Crappie Movement

[FishnLine]

OK. I have a question. Most articles you read, say that during the winter and summer crappie move out on main lake structure in deeper water. What if the creek itself is 40' deep or deeper. Is there a reason for the fish to actually move out into the main lake or would they stay in the creek?

[england]

That is the genaral rule of thumb,and for the most part you can fish by it if you want to ,but I will tell a somthing. I have caught a many a fish up creek arms in winter and summer. Keep a open mind, try fishing up a creek on warm sunny day in the winter, you just might be suprised. Like now for example, I have been catching good numbers of crappie in creeks and sloughs off of the main river that feeds the lake, the water is no more than 4 feet deep.

[CrappieHound]

Well...I don't agree that the fish pull put of creeks during the winter and summer months. If the creek has the desired depth and structure they move out to it.

Big Sandy is a creek on the Tenn. River and fish are caught out of that creek year round.(Lots of fish)

If your creeks are small and have no structure and depth "then" yes the fish will move out. Crappie do not move out into current if they have what they need inside the creeks.

The Hound

[crappiefarmer]

Just another opinion but on my waters they do move out in the summer for water quality reasons. there is not nearly as much dissolved oxygen in many creeks in the summer and they will move closer to the mouth or into the lake or river. In the spring they spring ahead up the creeks to spawn. once post spawn arrives, they will fall back. In my neck of the woods that is late May/early June. or when water temps are approaching low to mid 70's. I fish the extreme lower parts of the creeks, creek mouths, and smaller areas of in my case rivers. Once the water temps start falling back into the 60's good in the fall then the crappie start moving back then as well. CF

[CrappieHound]

QUOTE: What if the creek itself is 40' deep or deeper. Is there a reason for the fish to actually move out into the main lake or would they stay in the creek?

Wasn't trying to get anyone reved up I was just answering the question FL posed. If you have depth and cover you can find fish in the creeks. What he described sounds ALOT like "my" water.


FL: Could you expound on this statement:
QUOTE: If you do not have current and there is depth you may find the crappie have left.

I was always under the impression that crappie avoided current not look for it. Maybe me wrong...OTAY.

HAPPY FISHING,

The Hound

[CrappieHound]

No biggie. Wasn't trying to be controversial. Just trying to answer the question he posed about depth in creeks. I do agree w/ you that if there is little depth change in a creek, usually small creeks, fish don't stay. They will hang out at the mouth and return when warm or cool rain water washes in or the sun comes out and heats the water up in winter.

They will find some structure to get behind when they do move out if there is substantial current.

Good Thread.

The Hound

[england]

Well guys there are as many opinons on this as there are places and ways to to catch these fish and I have not seen any bad opions, that tells me that these things live everywhere in all seasons it seems. Its just that some places the bite is more predictable in whatever season. Like I said earlier, I have been catching fish in 4 foot of water as of late, but giving the time of the year it is, the more predictable bite is more than likley in deeper water somewhere, and I'm not saying that crappie dont move, They do. There just always seems to be some fish where there not supposed to be.
When Im out there fishin I will go to places that they are supposed to be first according to season and water temps, and more times than not I will find some catchable fish in those areas, but when I cant find any that want to eat I start looking in completly differant depths and those places that there not supposed to be, and somtimes I catch some and sometimes I dont.
My point is, Fish the places they are supposed be ,thats your best bet, But keep a open mind as I said earlier, you just never know about these crazy fish.

[sccamper]

Ive thought about the same thing. I fish the same area, of the same lake as Fishinline. Not sure if he's talking about the main creek/river or a feeder creek into the main river. The lake has 2 rivers(nearly no current) that feed the main lake body. We are probally 2-3 miles if not more from the main lake body, 30-35 ft deep with standing timber and other structure everywhere. Would most of the fish migrate several miles to the main lake body or find comfort in the upper parts where we are?

[barrelslime]

I'll be right back I have to go have a crappie movement

[Sandwich Maker]

A lot of the lakes here in West Texas seem to have double populations in the winter. Creek fish and deeper main lake fish. I'm always amazed at the fish that will stack in the creeks in Dec through Feb and then mostly head out to spawn. The main lake fish will be in much deeper water, while the creek fish will be much, much shallower. I love to fish main creeks in the winter!!