With all due respect and admitting my ignorance of how the bite is(or might be) in NE Alabama... I know that the crappies are in much deeper water here in North Carolina right now. I'm talking about 20 feet of water plus on deep creek channels. Here, the crappie will remain in deep water through the month of January... and it's into February before they start making their transition into shallower coves and creek arms. Perhaps you should give the much deeper water a try... after all you have little to loose and much more to gain in your trying. Good luck to you.