Where are the crappie...

[stumpbumpers]

Thought I get others opinions as to where they think the crappie are on my waters. It seems over the past couple years of posting on here I keep getting people contridicting what I know to be true.

I think the reason for this isn't because any or either of us is wrong, I think our waters are completely different.

Here is the DL on the waters here in coastal NC... IMHO I think Louisianna has the most similar fishing habitat.

On this particular river it is approximately 300yrds across, very winding, a steady average depth of 30, purty much flat bottom, no cover out from the bank, tons of cover around the edge, stained/tannin water color, not affected by tide, but wind drives water in and out and the level can raise our lower 3 feet in a matter of hours, it is brackish-meaning some salt, as we are a 20 minute boat ride to the Albemarle Sound, I am 3 miles from where the river widens to 1/4 mile and shallows to 5-8ft and the salt increases. We have creeks and bays off the river, but for the most part we call them mud flats, cause that is all that is in those dead water shallow areas. There is very few houses and high land on this river because it is feed by low land swamps. The shad are in here year around in huge schools. We have few bridges, a train trussel with lots of pilings and cover, and the banks serve as good cover because of all the trees that have fallen. The banks tend to slope quickly so cover in shallow and deep water near the bank is not an issue. We do not have enough elevation to have a strong current. To day the wind is blowing water in and the current from all the rain is going out.

So now you hav my mixed bag what do you think?

Our caostal waters are the hardest waters of any waters I have ever fished and have talk with many people from out of the area who can not grasp the overall picture of this type of fish habitat.

I just want to see what others think...

[Darryl Morris]

Sounds pretty tough to me. If there are crappie there, they'll certainly be near cover. You're right, the LA boys or anyone else who fishes coastal water for crappie can give more experienced advise.

[stumpbumpers]

Hey DM, hope you are doing well.

Thanks for the post

[england]

Shoot stump thats a good one, I will take a crack at it.
I guess If got out there for my first time I would probably start poking around close to the bank somewhere where there was some cover, and I would look for a steep bank with cover and fish around for a while, as for brackish water, I dont have a clue. I might try a feeder creek if there is one,and mabey even that railroad trussel. Shoot It would take me 10 or 12 trips to figure somthing out with the conditions such as you have there.

[SUNDROP]

This year is especially tricky in Eastern NC because we have had so little rain that the salt influx from the ocean has changed the salinity of all the coastal rivers. Weve had the best Speckled trout/Flounder/Red drum fishing in years but it has pushed alot of freshwater/brackish tolerant species upriver and made them harder to find. I wonder how the shad will do and if this will actually improve the striper run in the spring??

[crappiefarmer]

Thought I get others opinions as to where they think the crappie are on my waters. It seems over the past couple years of posting on here I keep getting people contridicting what I know to be true.

I think the reason for this isn't because any or either of us is wrong, I think our waters are completely different.

Here is the DL on the waters here in coastal NC... IMHO I think Louisianna has the most similar fishing habitat.

On this particular river it is approximately 300yrds across, very winding, a steady average depth of 30, purty much flat bottom, no cover out from the bank, tons of cover around the edge, stained/tannin water color, not affected by tide, but wind drives water in and out and the level can raise our lower 3 feet in a matter of hours, it is brackish-meaning some salt, as we are a 20 minute boat ride to the Albemarle Sound, I am 3 miles from where the river widens to 1/4 mile and shallows to 5-8ft and the salt increases. We have creeks and bays off the river, but for the most part we call them mud flats, cause that is all that is in those dead water shallow areas. There is very few houses and high land on this river because it is feed by low land swamps. The shad are in here year around in huge schools. We have few bridges, a train trussel with lots of pilings and cover, and the banks serve as good cover because of all the trees that have fallen. The banks tend to slope quickly so cover in shallow and deep water near the bank is not an issue. We do not have enough elevation to have a strong current. To day the wind is blowing water in and the current from all the rain is going out.

So now you hav my mixed bag what do you think?

Our caostal waters are the hardest waters of any waters I have ever fished and have talk with many people from out of the area who can not grasp the overall picture of this type of fish habitat.

I just want to see what others think...

Stumpbumpers,

Spider rig 8 to 15 feet deep for now and further up the river than your place but give the trestle a try. When temps start going up into the 50's fish 4 to 8 feet deep. Also fish anywhere where a ditch comes into the river. That goes for now too. They will go up in a couple feet of water this time of year to feed in the shallow water on sunny days. Fish shallower towards spawn then ???? until July because I am in the fields 7 days a week until then. By then they are in the brush really good back down towards the big part of the river where there is more dissolved Oxygen. Fish brush until Dec. then they scatter again through the winter and go back to spider rigging. CF