Hello all

[gator]

I'm new here, been kinda looking around, trying to get some tips and what not. Thought I would say HI!!

But I have a question for ya'll. I have access to about a 40 acre lake close to me. This lake has to have some monster slabs in it, as I have caught 3-4 the last couple of years. I can catch hand sized ones quite often, but never the bigger fish. How can I locate them? I can only get my 10ft jon boat on the lake. It usually has alot of grass along the shoreline, and any trees in the shallower parts have these grass mats surrounding them. I am searching for a cheap depth finder as we speak to help me find some structure in the lake. Also, this is an old watershed lake. I do know theer are some pretty good flathead cats in here, as I have caught several ranging from 20-35lbs. But I want to catch some of these big crappie that gotta be in theer, can ya'll help me, PLEASE??

[Barnacle Bill]

There are people here much more qualified to talk about that situation but I think you are headed in the right direction in finding the structure. Crappie love structure.

[gator]

And what are these crappie condos I keep seeing on here? How do they work? And are they hard to put in the water? I have a 10ft jon boat, would it be possible to put one in with that?

[Jerry Blake]

Hey Gator:

Welcome aboard! A crappie condo is any cover put in the lake to hold crappie. Bushes and trees make good cover and we've been building some out of bamboo that have been very productive and easy to fish around. You can also make stake beds - by driving wood stakes, bamboo or PVC pipe in the bottom. Points, drop-offs, inside bends in old creek channels are good places to place condos.

Good cover at the right depth is the key (at least for me) to finding quality crappie.

[Darryl Morris]

this link will explain the crappie condo - http://www.crappie.com/condo/ -
crappie will concentrate on structure (underwater geography) and cover (the stuff that sits on top of the structure). Learn what the lake looks like under the water and then you will probably be able to make a more educated guess as where to target for the crappie. Try to find a map of the lake that has contour line or even an old land nav map of the area before it was made into a lake.