Greetings and warm winter crappie

[heavygear88]

So this is my first post on the forum, and wanted to say hi to all the fellow members from Virginia. I have been fishing my whole life but this is the first year ive done any serious winter fishing, and I have a question about winter crappie and the warm weather we have been having. I have been out fishing about five times on sandy river reservoir and have been fishing under the bridge and visible brush and structure and haven't had any luck. I just purchased a fish finder with down scan and sonar and am taking it out to try for the first time and was wondering where were yaw finding the crappie in this warm weather. are they stacking up deep on brush or on drop-offs and how deep of water because I cant seem to find them.

[brucec]

Welcome aboard heavygear88!!

[Barnacle Bill]

Welcome aboard. I see your home waters is Sandy Lake. I've never been there but I think we have a couple people that have and hopefully they will see your post.

[heavygear88]

really it doesn't have to be specific to sandy river reservoir. Im just curious that with the warmer weather were having are people seeing them in shallower spots than normal or are they still stacking up deep on structures like whats normally seen in the winter. typically in December we don't see this spring time weather weve been having.

[Zippy]

I fish tidal rivers in the mid atlantic and the fish are much shallower than they normally would be at this point. Surface temps in the river was 62 degrees today! Normally the water would be around 40 in late december. I found the fish scattered and suspended today. Very few on the bottom, some really shallow like spring time shallow. At this time of year they are normally schooled up thick in deeper water. I really would prefer that to this zero pattern anything goes el nino fishing.

[heavygear88]

Thanks for the answer. Yeah I think that's the problem I'm having is it seems like there's no pattern. I'm trying typical winter tactics but the fish aren't where I think they are. I'm hoping this Fishfinder will put the odds in my favor a little. But who knows. I'm hoping the temperature drops soon so I can get into some decent size schools of them. That was really the reason I'm wanted to try the winter this year, but I haven't seen the winter yet. And by the way did u have any luck catching them

[woodduck1956]

With this spring like weather we're having, jonquils popping-dandelions appearing, try some spring tactics. I'd put a jig,minnow, jig and minnow combo, under a cork 3' and fish around where the shallow falls down to the channel. Also a little dock shooting might be in order. Good luck.