NIGHTSTALKING question

[crappie bug]

Me and my dad fished friday night 8/3/07 and caught about 30 crappie but just had 6 keepers. We had 3 rods a peace set at deferent depths from 8' to 20' and caught fish at all depths. They would bite for about 30 to 45 minuts and quit for about an hour then start back. Can anyone tell me why yhey might have been scatered so much? Thanks for any info:D

[eddiebhome]

Were you anchored in one spot with lights out? That's how I do it. My experience is that we will set out poles at different depths until we find where the bigger fish are biting, usually 16-20 feet, mostly at 18. But that is fishing in water that is 25-45 ft this time of year. Also, we find the bites to come in cycles. For 5-15 minutes we catch several and then the bite stops for a while and then the cycle repeats. I feel like the school is cruising around the area, and we get the bites when they run through our bait.

Some areas tend to produce only smaller fish. You might look around for deeper water, creek & river channels, points, etc.

Good luck.
Eddie

[crappie bug]

We were anchored in 25' over a brush pile with 2 green lights out. The bigger fish we caught come from different dephs that's what I can't figure out. There is a bridge about 300 yards from there would it be better?

[Ken Kinser]

Bridges are good if they have deep water under them, fish the concrete pillars under them

[plantdr]

I'm with eddieb, the crappie are moving thru in schools, I find this to be very common at night. Crappie may not like to fight current but they do hunt and follow prey. A 45 min to an hour lull is fairly common for me at nite, but then comes 15- 30 minutes of action. If i have minnows coming to the green lite I can always drift or troll slowly, the minnows come with me as long as don't go too far, too fast.