Lesson learned from Crappie fishing today.

[badbrad]

When the water is up, continuing to rise, muddy and low to mid 50's with winds from the Northeast, DONT GO FISHING!!

Lol, had a tough time on the water today and managed to catch 5 Keepers! Thought I knew a little something about crappie fishing till today. I sure hope it was the conditions and not a reflection of my ability. The only bright side, the fish caught were real nice ones. Here's the big one for the day.

[pab1981]

Nice one, beats working even when they're tough!!!

[BGCrappieCatcher]

If you fished Barren, I wouldn't blame your ability or wind/weather. I would blame them drawing the lake at 8 tenths. A friend and myself had two limits Thursday at 1:30 and left. Went back Friday and fished the same brushpiles and had four keepers. Thursday they were drawing the lake 3 tenths and Friday 8 tenths. Just my opinion though.

[Wiskers]

When the water is up, continuing to rise, muddy and low to mid 50's with winds from the Northeast, DONT GO FISHING!!

Lol, had a tough time on the water today and managed to catch 5 Keepers! Thought I knew a little something about crappie fishing till today. I sure hope it was the conditions and not a reflection of my ability. The only bright side, the fish caught were real nice ones. Here's the big one for the day.

Brad I'm glad ya got to go but sorry you didn't do better. I wish I knew what was go'n on with these fish! I have caught fish the last few years under these conditions. I can't figure it out! According to my log the Black males should be in the middle to the back of the bays and exploring the banks late in the day & as deep as 10' early. The Black females should be 8' to 12'. The whites should be moving into the bays & be 10 to 16' but I couldn't find'um friday. I hope it's this "monster moon" they've been talk'n about. It won't be back till 2029. I need another excuse. :D The really bad news is, it's probably gonna get worse when they start draw'n the water down in a couple of days.

We should be hammer'n the blacks right now but what little reports I've gotten have been mostly whites. I can't understand it!

If it makes ya feel any better I've talked to several guides & they are having the same problem.

Only thing I can figure is all the fish have migrated to Ill., In., & Oh. :D

[colayn]

Hey fellows, if it makes you feel any better I have the same report for Green. 6 hrs last Sunday with a friend, 1 keeper, 1 short fish.
6 hrs yesterday by myself, 5 short (really short) ,1 keeper.
Seen a lot of fish suspended out on breaks in water up to 40 feet deep, most fish were about 15.
They are pulling the bottom out of the lake.
It has been very humbling.
Does anyone have any advice for fishing high muddy water with it dropping .8 ft per day ?

[Wiskers]

Hey fellows, if it makes you feel any better I have the same report for Green. 6 hrs last Sunday with a friend, 1 keeper, 1 short fish.
6 hrs yesterday by myself, 5 short (really short) ,1 keeper.
Seen a lot of fish suspended out on breaks in water up to 40 feet deep, most fish were about 15.
They are pulling the bottom out of the lake.
It has been very humbling.
Does anyone have any advice for fishing high muddy water with it dropping .8 ft per day ?

I have found that a properly placed stick of dynamite works well under those conditions. :D

Seriously, you might try spider rig'n those drops for those suspended fish.:D

[kygofish]

Taking in all this information I have decided to change my reservations for Ky lake. I had plans to come down Thursday but now have decided on April 9th. Give everything a little time to calm down.

[badbrad]

Wiskers, your right about the conditions only getting worse with the draw down that's expected. I know if you had trouble catching them, I had no business on the water. I was just in a good position to go, with nothing else planned, and also wanted to run the boat. The fever got hold of me! Guess I'll settle down till the water decides too. Harrison and I may try to fish with you all some over his spring break in a couple weeks. Hope to see you then. Take care buddy and good look figuring em out!

[bandchaser]

Its been a rough row to hoe this weekend. Took over 16 hours between saturday and sunday, but managed 9 saturday and 11 sunday. Deepest fish was over brush in 15fow, but most came from 6 to 10fow.
Color was the same all weekend, blue sparkle and chart, on green/chart jig. Not many thumps, and even had a few doing push ups on the ole jig. I too can't wait for the water to drain. Just hope that mother nature can stay seasonable till we get down to more spawning conditons/lake levels.

[JTMavs]

I was worrying about waiting until third week of April. Sounds like it may not be as bad as I thought.