Tell me how to fish this, please.

[Sam W.]

A week ago my partner and I went night-fishing for bass on Tablerock Lake. We launched about 5 p.m. on a lake arm where we had done VERY good on crappie this past spring.

While it was still light, we tried crappie fishing at a spot where the big ones were thick in April and May. It's a line of flooded trees, rocky bank and mud bottom, and the outer edge of the tree line is 20 to 30 feet deep. Surface water temp was 86.

Much to our surprise, we caught 5 real nice crappie there - so they've stayed in that area after the spawn. The fish were all over 12", and one was a 16-incher! We were using small swimming minnows on 1/8 oz. lead head jigs, moved and jigged slow just off the bottom.

We scoped small scattered bunches of crappie, moving around just outside the tree line. They weren't holding to brush, they were suspended about 20 feet down - just a small group here and there at random. We couldn't scope any after dark, and they quit biting so we went on to bass fishing (did pretty good there too).

The crappie action wasn't quick at all - about a bite every half hour and some of them were just nibbling or striking short. Ever since that trip, I've been thinking about returning to that spot at night with an underwater light.

I've got a light - it's not a floater, it lowers down on its cord. I've never really fished that way before, so I'd appreciate any tips. How deep to lower the light? How long should it take for minnows (and crappie?) to gather. Do we need minnows, or would jigs work?

The night we were there the moon was full and it was so light I could tie on a hook without a flashlight. I think that's why the crappie quit biting. In a week or so the moon will be dark, and I think the underwater light should be more effective then?

Thanks for any tips on this. - Sam

[gooch]

Sam you can get all the info you need on this subject by looking at the articles page on this website

[HOOKED]

I know of one guide in Panama City, FL that does his night fishing for crappie and bass during the full moon. Now I don't know what kind of crappie fisherman he is or his techniques, but he is supposed to be one of the best inshore saltwater fisherman around. Going on a trip with him in August in search of speckled trout, redfish & maybe some spanish.