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[bluecatman]

Alright guys, this yera is my first serious attempt at crappie fishing, so thought I'd keep you posted. Went to a 200 acre city lake here in central Illinois and caught 3 9 inchers in the first brush pile we tried. Black and chartreuse in 5 ft. Water temps on the lake varied from 51 to 55. Our second stop I accidentally ran the trolling motor into mud and lost the prop. Found the prop by reaching in the water but lost the wing nut. Had to fish the rest of the day using the gas motor which was a pain. Got some more bites but no hookups. Dad caught a 3 pound bass on his little tube jig.

Trying to use the big motor and tying off to brush brings up a question I asked on the main board but no one answered me. Does bumping into the brush pretty hard spook the fish? What about getting snagged and pulling pretty hard to break off? Should I keep fishing there or just leave since I've caused so much commotion?

[whiplash]

Alright guys, this yera is my first serious attempt at crappie fishing, so thought I'd keep you posted. Went to a 200 acre city lake here in central Illinois and caught 3 9 inchers in the first brush pile we tried. Black and chartreuse in 5 ft. Water temps on the lake varied from 51 to 55. Our second stop I accidentally ran the trolling motor into mud and lost the prop. Found the prop by reaching in the water but lost the wing nut. Had to fish the rest of the day using the gas motor which was a pain. Got some more bites but no hookups. Dad caught a 3 pound bass on his little tube jig.

Trying to use the big motor and tying off to brush brings up a question I asked on the main board but no one answered me. Does bumping into the brush pretty hard spook the fish? What about getting snagged and pulling pretty hard to break off? Should I keep fishing there or just leave since I've caused so much commotion?

I always try to ease in to brush,but iI,ve see people that bang it pretty hard and not bother them---- if the brush is heavy enough not to move when I break off ---I don,t feel like it,s as hard on the fish

[unknown 5]

I often bang into the brush on a lake just like I bang into a brushpile on the river catfishing. Depending on the fishing pressure, it usually doesn;t spook them too much. I have caught some big cats fishing through holes in brushpiles on the river where I motored into the brush and tied my boat off on top of the brushpile. With all of the fishing pressure fish get these days in certain areas, it may pay to be a little more stealthy when fishing those spots.