tend to think that the larger fish were not relating to trees. The smaller ones may need the security of the tree/branches, and they don't need the oxygen levels to be as high as larger fish do. The Slabs may not be suspended any deeper than the dinks, depthwise, but they're probably out in more open water. The thermocline will determine how deep they can go, and the baitfish schools will determine where they go.
During the spawn, alot of the "feeding" activity is not only "eating", but also "killing" any intruders. Now that all that has taken place, and the fish have schooled back up, it's all about "eating" again ... for survival, to replenish the nutrients lost, and to continue to grow. The "food" is also bigger, and thus subject to the same needs (more oxygen, more food, depth security, and as comfortable a temp as can be found ... with the other ingredients, combined). The larger fish will eat larger prey, knowing they will get more nutrition with less effort, and may thus be less active.
One thing, that alot of anglers seem to overlook, is that one link in the chain ... the baitfish. They study the other links (temps, depth, clarity, oxygen levels, structure, cover, and the preferences of the species they're after) ... but, they don't study the habits of the prey of those species. They know enough to imitate them, with their bait choices, but not always where & why & when they are ... where they are, given the time of year and conditions of the water. Predator fish, like Crappie, are not going to be far from a foodsource, unless conditions prevent them from it. Find the food, find the fish
.... cp