Small Conservation Area Lake

[TwainGang]

I went to Whiteside Lake today to try for a few crappie and the weather looked too unstable to drive to Twain. The water there was a good clarity and my depth finder said it was 68-70 degrees. I thought it was weird the water was that warm already. I haven't got a chance to fish much this year, let alone small lakes. I thought, maybe they were in the spawn mode but nothing shallow-then tryed jigging the deeper trees- nothing, then tryed slip bobbering about 6-8 feet down- still nothing. The wind was tough to work with and I ended up trying for a few bass. The question is- has anyone hit the spawn on a smaller lake like this yet? I don't know if the spawn already happened (judging by the temp) or if they still have yet to spawn and the water just warmed up really fast and the crappie haven't gotten their nads going yet. This lake is in Lincoln County and is T-motor only.

[izzysfishin]

Don't know exactly where that lake is, but maybe the thunder and lightning from Sat. may have shook em up...izzy

[TwainGang]

Whitside Lake is north of Wentzville up 40/61- say about 30 miles or so- take a right on Highway Z and go about a mile and take a left at the Conservation sign. I kind of like the looks of it- it has standing wood and a dam with brushpiles placed along it. Has anyone run into crappie that acted like they were spawning in northeast MO?

[N2Crappie]

Take a left at Z if you are going north.
I agree the lake looks real good but I have only fished it with a boat once and didn't do too well, but it wasn't spring. I like to go there when I don't have enough time to drive to Mark Twain.

Good Luck
N2

[Rattler]

We filleted about 250 fish last week in So. Ill. and we only cleaned five or six crappie that still had eggs in them. The water temp was 73deg. This lake was a little deeper than Whiteside also. I was very surprised to see that water that warm also.

[TwainGang]

Take a left at Z if you are going north.
I agree the lake looks real good but I have only fished it with a boat once and didn't do too well, but it wasn't spring. I like to go there when I don't have enough time to drive to Mark Twain.

Good Luck
N2

Duh- yep make that a left on Z- not Right.

BTW, Anyone ever fished Lincoln Lake in Troy for crappie (Cuivre Riover State Park)? It is a deep clear lake and bigger than Whiteside.

[N2Crappie]

My wife and I caught a few 12" crappie in Lincoln Lake two years ago but I have only been back there in the winter time since then and just caught a few dinks.

Good Luck
N2

[Rattler]

I fished Lincoln Lake last summer with my ex-girlfriend and met an agent at the ramp. I asked about crappie and he said that their were very few caught and that If I caught any, to surely keep them. I never knew about the lake more than two years ago. Did their used to be any decent crappie fishing in it?

[fishin562]

I've been hitting whiteside regularly for about 3 weeks now. I usually do ok there but have yet to catch a crappie this year!!?? Possibly the tornado sucked all the crappie out? Good excuse anyway

[TwainGang]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who couldn't catch a crappie there. My farm is on the other end of Highway Z, so I drive through Whiteside on my way back to O'Fallon. I swung by there Saturday and talked to a guy in the parking lot who said he saw some really big crappie caught out of it. Figires to be just your typical "dock talk" though. I haven't given up on it yet though...

But I will head up to Twain Saturday- it should be just...about...right...