Tips on fishing Reelfoot Lake, TN in mid April

[driegle]

What's up Crappie.com....My name is Dom and I am a long time reader and first time poster. I recently just signed up and I am stoked to hear all the crappie wisdom that gets sent through here....well most of it...:rolleyes:. I amheading to Reelfoot Lake for the 4th year in a row however the first year I have ever been in April. Normally we go in March and drift deeper water and I know in April (if the water is warm enough) they start heading for the shallows. I was curious if any ya'll can tell me where you had the most luck in mid April in the Lower Basin? Like where, how deep, and maybe lures/bait used. I really appreciate your help.

Thanks,
Dom

[hobbiehorse]

do you need help casting........just busting your chops......hey i will be there 14-17 april....i found that the lilly pads and channels leading to them have done best for me.....i hear the lake is pretty low so i wonder if the water will warm up a little quicker this year......welcome to crappie .com

[hobbiehorse]

OH i forgot....road runners to find them minnows fill the bucket....black and chartreuse

[vicrider66]

Read a report and saw a video on Reelfoot. Didn't look good. The water is disappearing because of the pumping they are doing on the spillway project. That plus drought conditions have made a lot of ramps unusable and navigation tough. I'm going by what I read. Haven't been there. Here is a link to the video that shows a lot of problems and gives one local residents version of what is going on. I know I'd do some checking before driving that far without knowing what to expect.

YouTube - ‪Are We Witnessing the Death of Reelfoot Lake?‬‏

[keith29]

The foot has came up some. I went out monday and jigged some stumps. Alot of the stumps are covered back up. Hay don i usually fish swan basin around through donaldson ditch and up back around green island point. But mostly i like to fish lilly pads behind bunches hotel in samburg. Mostly i go to walnut log ( i have some spots there i can tare there butts up). But mainly you can fish pretty much anywhere and catch them in the spawn. Some spots have alot of crappie and some not as much. I started building a pole barn yesterday in hickman ky and i saw a buddy at the store. He told me of some spots on the mississippi river that he has been catching the crap out of them. I saw him again today and yesterday he caught 90. Today at dinner he was going home to unload them and go back for round 2. I am going tomorrow and see for myself. I might start fishing the river in the spawn and not so much on the foot. Just depends. If you need any help or advise or pm me or ask on a thread. I dont mind helping you anyway i can. Hope you come down and have a good time.