawn.