River Crappie

[BGCrappieCatcher]

Some of you river crappie fisherman help me out. I have fished crappie on lakes for years and do well. I have a Barren River 300 yards behind behind my house and thought I may try to take advantage of it and have tried to fish it three times out of my boat with no luck. Plenty of crappie in it. I catch plenty at the dam (spillway). I fished so good looking stuff today and caught one bass. I tried to find some structure with little or no current but not much luck. So, some of you river pro's help me out.

[feelay]

Find the eddies.

[Kevin Willis]

not sure how deep the river you fish is but i find that the river bends are best the fish will stack up there. fish where the water is deep & try to let your jigs fall with the current not against it .not much advice but hope it works for you

[rivercrappievt]

Here in Vermont the best areas to look for them are in and around the setbacks, depending on the time of year that is.

[Frank C]

Backwaters off the river, cuts with docks or a marina are good.

[feeshrman]

good advice. Without knowing what type river this is,it is hard to tell you anything else. Is it swift,deep, shallow, clear, muddy, narrow or wide, is there structure, if so what kind, wood, rock or man made.

Backwaters off the river, cuts with docks or a marina are good.

[Shallow Runner]

I'm not sure what the water temp is where you are. If it's 50-55 degrees the crappie will be on tree tops are structure in the main river chanel. Fish them vertical jigging are with a shiner. Start at 1' deep and work your way down in 1' increments. If the temp is 55-60 degrees try dead end cuts are canals with solid banks. I would start this process with a shiner are a tube jig 8" to 2' deep right off the bank and working outward 5-7' off the bank. If you have any cypress trees are tupelo gums growing in the water are half on the bank half in the water crappie love to spawn on them. If none available any brush piles are fallen trees right off the bank offering cover will hold fish. If the temp is 60-65 degrees they will be full on spawning and the same pattern should be used against the banks, it's been my experience they pile up together during spawn so when you catch one sit on that spot and work it thoroughly. It is very hard to spider rig are fish multiple jigs on one line river fishing. You are always searching for something out of the ordinary, the single brush pile or the recess in the bank, a single cypress tree, etc. Crappie love cover so if you come home with the same hook and sinker or jig you left with, your doing it all wrong lol. The more (trash) you can get into the better your chances are at success on the river. I have a small 15' / 44" aluminum rig especially for this purpose. I will put it where no one else wants to go. That's normally where the fish will be. Good luck and I hope this helps you. I fish the river exclusively, shoot me a pm if you have any further questions.


Eatin ain't cheatin

[Alphahawk]

not sure how deep the river you fish is but i find that the river bends are best the fish will stack up there. fish where the water is deep & try to let your jigs fall with the current not against it .not much advice but hope it works for you

I could not agree more. I fish for trout on the Caney Fork River. It is a true premier trout stream. But people have no clue the Caney is full of big Black Nose Crappie. I find them in the bends...in the deep holes. That water never gets above 54 degrees for about 10 miles down the river or maybe even much further than that. But I usually only fish the first 6 miles. It is pretty cool to watch a Crappie come under your jig in 8 feet of gin clear water and watch him inhale it. Good luck.

regards