LOZ questions / advise

[Manny]

Ok, been crappie fishing pretty steady the last 4 years.
Dipped bushes at Rend lake with good success and a couple trips to Kentucky lake with good results.

I have fished loz for only bass the last couple years with decent results.
But we only went there two to three times a year.

This year July we purchased a condo near the grand glaize bridge.
We are way back a cove, and are dock sits in about 9' of water at low pool 658.
I have had very limited success in targeting crappie at the lake.
If are dock was in deeper water I could plant some structure.

So I purchased a side imaging humminbird unit to see if I can find brush under other docks.
Cruised around this last weekend finding almost nothing for structure where I have been fishing.

As for open water structure I have not really found any yet.
I know peoples reports are fishing docks deep in the wells.
I have been using my 10 and 12 foot rods try to get deeper into the slips with no success but a couple dinks.

Are docks the only place right now holding crappie?
Are public docks like resturant docks legal to fish when resturant is closed?
I'm still learning my side imaging, should I bring my SI distance down to see structure better?

Do the crappie here prefere docks over open structure?
At a loss here any help is valuable.

[LOZ Targa]

Docks Are some of the best fishing on LOZ. There doesn't always have to be any brush for a dock to hold fish but it does help. My best advice is to just start fishing docks of different depths until you find fish. Chances are when you find a good dock it will always have fish on it especially in the winter when fishing pressure is less. There are also conservation brush piles on up the Glaize Arm. You can find a map of them on the Dept. of Conservation website. As for getting further into the dock wells and under the docks learn how to shoot docks. Here is a link to good video on dock shooting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRN0WwTFOBQ Set you SI to just one side and keep the distance to 50-60 ft. If you think you see something zoom in on it too get better detail.

[peculiarmike]

9' at the low end isn't bad, I'd put some brush piles or used Christmas trees around your dock in the dark of the night so no neighbors know they are there. Couldn't hurt and you may get a nice surprise next spring.

[Manny]

Nice video !
What docks should I be looking for?
Next to main lake?
Inside deep coves?
Channels?
Docks with soft or hard bottoms?

Need to delete some docks as there are days and days of docks to be fished.

[LSL Angler]

Manny, Just because you don't show any structure or crappie on your locator now don't stop checking when it gets cooler. The black crappie will start moving in and the colder it gets the more they will stack up on certain docks. I would fish the docks on points to start with. Learn how to do some dock shooting. They will be underneath or in the very corners. Also you need to use light jig head. Cast it or shoot it to the backs of the docks and let it float back towards you. Keep an eye out on your line to see that twitch when they hit the jig. The colder the slower you will want to go.

[wharfrat]

All the above.

Actually, I've had decent success all year long on docks just off the main channel. As the water temps cool down in the low to mid 60's, they seem to follow the baitfish into the coves, but late fall to pre-spawn in the late winter/early spring, they seem to be out back just off the main channel.
Also, I seem to have better luck with hard bottoms, but I don't think it's that crucial. Crappie like shade, so look for the darkest spots to shoot into. You need a good plastic that will skip good for you. I prefer a 7' med/lite action rod. But that's just my preference, I know a lot of folks that love a lite action 5 1/2 foot rod. But you need something with a little backbone. Dont' forget the hi-vis line. It'll make it easier to see the line jump. When you shoot, you'll see most of your strikes before you feel them. The Hi-vis line makes it so much easier.

[wharfrat]

Mark is right about going slow. Winter time I caught a lot of fish, with with a 32oz jig head and a larger plastic. It drops a lot slower. And for some reason, pink catches a lot of fish when the water gets down right cold. I found myself using a pink jig head and electric chicken plastics.

[ripnlips]

Not that I know anything but, my luck with the docks has been so so one day I am on them the next three times out nothing. One thing that stays consitant for me is brush in 15 to 20 ft. of water. Find you some brush in the Glaize arm and you will find fish. The glaize arm has alot of room to roam without docks so use your electronics and catch you some. I have done better on the docks in other arms of the lake but the glaize brushpiles have always treated me better.

[Manny]

Thanks for all the replies.

If any of you see me out there... I'll be in a new Nitro Z6 ( white with grey graphics)
Stop and say hi!

btw it's weird I haven't seen anyone crappie fishing in the glaize area, so it makes me think I'm in the wrong area.
But I'm only there on the weekends.

[Charley41]

MAnny
Wait till the water temps gets around 60 degrees and then there be lots of people out there. Just got to keep hitting the docks. Try Blue Ice, Red and white or my choice is purple and white. 3/32 or 1/8 jig.
You can always get lot of help on this board