Depth of Brush

[caseydrew]

If you had to pick a depth that you were forced to fish March - April what would it be and why? Trying to decide what depth would allow me the longest opportunity to catch fish since I'm planning on sinking some more brush the end of this month. This would be prespawn through postspawn on KY lake where I fish.

[slabbandit]

Hey Caseydrew,
From everything that I've seen and read about KY Lake, never been there yet myself, is that it is similar in make-up to my home lake, Lake Nimrod 3500 acres, here in Arkansas. Granted that my lake is no where close in size to KY Lake.

Our river channel feeding our lake averages 30 to 35 feet deep with flats averaging 10 to 12 feet deep. Nimrod was constructed for flood control with completion of the dam in 1942.

I've found that brush placed in the 10 foot range rising some 4 to 5 feet off the bottom holds quality fish for me from the first warm spell in February all the way thru late June or so.

I don't know about KY Lake but 15 to 17 feet deep is usally as deep as I have to fish to catch late winter/early spring fish.

[Darryl Morris]

Wow, what a very perceptive, forward-looking question. I'm very impressed that you are seeking to work now for a return in the coming season. Very smart!!!

The crappie are going to spawn in shallow water (three foot or less) during that time. That means the males will make the beds in the very shallow water, but the majority of the females will "stage" at intermediate depths just outside those shallow water spawning areas. BOTH need cover. The key to sinking cover is to only fill half the water column like Slabbandit explained above. So, I would sink some cover in the spawning shallows, but I sink more cover in the slightly deeper water near there for the staging. It's the staging top that you will catch crappie in all three stages -- prespawn, spawn and postspawn.

[Greenwing]

I fish Barkley all the time and the most productive depth for me is 8-12ft. at winter pool. There is times during the period you are talking about the fish move too shallow for the beds I have put out ,but If I was forced to fish one depth it would be 10ft. with some type of contour close by, why I would pick that depth, the last couple of years that depth has paid off mid Feb. thru April even as the water rises the fish will continue to follow the contour in and out of the bay. Last year after the spawn I was Redear fishing, wasnt doing very well so I tried some of my beds and started catching real nice crappie at 16ft. which is 10ft. at winterpool. I would like to put cover out for spawning crappie but the idea of it being exposed Sept-March for everyone to see to me is a waste of time unless you could find somewhere without alot of pressure the way my luck is everytime I wanted to fish it someone else would be there.

[GRIZZ]

If your fishing a lake they draw down 8-10 feet in the winter will you drop cover where is no water in the winter, or cover thats emerging from the water while the water is down?

[slabbandit]

That's a tough one Grizz. I personally don't like for my tops to be common knowledge. Some are going to be found accidentally anyway but I try to put mine in during the lower winter level. 345 summer pool...342 winter pool.

I don't really have any experience with lakes that go through a major drawdown each year. I guess that I would put them out anyway and hope that plenty of other people do it too.

[Wiskers]

As you probably know Ky Lake's winter pool elevation is 354' asl (above sea level) & summer pool is 359' asl. But....... that doesn't mean that it stays at 354' all winter. In fact for about the last month or so it has been at least 355 & almost 357. so What I'm saying is I always check to see what the lake level is the day I'm gonna put out beds.

With that being said most of the guides I know around the lake key on the 10 to 12' depth. I also like to put buckets out on points & other spawning areas at a depth that 354 just barely covers the top of the bucket. These will be in about 6 & 1/2 feet of water at summer pool 359'. The crappie will spawn around these fake stumps. As Ky lake has gotten clearer over the past 20 years or so some of the crappie have started spawning a little deeper :D

[NIMROD]

I put out structure at all depths from 3' at low pool to 20'. The key is on these lakes is aim for several depths of water. I guess. The shallows 3 ' or so at lowest pool, I build brushpiles from Persimmon trees that lie close to the bottom. At low pool if they are shorter than 3' ,then at high pool here it would be 6' . This way you can have some shallow brushpiles. Last year for a while Slabbandit was having trouble finding fish at times after the spawn in 10' water. When in 5 ' water brushpiles I was wearing then out. I tie my brush together with wire to keep any limbs from floating up. Then watch and prune any that show as the water level drops. These are usually on humps in open water next to channels.:D

[John Brower]

I do mostly nightstalking on stockton lake in missouri. fishing in 30 to 35 feet of water over plastic, with the bait at the 20 foot depth works for me most
of the year. i use 9 feet plastic attractors and the fish move up and down
the water column. works for me.

john b.

[caseydrew]

Anyone else using just buckets in shallow water without any brush in them with success? How many buckets p/ spot?