Advice or opinions please

I want to put out some structure on a small lake (approx. 100 acres) but the bottom terrain is flat. The lake is long and narrow like an oxbow. It is about 300 ft - 350 ft wide and about 1/2 mile long. All these #'s are just estimations. The edges of this lake get deep pretty quick but it has a wide flat bottom. I have sonared the whole lake looking for some channels, points, humps,etc but come up with nothing. I know for a fact there is crappie (big crappie) in this lake. The deepest water I have found was 11.8 ft. at the upper end, then it gradualy works up to 8.5 in middle of lower end. I fished yesterday while I was scouting and cought some nice little bass on plastic worms around some natural laydowns that were along the edge (4-6ft). I have some structure ready to go in now, but found out about this little lake that is closer to home and not as crowded. Thanks

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Originally Posted by sdaddy68

I want to put out some structure on a small lake (approx. 100 acres) but the bottom terrain is flat. The lake is long and narrow like an oxbow. It is about 300 ft - 350 ft wide and about 1/2 mile long. All these #'s are just estimations. The edges of this lake get deep pretty quick but it has a wide flat bottom. I have sonared the whole lake looking for some channels, points, humps,etc but come up with nothing. I know for a fact there is crappie (big crappie) in this lake. The deepest water I have found was 11.8 ft. at the upper end, then it gradualy works up to 8.5 in middle of lower end. I fished yesterday while I was scouting and cought some nice little bass on plastic worms around some natural laydowns that were along the edge (4-6ft). I have some structure ready to go in now, but found out about this little lake that is closer to home and not as crowded. Thanks

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Sounds to me like this 'lake" is prime territory for some "condo's". My first instinct is to suggest the criss cross bamboo/concrete block condo style ... due to the shallowness of this lake. Then there's also the "buckets of rocks" stumps idea.
Placement is key ... and I'd suggest putting them in spots barren of any other cover, but in semi-close proximity to the natural stuff. I'm pretty sure the fish already know where all the natural stuff is, so placing "your stuff" close by, should draw them to it and away from the natural cover ... or, at least, offer a alternative spot or depth.
One spot that I'd certainly be placing new cover at ... is just out from, and in deeper water than, any of those natural laydowns ;)
Another "area" of interest, would be along a line where the quickly dropping bank started to flatten out into flat bottom. Any cover/condo setup that you can make & place there, that approximates a "blowdown" (natural laydown), that's totally submerged & not noticable from the surface ... should be a hotspot.

..luck2ya ... cp :cool:

Thanks CP!! The deepest end of the lake is perfect for your idea. Also the laydowns that are in the lake only go out to about 7'. The lake looks to be 1-2' low now also, so this will be perfect during fall. I have some pvc trees made now that are about 8' tall and 8-10' in dia. that I think I will put in a half moon in the 11' now water. I got some boo ready to cut this weekend for some more condos. Think I will try to make the new ones wider and more spread out than tall. What do you think?

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Originally Posted by sdaddy68

Thanks CP!! The deepest end of the lake is perfect for your idea. Also the laydowns that are in the lake only go out to about 7'. The lake looks to be 1-2' low now also, so this will be perfect during fall. I have some pvc trees made now that are about 8' tall and 8-10' in dia. that I think I will put in a half moon in the 11' now water. I got some boo ready to cut this weekend for some more condos. Think I will try to make the new ones wider and more spread out than tall. What do you think?

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And I think, with the water depth being what it is, wider should work better than taller. And if you've got access to boo, then checking out Jerry Blakes/Darryl's condo building & placing info (if you haven't already), would be a good idea.
Don't know as I'd go making hundreds, or even dozens, of these condo's ... as it might work against you. With too many, you could potentially cause a greater proliferation of fish, which could lead to an overabundance of smaller fish. It would also give you many more spots to have to search, and give the fish many more to hide in :p What you really want to accomplish, is to give the fish a better alternative to natural cover or just free roaming the open water ... concentrating them in areas/spots known to you, so you can help keep their numbers in check.
Leave the Bass be, as they'll also help keep the small fish numbers in check. If you can help keep a balance in the overall numbers, you're going to find the size will increase. But, don't just take all the big ones, either. Even as big as the lake is, it could have a finite amount of baitfish biomass. The last thing you want to do, is to upset the balance. I may be preaching to the choir, on this, but it is easy to mess up a good opportunity, by removing too many of the larger Crappie. Doing so, could lead to a few years of stringers full of slabs ... then disaster. Allowing yourself to "thin the herd", rather than decimate it, should provide longevity in the catching of quality fish.

... luck2ya ... cp :cool:

My experince with lakes that have no cover is, put cover in and the fish will come to it like a magnet. These condos are only 5ft tall and will work great for your sitituation and are easy to put out. Placement shouldn't be a problem from what you discribed, but try to put them on the top of some kind of drop even if it's only a foot or so. Call or PM me if I need to explain.
GoodLuck
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a82...Picture469.jpg

Well taken advice by me. I see your point about too many condos. Never feel like you preaching to the choir with me. I never think that I know everything about anything. I like to gather as much of everyones info that i can. Thanks Taco for your input also. I guess i should offer the information that the lake is a very old oxbow that is supplied with water when the river gets up that is nearby. The cypress trees that are along the bank are huge, which leads me to believe it has been around for a while. I dont think it can be fished out(or managed) for the reason that it is managed when the water comes out of the river it is restocked. Good fishn to you all!!!

Some of the best fall crappie fishing I had was a long time back, but this cove split into two branches and the left on had a good drop off the bank and there was a lay down right on the edge of the bank and I trolled back and forth past the lay down and caught a lot of fish. I caught them on Road Runners with a Marabou tail, but this was back in 1979.

So from that I would just cut a nice size willow and lay it right next to the bank and anchor it there.

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