The Winter Ketchn Technique Caught Crappie on Ross Barnett

[Rojo]

We went up to The Rez for a couple of days of Crappie fishing Tuesday & Wednesday. Tuesday morning I left the Campground with just a little bit of fog more like a little smoke on the water. By the time I made it to the channel you could hardly see your hand in front of your face the fog was so thick. Not knowing how long the fog would last I used the GPS to putt-putt over to the 43 Bridge as it is close. When I made it to the bridge you could walk all the way from one end to the other stepping in boats the whole time. Not such an original idea I had apparently. Well everyone had baits in the water, most seemed to be fishing shiners, Carolina rigged, down about 15ft. I dropped a jig then slowly trolled with the trolling motor just to see if anyone was catching. Every once in a while, say 5 minute intervals, someone would hook a fish. Not the same boat mind you, not the same area along the bridge, but someone would hook something. As the wind picked up just a little bit the fog cleared and like a Bass Tournament boats left in high speed fashion. I headed up river to fish my usual areas and did OK only. Numerous boats were moving around both days which tells me they were not catching. Anyway since I was catching a few on BGBS Monkeymilk color, Black 1/16oz jighead, sprayed with Slab Sauce I stayed with that. It was working. I decided to drop down to the custom jigheads I started making after one of Ketchn's comments in a post now must be two years ago as I started last November - December fishing up on The Rez this combination after remembering reading about it in a post of His . I pour a 1/16oz round jighead with a #6 Matzou Sickle Hook and using a SouthernPro Original 1.5" Crappie Stinger in Monkeymilk body, of course sprayed with slab Sauce. Well, Hammer Time. I fished right behind anglers using shiners in the same spots and caught fish. I had to cull quite a bit but I was catching! The Wind was howling both days sometimes switching directions thru the trees on the river making presentations difficult at best but when I was able to just lower the jig straight down, not pound the trolling motor in the attempt to keep my line perfectly vertical, make a slow lift and fast drop - BAM, Fish On! Wednesday afternoon the wind was coming from the Trace over the 43 Bridge so it was relatively calm under the bridge itself I stopped on my way back to the Campground to give the Micro Jig a drop and BAM again. Sat under the bridge in the shade for another hour catching, culling, but harvesting good sized Crappie too. Only two other boats were there at this time, both on the opposite end of the bridge. I didn't see either catch a fish but saw them watching me catch fish constantly. Finished up the trip with 37 good fish and caught so many shorts it made the time just fly by till the trip was over.

[keeferfish]

Very nice!

[Jamesdean]

Sounds Like, and a full cooler as proof, someone had a great trip. Congrats on the fish, and thank you for the ride along.

[DockShootinJack]

Nice mess

["D"]

Fine report. Ketchn puts out some good tips. If we just didn't have to look at his face so much......

[SuperDave336]

Awesome job and report. Sounds like an amazing trip with lots of action. Thanks for sharing

[Rojo]

I cleaned the fish today. Almost all were either swollen with eggs or had loose sacks, maybe already spawned not sure. This is the earliest I have ever seen eggs in the Crappie on Ross Barnett. Did the extreme heatwave and drought speed up their clock? If someone has an answer I would sure like to know.

[GreenLine]

I cleaned the fish today. Almost all were either swollen with eggs or had loose sacks, maybe already spawned not sure. This is the earliest I have ever seen eggs in the Crappie on Ross Barnett. Did the extreme heatwave and drought speed up their clock? If someone has an answer I would sure like to know.

Were they black crappie ? It’s said they spawn about a month before white crappie. I catch them spawning some years in February
I doubt any have spawned already tho.
But You never know.



Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com

[BuckeyeCrappie]

Congratulations on a mighty fine outing John. Now you won’t have to eat possum n coon fer the holidays
,

[Rojo]

Congratulations on a mighty fine outing John. Now you won’t have to eat possum n coon fer the holidays
,

Well I have to walk out and dispose of a Possum right now, it was in the cat food last night and my dog treed it. A .177 Dispatched, surgically inserting into the thinking pot did it in. I hate to post a dead critter anywhere online so this is the only mention.