Catching Crappie in Rivers, HELP

[creekman]

I live in Eastern, NC. I dont live near any lakes, I only fish the coastal rivers and creeks. I have never targeted crappie, only fished with worms for bream, but we always catch a few crappie. Now my interest is up to learn the crappie basics in the RIVER. I am finding an abundance of info/reports, etc.on lakes, not alot on the rivers. Can anyone help get me going? oh yeah, I have been out twice casting Roadrunners and been skunked, but supposedly they work good for crappie around here, I need to find the fish, thanks in advance for any help, Rob

[Countryboy N.C.]

Well, I cant help you any! I live here on broad river and have seen some nice crappie come out of the river, I have fished the river all my life, and have tried and tried to find them with no luck, only one or two here and there. I would like to know how, too.
I have seen my great uncle catch them with minnows years ago and I know where he fished and I have tried that spot several times with out any luck. I know they are there.

[Barnacle Bill]

I fish those rivers in NE NC a lot. Well use to until age caught up with me. I've never had much luck casting for crappie but often do quite well drifting the banks with jigs tipped with a minnow. Also try the mouths of feeder creeks and in and near deeper holes. Which rivers are you trying?

[CrappiePappy]

... that might help :

fish around anything that disrupts the current
fish slack water (eddy water)
fish creeks that empty into the river
fish the down current side of root wads or stumps (or even large logs/trees)
fish bridge pillars (esp if timber/brush is present)

Crappie are not going to fight the current, so look for anything that disrupts it or creates an eddy.

... cp

[crappiepastor]

I've found that fishin rivers or tributaries is quite a bit different than fishing a lake. Darker colors with chartruse or white seem to work best and the rest of the suggestions of CP are right on. I've also had great luck with a Capps & Coleman rig slow trolling, but it doesn't work if there is brush or weeds up close to the surface or if the current is too strong. Standing timber is often the best, but you have to jig right up next to the trunk of the tree. Good luck.

[blairarnold]

... that might help :

fish around anything that disrupts the current
fish slack water (eddy water)
fish creeks that empty into the river
fish the down current side of root wads or stumps (or even large logs/trees)
fish bridge pillars (esp if timber/brush is present)

Crappie are not going to fight the current, so look for anything that disrupts it or creates an eddy.

... cp

Ditto. Also, if you can find a treetop or brush in an eddy, there will nearly certainly be crappie there. I do think you will be more effective if you use a long pole with either jigs or minnows, depending on your preference (mine is normally minnows and a bobber) as you can put your bait right in the middle of the brush which you can't do casting.

[Eager Beaver]

Down side of pilings and rock jetties are always good and mouth of in-flowing creeks. Almost any brush that is along the banks will hold crappie. EB

[Eager Beaver]

Brush or treetops in an eddy will almost surely have either Catfish or Carp in them. Unless it is a big treetop. EB

[kycreek]

Find the brush and you will find the crappie.

[Kman]

I grew up fishing the rivers here in LA and had mastered it until Katrina killed all our fish.

Use a single 9ft jig pole with a jig on the end, thats it. Fish straight down over deep trees, brush, stump rows, anything that you can get 8-15ft of water on. Deep water is what you are looking for this time of year and that will be relative to the river you are on. Try to find piles and stumps and trees no one else fishes. THAT is the key. The prettiest huge pine trees that look like a crappie motel get fished by every yahoo on the river. Steer clear of those and fish the OLD ones. Scan the bank with your eyes and look for logs laying in the river that disappear real quick, almost straight down (deep water) You may only see a stump on the bank, but the top is down there. Find them with a fish finder (a MUST have, if you dont have one, stop what you are doing because you are basically wasting your time, and go buy one) and fish straight down to them by dipping your jig down till you feel them. You will catch fish.
good luck