Quote Originally Posted by ballgamedrink
I am coming out of Mt. Harbor so getting to either end of the lake is not that big of a deal. What effect does the water being so clear have? Is line size a real big deal? Should i use really long rod/poles when jigging? Since Ouachita can get deep, what is considered shallow and what is considered deep for the different seasons?

If your out of Mt. Harbor, we need to visit some this summer and fish the docks The clear water just means the crappie activity is different compared to the dingy, or staind water, which is more common in the smaller lakes, plus Ouchita is just crystal clear and that's why there is so many dive operations on this lake. Crappie have a vision advantage over their prey at certain times of the day, so finding out where the prey is, in combination of the time of day is the key really no matter what color the water is. If your going to pick out a jig pole for fishing with live bait, jigs and bobbers, I would recommend a longer jig pole, something like 10-12 feet. BnM has some nice ones. Line size is a preference thing, can you feel the bite, or see the line react to a hit? 4,6,8 are all popular choices. 6 seems to be the all purpose size. The deep question is a deep question Too many variations to list really. I have fished mostly in the 6-30ft range, it can depend on what the prey is doing. You have come to the right place to soak up advice, be careful though you'll end up hooked.