Making crappie beds

[seejimfish]

What has worked the best for you in the past? How do you make your crappie beds? Where do you look to set them when you are putting them out? I plan on setting a few on LOZ around my family’s dock and then maybe a few in some other places.

[Pole Bender]

I like cedar best on Stockton but I do trim some branches off the trees before sinking to make holes for the fish. I like places that are near deep water. I put them in different depths but 18-25 feet has worked the best. Different lakes will be different.

[CONCRETECRAPPIE]

put some out this weeknd..i usaully put them in a are i have caught fish in the past,cant wait to fish them probaly next weeknd,fished some sat for the first time in a month an did real real good.this one bed i fished i fish it alot with the wife/kids..most i put out are for tourn..took conc blocks this weeknd an tied on cedars.also put out pvc..

[bugman]

Persimmon,oak,hickory and cedar are my favorites when making brushpiles,get some brush around your dock and make sure you put it from the deep water to the shallow end that will give you alot of different depths to fish and also brush up the dark areas of the dock.

[springhillwantabe]

over the years have used it all if you don't mind a few pin holes in your hands and arms from the thorns hedge is the best last longer and the beaver don't seem to bother it as bad as others?

[Dongotto]

I like to use big cedars as they have more open areas. I also love Sycamores. I usually can find them that have a nice little crown. I think they hold fish as well as anything I have used and I can get down in them easier than cedar. The best thing I have found for placement is to get the mapsource software in you have a garmin. You can see a detailed lake map on your computer and create waypoints on the software. Then go to the lake and mark that way point with a marker. Then put your brush in and you done. I like to put beds out in batches. I will focus on a small area and place 5 or 6 with depth variation. Many times you can bounce from bed to bed without the big motor and catch a limit. Think of it this way, if you catch 2-3 keepers from 5-6 beds you have a limit. That is my favortie way to fish. I like to pull into beds and catch the active fish and move on. If I go a few drops without a bite I'm on to the next one.

I don't think what you use is nearly as important location and wind direction. Make sure you place beds so you have places to fish in every wind. I live by and fish Stockton and the wind blows almost every day on the lake.

Good luck and IMO having a lot of beds is the secret to catching fish consistantly. Sounds simple, but I'm on the lake in the area I fish a lot and never see anyone puting beds in.

[gatorbitu]

I like to use big cedars as they have more open areas. I also love Sycamores. I usually can find them that have a nice little crown. I think they hold fish as well as anything I have used and I can get down in them easier than cedar. The best thing I have found for placement is to get the mapsource software in you have a garmin. You can see a detailed lake map on your computer and create waypoints on the software. Then go to the lake and mark that way point with a marker. Then put your brush in and you done. I like to put beds out in batches. I will focus on a small area and place 5 or 6 with depth variation. Many times you can bounce from bed to bed without the big motor and catch a limit. Think of it this way, if you catch 2-3 keepers from 5-6 beds you have a limit. That is my favortie way to fish. I like to pull into beds and catch the active fish and move on. If I go a few drops without a bite I'm on to the next one.

I don't think what you use is nearly as important location and wind direction. Make sure you place beds so you have places to fish in every wind. I live by and fish Stockton and the wind blows almost every day on the lake.

Good luck and IMO having a lot of beds is the secret to catching fish consistantly. Sounds simple, but I'm on the lake in the area I fish a lot and never see anyone puting beds in.

Very good advice! Thanks

[Kit Papermouth]

By far my Natural Beds have worked best in Table Rock. I drag Cedar off the shoreline after it floods.

G.

[seejimfish]

Thanks for the info I am starting to put some of it into use now.

[Doctor Slabbenstein]

I put in 2 beds yesterday made of several pieces of 6" pvc with little 1/2" pvc fingers sticking out and sunk them with the old brake rotors off the truck. went down like a torpedo. Hopefully they'll get some fish on em for the winter tourney series. Was thinking about sinking an old bus and build an artificial reef like they do in the ocean.:rolleyes: Hahaha