River Channels

[BigSandyRookie]

They go back out to the Tennesse river when the spawning cycle is over. What i would really like to know is where they go when they hit that big ol river

Excellent question. Where I fish, there aren't a lot of creeks. Mostly just the TN river.

[DRPEPPER]

Here on Lake Nimrod the C.O.E. had the river channel marked with red or green bouys but recent floods have taken their toll on them. Was real handy, especially for people new to the lake.

Be sure if you watch for bouys that they are navigational and do not mark hazards while running the lake. I pulled a guy to the ramp from the middle of Ouachita a couple of years ago that hit a rock pile I was fishing by. He actually told me at first he was irritated at me for sitting in the channel. I told him likewise; I didn't understand why he was running by me so close wide open.
DP

[skeetbum]

Seeker, they go downstream to mardi-gras. As to the channel, I have watched Fishawk sit in the front of his boat with a rod in each hand, foot on the tm, and eyes on the fish finder. The man is a fishin machine when following contours. When you find a drop with a piece of structure, maybe only a diff in rock formation, you'll notice the fish are sitting in their comfort zone. Drop a marker. Try to stay in that depth range and move around slowly to find more like it. You'll be surprised what you catch along the way. Someone posted about a hb 565 fish finder, and I have to agree. Made my first trip with mine on my t-motor this past wknd and what a difference from all others I've had in the past. Well worth the $200 i gave for it. I have an eagle 320c on the back and it's not nearly the machine this bird is. Darryl morris showed how to make some marker bouys for cheap in a recent thread. I keep 4 handy when I'm in search mode. Good luck in your quest and let us know how it's going. Always nice to hear. Tight lines

[crappieseeker]

well you cant really look for stuff like that in the narrow channels here, you will get run over, then when you hit the big wide river, you dont know whats what lol

[Matt Smith]

So we all know river channels can be the key to crappie most of the year..My question is how do yall fish the river channel, or I guess how do you find it, diagnose where they are and everything else that pertains to it...Is the only viable way to find the river channel and follow it is by having a 1000dollar fishfinder and all the ho9tspots maps? without seeing the lake before it was flooded, my expertise and following and even finding the river channel is zilch..if they aint up in the brush or shallow where you expect em, i aint catchin em...just wonderin if any one has any pointers..

The Kentucky rig was designed for the sole purpose of finding dropoffs. That's what the weight at the end of the line is for. Since you've confessed to not knowing where the channel is, find a bluff or a very steep bank and fish the trees that have fallen into the water. You probably won't catch as many crappie, but I bet you'll learn a lot more than I can write about here.