Hey Chatt

[fishlessDan]

What was the condition of the fish ya'll caught at Clinton? Were they all spawned out? Or were some of them in that tweener stage? I sent a buddy over there this weekend to check a couple spots, and he said the females had eggs dripping out of em, had his limit in 2 1/2hrs.

[Crappie Chatt]

Dan, some looked like they didn't spawn and were absorbing them. Didn't find any with loose eggs. Also some males that got darker when in the livewell. Most bellies had bugs(not shad) in them. Might of been mayfly larva. <*)}}}><

[Chadku]

Dan you must have a magic spawning spot on that lake or I just do not know what the hell I am doing...I am sure it is the latter....I tell you I have not been able to find them thick in shallow water at clinton yet. Last time out it was almost like a summer pattern.....Catching fish shallow, but one here and one there....None had eggs. Clinton just leaves me stumped sometimes. I am gonna figure this lake out one of these days.

[AntiochBA]

Dan you must have a magic spawning spot on that lake or I just do not know what the hell I am doing...I am sure it is the latter....I tell you I have not been able to find them thick in shallow water at clinton yet. Last time out it was almost like a summer pattern.....Catching fish shallow, but one here and one there....None had eggs. Clinton just leaves me stumped sometimes. I am gonna figure this lake out one of these days.

Now you sound like me and my love/hate relationship with Hillsdale

[terrybassboat]

I have fished Clinton since day one. used to work for a farmer who farmed most of Clinton before it was a reservoir I was even the fire chief of the little town of Clinton when I lived there. This year I have not found a reliable pattern yet. I will find it soon as Clinton is the only big lake I fish.

[fishlessDan]

Thanks for the scoop CC, there was a slim chance I might have been able to make the CB tourney so i had to send out a scout. I reckon the last of my spots are starting to dry up.

Chad, back when I started crappie fishin I struggled terribly, then I had two great crappie fishermen(Chatt Martin and Steve Cross) tell me to learn one way of fishin and learn it the best. This is the reason I fish shallow most of the time, I have confidence I will find shallow fish if I keep looking for them, and [I] always try to fish a spot I haven't fished before. I, Like you, used to be baffled at Clinton at times(more than not), now it's my favorite lake, unless I can't find my fish.

[Chadku]

Dan, I agree...Chatt has told me the same thing. I fish shallow 80&#37; of the time. I just seem to do much better at Pomona, Hillsdale or Perry than at Clinton. I can catch fish at Clinton, but I just do not seem to do as well. And during the spawn I have not done well at Clinton at all the past 2-3 years. But I can drive down to Melvern or Hillsdale and just slaughter em. I guess I just need to spend more time on the lake and find some better locations. It just really confuses me unless its dead summer heat.... 2 wks ago I go out and have the best day I have ever had on the lake and 4 days later I go back and struggle in the same area. It would not make me so mad if it were not the closest lake from home and only 5 min from work.