Scratching my head to figure this question out
This is the best kept secret out there. I also can't seem to find the big crappie. When I fished Patoka Lake the last two years all I caught were 8" long crappie. It seemed like that was the only size in the lake. In two years I only caught one nice crappie of any size. I caught that one while I was eating my sandwitch and had laid my fly rod down. Maybe that it my problem. I need to be more patient. My personal feeling is that the larger and older crappie are smarter than I am. LOL.
I have been fishing some small stip pits that are very close to home. I can catch 15 crappie each time out but they are all small. Now there are some large crappie in these pits as they have been caught.
I would think that these crappie run in schools of similar size and age.
I have tried fishing deeper areas near the spots where I caught lots of small crappie and that has not worked for me so far.
I think a lot has to do with the lake itself. Some lakes like Kentucy Lake have larger crappie. Each lake has different characterists that promot different growth rates for crappie.
I think that right now Patoka Lake has so many small crappie that they can't get enough food. The gizzard shad are not providing enough food for the crappie as they grow too fast and soon reach a size that the crappie can't eat. I think that the gizzard shad are proving to be to much competion for the crappie. Also few stripers are left in Patoka Lake for some reason and without the stripers to control the gizzard shad they crappie will suffer.
If anyone has a idea on where the big ones hang out please tell us.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jolle
We have been crappie fishing for years and pretty much know the game and how to fish on the lakes that we fish.
However, I have found it odd that we have never caught any really big crappie, despite boating thousands of fish. The largest any of us has caught was probably a bit larger than 13". Now, I know there are larger fish in the lakes we fish, as they are caught all the time.
My question is this. Do the large fish actually form their own schools and stay separate from the smaller fish? Lately especially, we have been getting into a bunch of fish, but you have to throw back 3 for every keeper you catch, and those keeper fish are usually around 10-11". We have moved around and tried different tactics such as larger bait and such, but have had little luck finding bigger fish.
Is there a secret? Do big fish separate, or are they mixed in with the little ones and just are very outnumbered?