White Springs Dike, Wheeler NWR, Kayak Report

[Ditch Basser]

I went to White Springs Dike this morning. I brought my Commander who’s thinking of getting into kayak fishing. Started by waiting in the truck for an hour for the rain to stop. Finally got on the water around 630AM. After a long paddle started working the edges with a pink and pearl Bobby Garland on a 1/16 jig head. Slow day, but ended with several gills and around 30 or 40 Crappie. Half would measure, half were short fish.

[DockShootinJack]

You know you're good when 30 or 40 crappie is a slow day. Ha

[Ditch Basser]

I guess it would have been better to say the fish were biting light and were very scattered.

[DockShootinJack]

You have them figured out. I always look forward to your reports.

[Snapperking]

One thing is for sure Ditch got a work out as its about a mile and half down the canal before it opens up into what we call the swamp where the springs are!! We will not be able to get in there much longer as the weeds will get too thick and the canal water too low for our 10ft john boat with the trolling motor. We fish this semi swamp all the time and I can tell you that catching 30 or 40 crappie out of there is the equvalent of catching 60 plus anywhere else as every where looks like there should be fish either in the grass or under the pads or under the bushes that grow out of the water. My buddy and I have never come close to catching that many crappie in there HA ,but we do have the Bluegills figured out but never get more than a few crappie when we try to fish for them granted that is either late in the day or not at all as we are after the big gills 99% of the time.Maybe we need Ditch to make us a you tube video on how hes fishing the bushes and grass there for crappie !

[Ditch Basser]

Snapperking,

That swamp has always been a sure thing for 10 or 12 nice Crappie, but I've never caught more than 15 or 20 in half a day before. I usually don't fish the area until July and Aug. As you said, once the moss gets too thick for the flat bottoms with trolling motors a make two or three trips. I've never caught more then a couple gills by mistake in there, but have started trying to figure them out and had several nice one Saturday. I'll be back in July and Aug just for gills. I had one Shell Cracker that was 10 inches.

[Snapperking]

You cheat fishing in July and August HA!! To bad the refuge will not open up the gate ,you could drive down to the levy dam then.My fishing buddy and I had our best day the first Sat in catching shell cracker out there with 17. We caught them the same places we have been fishng for bluegill ,not sure why they decided to show up that day.Usually its just one to 3 a trip sort of like the Crappie are for us. We also had 45 big gills to go along with them ! Tip on figuring out the gills in there is keep it as close to the base of the bushes as you can................

[fishing man]

Great reports. Where do you put in at ? This may have already been discussed before. Still working on my kayak, but want to hit some of these back water holes this summer. Always look forward to these reports. Ditch needs to make some u tube videos for sure

[Ditch Basser]

snapperking, I sent you a PM.

fishing man, cut and paste this into google earth 34.628694, -86.950522

That's the put in, 20 minute paddle southeast to the good fishing area.