Best to thin out limbs and/or drag to remove needles after they turn brown befor trying to sink. I hate Cedars cause the small limbs don't last long, but the heart (red)wood will last for years. They don't allow you to fish in very easy till their thinned out. Some lakes with high nutrient levels cause thick ones to moss over. Just me but I prefer to thin them if I use em. Most things I've read say big Crappie prefer 8'' or wider spaces to swin through or they just use the outside edges.