Let’s talk shallow reservoirs and summertime

[DHC]

So at the risk of sounding dumb, I’ve got a few questions that maybe y’all can help with. Close to where I live there are several options to fish, and I can hold my own pretty dang well in the wintertime/spring before the water warms up but I just seem to lose them once summer time sets in. Without driving a couple of hours, most of the lakes I have access to are smallish shallow stumpy reservoirs with a max depth of 10 feet or so. I do just fine with the water temperature on the cooler side, but it’s like I just lose them once it warms up. Pulling cranks isn’t an option and neither is longlining due to all of the stumps. I spider rig almost all of the time, but am not opposed to other methods. Are these fish just shutting off because the water is so hot? I know they have to eat at some point but I just can’t figure them out. Anyone experience this and have any tips/ideas?

[Fish on Line]

Sounds like you are singing my song --- What I do know is Crappie move in close to shore in the Evenings into Night.. Begin shallow to deeper water.. Under docks and Boathouses because they do not like bright light .. In the shadows of trees and roots of trees.. even if you catch some the fish will keep moving with the bait

[DHC]

Yeah I’m thinking deeper trees with shade would be the ticket. Need to just get out there and experiment I guess.

[deathb4disco]

Anyone experience this and have any tips/ideas?

I used to fish several small lakes like this. I consistently found fish well off shore -- literally in the middle of the lake. They usually suspended about half way down.

[Crestliner08]

I used to fish several small lakes like this. I consistently found fish well off shore -- literally in the middle of the lake. They usually suspended about half way down.

Totally agree. Have often found them suspended over the deeper basins. And the do like faster retrieves, drifts, or trolling.

[Ketchn]

if you have deep timber they are on it midday likely and just summertime finicky .
crappie can be very elusive and difficult in the heat of the summer and often just "get" on the jig when you never feel a bite .
shade side of the timber , let your electronics guide you , small bait light bait scented up well with lots of sparkles in it .
let it slow fall down the shade side of timber that shows fish
if the jig stops falling anywhere in the drop set the hook .

[river scum]

sounds like my res. I find them in deep wood next to shore along the channel. jig vertically rite in the cover slowly. you can also fish at night with submersible lite. can be a real feeding frenzy and you beat the heat!

[DHC]

That’s the difficult about this place, is there really isn’t any channel to speak of, it’s more or less the same depth most of the way across it other than a couple of shallow flats. Going to hopefully get out there soon and do a little experimenting. Thanks for the replies.

[river scum]

in that case they mite be roamers fallowing bait schools. run all over the lake and look with the electronics I guess. maybe there are brush piles put in by some fishermen. wink

[hdhntr]

my shallow, 600 acre lake has little structure lots of docks but most arn't holding crappie mostly sunfish. a few hold some good sized ones but not many. planning on trying to pull cranks or swimming jigs experimenting this summer. good luck and it's a matter of just trial and error often.