Hot Summer Shallow Crappie

[slabbandit]

Does anyone ever do any good fishing shallow water, ( 3 foot or less), in the summer time?

Seen a show where Todd Huckabee was fishing water in the back of a creek that was less than a couple feet deep. Daytime temp was 95 degrees and water temp was 92. He said the crappie were there following the spawning shad.

My lake has a lot of 3 to 5 foot deep flats but it's hard for me to make myself come off of the 8 to 12 foot brushpiles that have been so productive earlier in the year. I guess I am going to have to try it as I am not doing very well off of the deeper tops now.

I comented the other day as I was walking out into the lake to swim and cool off that the water around the bank was in no way too hot to hold fish. Also seen small minnows swimming back and forth along the bank.

[bugman]

I was fishing flats last week in the 3'-8' range with the water temp around 85 degrees and done well with several nice fish,the shad were up on the flats and the crappie followed but i went back a few days later and the shad had left and so did the crappie,if i see shad in shallow water i will fish shallow and usually the fish will be there regardless of the water temp.

[Big George]

I have know Todd Huckabee for a few years now and he practices what he preaches he is a good guy and when he tells you something believe it I have found him very reliable when I ask him something if you guys need a question answered just e-mail him he will write back when he gets time www.toddhuckabee.com

[slabbandit]

I sure wish Todd Huckabee would write a book or make a few videos. His techniques are so unique. everything that I have tried that I have read or saw him do has worked very well for me.

The lake I fish regularly is smaller in size but sounds real similar to the lakes that he fishes.

[grizzly]

Hey bandit, if you are talking about Nimrod, I fished it some in the late 70's when it was THE place to go. Even when it was hot we caughtfish trolling in the shallow bays. We were putting in at Sunlight Bay, going to the main river channel and going downstream to the first bay on the right. Back then I didn't know crappie got that big. I thought my uncle was pullin myleg. good luck grizzly

[slabbandit]

thanks Griz, I know right where you are talkin' about!

[Hef]

If Huckabee says it , believe it. He is the man and yes you can catch the crappie shallow in the timber in the heat.

[NIMROD]

Slabbandit, I've fished the lake for over 35 years in all conditions. We used to troll minnows set 18'' to 24'' deep in the 1970's behind the Island (there used to be a small one in the west end of the bay.) .It would be so hot and we still caught crappie , even at midday! I believe with low oxygen in the deep water and shad schooling on the shallow flats the crappie are following. Also try trolling shallow over the old train tram. We also would fish south of the water intake and west of the Island in Prairie Creek.:D
As for deep trolling try fishing 9' to 12 ' deep real slow on the south bank of the river between N**ger Branch and Prairie Creeks.:D
Good Luck . If you want someone to fish with call the house. I need to get kick started, have not been for two weeks!

[jlaughlin72]

I haven't had a chance to go this summer(and someone said the crappie were killed off with the salt water intrusion), but last summer we were slaughtering them at the reserve south of where i live, the water was fairly deep but the fish were shallow. Here is the link to the thread telling what we were doing, it may help you out, or maybe give you something to try.
http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showthread.php?t=10156

Keep in mind, this was LAST summer.

[crappiencali]

When I was back home last summer me and my partner hit shallow flats and road beds and did really well. Slow trolled jigs, and when we found a stump we stopped and fished it for a bit. I really didn't think that crappie would be that shallow. We caught fish in up to 18" of water.