Shallow lake crappie

[kbota]

I recently moved to central Louisiana, near a lake of several thousand acres. It's an old natural swamp where the creek was damed up many years ago. It's a fairly shallow lake with lots of old growth Tupelo Cypress trees with heavy moss. the average depth is around 7' and the deepest area I have found was ten feet.

In the past few weeks I've been catching Crappie in four feet of water with heavy vegetation growth from the bottom up to 2-3 feet. I've been using red head popeye jigs with Bobby Garland monkey milk bodies fishing about 30" below a float, and jerking the jig every 20 seconds.

Many of the fish I'm catching are full of eggs, so I suspect that in a few weeks, they will begin to bed, and be in full spawn. That's when the fun really begins.

My question is; after the spawn, where would you expect the crappie to move to in this shallow lake? And what baits would you use? I'm just looking for a starting point for after the spawn.

Thanks for everyone's input.

K

[NIMROD]

Look in heavy cover after the spawn would be my guess.

[PawPaw Gene]

Kbota, I fished such a lake for many years until we were locked out. After the spring spawn, I had my greatest success fishing the edges of the hydrilla and pitching a panfish assassin back into the openings in the hydrilla on a 1/32 oz jig head. Use a 10 foot pole and keeping the jig mostly in sight working it around and through the hydrilla.
"gene"
ps: by the way are you also kbota on the bayou gardener.

[dandeman]

I recently moved to central Louisiana, near a lake of several thousand acres. It's an old natural swamp where the creek was damed up many years ago. It's a fairly shallow lake with lots of old growth Tupelo Cypress trees with heavy moss. the average depth is around 7' and the deepest area I have found was ten feet.

In the past few weeks I've been catching Crappie in four feet of water with heavy vegetation growth from the bottom up to 2-3 feet. I've been using red head popeye jigs with Bobby Garland monkey milk bodies fishing about 30" below a float, and jerking the jig every 20 seconds.

Many of the fish I'm catching are full of eggs, so I suspect that in a few weeks, they will begin to bed, and be in full spawn. That's when the fun really begins.

My question is; after the spawn, where would you expect the crappie to move to in this shallow lake? And what baits would you use? I'm just looking for a starting point for after the spawn.

Thanks for everyone's input.

K

Welcome to the forums kbota! Sounds like you're fishing on Caddo. I've bass fished there, but not much success finding the crappie there except in the main bayou or river near Johnson's Ranch. I fish for them mainly on "the River" that feeds the lake and have found productive spots there. The water depth on the river ranges from 6' to 28' feet or so.

[kbota]

Kbota, I fished such a lake for many years until we were locked out. After the spring spawn, I had my greatest success fishing the edges of the hydrilla and pitching a panfish assassin back into the openings in the hydrilla on a 1/32 oz jig head. Use a 10 foot pole and keeping the jig mostly in sight working it around and through the hydrilla.
"gene"
ps: by the way are you also kbota on the bayou gardener.

The one and the same Mr Gene. Them fried sac-a-lait filets are sure good with new potato fries, corn on the cob, and maybe some fresh sliced maters....yes?

he he

K

[kbota]

Welcome to the forums kbota! Sounds like you're fishing on Caddo. I've bass fished there, but not much success finding the crappie there except in the main bayou or river near Johnson's Ranch. I fish for them mainly on "the River" that feeds the lake and have found productive spots there. The water depth on the river ranges from 6' to 28' feet or so.

Thanks dandeman, although I've always wanted to fish Caddo Lake, I never have. I'm a Hunnert and a half miles southeast of Caddo.

K