The Crappie Are FINALLY Getting Ready For Spring Crappie Camp - Are You?!?!?

[Jerry Blake]

With all the cool, damp and cloudy weather we had earlier this month and the flood we had last week the crappie have been scattered and very finicky. I think they completely backed off on spawning, which should be in full swing by now. The males are finally moving back close to the spawning areas and slipping back into their tuxedos. Yesterday - after looking for them on brushpiles and bamboo condos all over the lake fishing from 5 to 20-feet deep - we found them about 2:00 in the afternoon up under submerged, dense buck brush in 6 to 8-feet of water.

Today they were in the same pattern. I think they are staging to spawn as many of them weren't a bit dark when we caught them, which probably means they just moved in from deeper/cooler water. We only caught 2-females today and all males yesterday. The only way we could get them to bite was to work a minnow right down through the canopy of the buck brush and get down around the trunks. They would barely pull our floats under but when we set the hook they would take off like crazy so we had some good action. We lost several that got us wrapped up in the buck brush before we could haul them out. It was tough fishing both days but my crews really enjoyed the challenge.

Yesterday's keepers:


Today's keepers - 20 measured from 14 to 15.75-inches:

The lake is falling over 6-inches a day and should be down another 3-feet or so by Crappie Camp. The surface temps are still in the upper 50s but should be in the low 60s in another week if the weather forecast is right so the crappie should be settled in the shallows just in time for Crappie Camp.

[minnowman]

With all the cool, damp and cloudy weather we had earlier this month and the flood we had last week the crappie have been scattered and very finicky. I think they completely backed off on spawning, which should be in full swing by now. The males are finally moving back close to the spawning areas and slipping back into their tuxedos. Yesterday - after looking for them on brushpiles and bamboo condos all over the lake fishing from 5 to 20-feet deep - we found them about 2:00 in the afternoon up under submerged, dense buck brush in 6 to 8-feet of water.

Today they were in the same pattern. I think they are staging to spawn as many of them weren't a bit dark when we caught them, which probably means they just moved in from deeper/cooler water. We only caught 2-females today and all males yesterday. The only way we could get them to bite was to work a minnow right down through the canopy of the buck brush and get down around the trunks. They would barely pull our floats under but when we set the hook they would take off like crazy so we had some good action. We lost several that got us wrapped up in the buck brush before we could haul them out. It was tough fishing both days but my crews really enjoyed the challenge.

Yesterday's keepers:


Today's keepers - 20 measured from 14 to 15.75-inches:

The lake is falling over 6-inches a day and should be down another 3-feet or so by Crappie Camp. The surface temps are still in the upper 50s but should be in the low 60s in another week if the weather forecast is right so the crappie should be settled in the shallows just in time for Crappie Camp.

GREAT POST!!! When was Crappie Camp again? I think it's right on my BDAY, GRRR!!! The girl and buddies have told me NO plans on April 4th through 6th!

[Jerry Blake]

Hey Minnowman:

You're in luck - Crappie Camp is April 11,12 and 13 - http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showthread.php?t=51159

[TJ Adams]

Nope it's my Birthday...But I plan on goin...

[Jerry Blake]

Greeson is still falling about 6-inches a day and the Power Company plans to generate around the clock through next Wednesday so it should be back down, stable and in good shape for Crappie Camp. The falling water is keeping the crappie real tight to the cover and hard to get to but we got a good mess yesterday morning:

They are still just out from the shallows and up under the submerged buck brush in 5 to 8-feet of water.

[grubby]

Sounds real good to me Jerry I can hardly wait.

[BigD]

Jerry,

I cant wait. We have seen a few big females (and caught) coming into the shallows even though the water temp is still below 40.

I think we will see a big run in the next week!

I cannot even sleep brother.:D



D

[CohuttaCrappie]

I'm super excited about this trip, wish I could somehow strech the weekend into a week. It will be a much much needed break from work and everyday life. Any guitar pickers coming? I plan on bringing mine to pick around on while shoot'n the crap saturday night.

[Knappy]

sounds like things are getting ready to happen---crappie camp sounds fun