Watts Bar Crappie in late April?

We will be heading down to Watts Bar Lake April 25 -29th. What can we expect on where the crappie will be this late in the month. What type of areas should we be searching for, patterns?
My dad 78 yrs young, my brother and I are looking for accommodations for 4 days down on Watts Bar Lake, mid region to the dam. Any suggestions for a nice place to stay, covered slips, and fish cleaning areas? We have stayed at Arrowhead, Rhea Harbor, Spring City Boat Dock, but it has been about 5 years ago. This may be my dad's last trip. He is getting up in age now and I am not sure how he will do.
Any suggestions on where to stay or even some areas to fish would be greatly appreciated. You can email me or send a private message.
Thanks,
BasskyMy dad, my brother and I are looking for accommodation for 4 days down on Watts Bar Lake, mid region to the dam. Any suggestions for a nice place to stay, covered slips, and fish cleaning areas? We have stayed at Arrowhead, Rhea Harbor, Spring City Boat Dock, but it has been about 5 years ago. This may be my dad's last trip. He is getting up in age now and I am not sure how he will do.
Any suggestions on where to stay or even some areas to fish would be greatly appreciated. You can email me or send a private message.
Thanks,
Bassky
Dave
;)
Dave

I would suggest Arrowhead ... for several reasons:

restaurant on premises
very good launch ramp
covered slips/fish cleaning station right in front of Office/restaurant
gas pump right in front of Office/Restaurant - or a short drive up the road will take you to a gas station/store (slightly cheaper gas)

And, you may not even have to get out of the creek that Arrowhead is in ;) ... there are many docks along the bank opposite of Arrowhead -- Shooting a 1/32-1/16oz jig under them, should get you into some fish. Drifting along the fronts of the docks, and down the bank between the docks, with minnows ... might be another option. Don't forget to cast a jig or jig/float along the banks between the docks, especially the pea gravel or sandy looking banks ... and, of course, to any "timber/wood" that you see. (you can use a 1/16oz jig for casting down those banks - and a 1/16oz Chartreuse Roadrunner is also a good bet)

You "might" be a little late for the Black Crappie, or a little early for the White Crappie ... but, you could also be dead on for either, just depends on the weather & water level fluctuations.

If "Dad" ain't much into casting ... but dragging minnows around isn't working as good as casting/shooting jigs ... have him put on a 1/16oz Chartreuse marabou jig, and "Vertical Cast" the dock posts ;) (see my article on Vertical Casting -- http://www.crappie.com/articles/crappiepappy.htm )

..... take pics, and file a report & post the pics when you get back !! ... luck2ya'll ...cp :cool:

Thanks for the info. We have decided on Spring City boat dock down in the Piney River area. Dad wanted to stay in this area because he used to live down in Spring City boat dock area a few years back and knows this area well. We can still try some of your areas if we can't find em down there.
I liked your article. This may be a way for dad to get into some good ones. He likes to fish a bobber and minnow and troll. One way or another we are going to give it a good shot.
Dave

Hey, um my grandmother lives in Sweetwater north of Athens. And every year we go to the Watts Bar and the Tennessee River. I was wanting to ask you if you thank there will be any nice sized crappie around the first of April. And if there is the location and depth of where you would find them thanks

, Caleb