MS AL or AR - what state is best??

[GRIZZ]

We all know how good the fishing is over in Jerry and Darryl's neck of the woods, but is the fishing in AR as good as MS and AL. The general consensus is that MS has the best crappie fishing , but I wonder if AL is just as good, but not as well known. Are Weiss and Neely-Henry in the same league as Grenada, Sardis, Arkab. and Enid? What do you all think? What is absolutely the best crappie fishing state?? Are there lakes even better than these that aren't well know??

What is the best lake for not just monsters but large numbers of big fish?? I know I used to be able to go out on Chautauqua on any day and land 300 fish without trying too hard, and though I could probably still do that now they would be 99% dinks now. What lake could you go out and hit 300 fish in a day with many being in the 1.5 - 2 lb range with some being over 3, with the chance of a remote 4??

[pstone]

Don't come to MS expecting to catch 300.....or even 100 fish a day. You might catch 20-40, but most would be over a pound, with the possibility of fish in the 2-3-4 range. And the 4 is very remote.

More than likely if you can catch 300 fish in a day, there are some population issues, and bigger fish will be rare.

[GRIZZ]

Don't come to MS expecting to catch 300.....or even 100 fish a day. You might catch 20-40, but most would be over a pound, with the possibility of fish in the 2-3-4 range. And the 4 is very remote.

More than likely if you can catch 300 fish in a day, there are some population issues, and bigger fish will be rare.

Thats why I asked the question partly. On Chautuaqua 10 yrs ago and before that I used to be able to get 300 a day and also get fish over 2 and once or twice a year a 3. It was an awesome crappie lake then. I'm just interested to see if there are other lakes out there that are still like that. I'm thinking that if there is, that its probably a northern lake. Did you guys catch those Lake of the woods slabs posted a couple weeks ago? http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showth...t=41662&page=3

I know you guys in the south get huge fish, but numbers are more like bass fishing. In northern natural lakes it seems the numbers are more, but in general with smaller fish because the the shorter growing season, but there must be some lakes out there that are still like Chautauqua used to be like.

[luvjign]

What lake could you go out and hit 300 fish in a day with many being in the 1.5 - 2 lb range with some being over 3, with the chance of a remote 4??[/QUOTE]


Hey Grizz, with no sarcasm intended, I don't think this lake exists. Just comparing Sardis, Enid, and Grenada................Yep, Grenada's gonna give you the "slight" chance for the "remote 4", but Enid (and more likely Sardis) is gonna be the ones likely to get you the numbers. BUT, to get 300 in the 1.5 - 2 lb range.............I just can't visualize!!! I hope this fantasy is in store for me when the Lord calls me home .

Good Luck

[GRIZZ]

I didn't mean they were all in that range. Just a lot of them, and yet the crappie fishing was amazing then. I remember it fondly. I spent a good deal of my 20's and early 30's blissfully hawlin them in on chautauqua. At the time I didn't fully realize how special the lake was. My estimates of the years the fishing was the best I was landing 3000-5000 crappies a year from chautauqua.

[coony278]

I have to ask what did you do with all them crappie you landed in the past ? And what would you do if you caught 300 crappie today? What would you do with them all???


Coony

[Bullsprig]

Days past at Toledo bend

[Don G]

Arkabutla & Ms Oxbows

[bama647]

i dont think youd find a noticeable difference between any of the southerern states. they all have some great crappie lakes and it would take a lifetime to learn to fish them all. crappie seem to be abundant in all the main water systems down here but the trick is learning what parts of the lake to catch them on during any given season.

[willsjwills]

One problem with a lot of our larger impoundments here in Mississippi, is that on week-ends it's almost impossible to fish them for the boat traffic. I'm sure fishing would be a lot better on week days, but forget fishing on week-ends. Columbus and Aberdeen Pools have a goodly supply of sizeable crappie, but try and fish a top on saturday or sunday. In the summer and winter months, the fish move out of the bayous into the main channel. Therein lies the problem. Too many other people competing space on the channel.

The Mississippi Delta lakes are wonderful lakes for crappie until the water temp exceeds 80 degrees. That occurs early in the season for some of the lakes because they're so shallow. Plenty of three pound crappie in them, but you have to be there at the right time.

I doubt there is a "best state". If i commented any further , I would start an arguement.

None of the lakes i just described would produce 300 fish a day for one fisherman. That's a number people only dream of. I would love to catch 30 keepers in a day.