Kayak Trip Report, Barron Fork

[Ditch Basser]

Today was another learning experience in the pursuit of Crappie. I made a trip to Barron Fork this morning. I tried single pole on isolated brush and laydowns with no luck. Then I spent several hours spider rigging with every color combination I could think of, again with zero luck. Finally, before I left empty handed, I started throwing a small spinner with a white, one inch twister tail in the hope of catching a few gills. I started catching Crappie here and there in the same water that I had been unsuccessful spider rigging. I tossed back dozens of small gills, a dozen bass and kept a limit of Crappie with many short fish tossed back. I even caught a few catfish. Great to salvage the day at the end. I’ve never seen a Crappie prefer chasing a spinner over a jig before today, strange. Water was down about two feet and 72 degrees and clear. All fish that I cleaned were stuffed with inch and a half shad.

~

[Slabprowler]

Nice mess of fish ! Thanks for the report!

[riverboss]

were the crappie scattered on the flats or hanging in the channel?

[Tony the Tiger]

Thanks for the report and great catch. Water temperature still 80 here last week. I'm going to have to try something different down here this week.

[Ditch Basser]

riverboss,

With the water down there's only about 24 to 36 inches of water left in the deepest areas. The area I was working has a few stumps, but basically I think they were feeding on a school of shad. With the water down there wasn't any cover on the edges for the shad to hide in so they've move to the middle. The lower water temps also allow the fish to start schooling again. Should be some good days ahead.

[The Country Toad]

Ditch I notice how you always grab a channel cat or two.... Have you tried hanging limb line or 2 w those throw back bream? You might catch a flat head or 2. MUCH MUCH better eating cat!
Don't mean to hijack the thread .... Always enjoy reading your posts!

[Ditch Basser]

I've got some deep holes that only I can access in the winter, planning to drop a few limb lines and see what happens.

[riverboss]

"only I" lol ....go get em