Good day on Barkley

[kyfishman]

Had a pretty decent day on Lake Barkley today, despite the howling wind. Caught a nice limit+ plus this afternoon, 10-11 ft deep in on ledge that went from 12 ft on the top down to 15-16 FOW. Most of the fish were caught on a Bobby Garland Baby Shad, Blue back/Chartreuse belly with a blue 1/8 oz jig head, spiderrigging. The ledge was just off the main lake and very near to deeper water. I sort of stumbled on the place by accident, simply looking for a place to get out of the wind. Started on KY Lake this morning but couldn't stay on my favorite places because of the wind. Caught 3 fish there, 17 ft deep. Moved to Barkley around lunchtime. Tried a few of my favorite places; only had two bites. Just happened to luck upon them. That happens sometimes.....and I'm glad when it does. It's got nothing to do with fishing skill, just plain luck! By the way, water temp where I caught my fish was 52 degrees. I know some people on here get upset if you say 'where' you caught the fish so I'll simply say I was fishing between Buzzard Rock and Eddy Creek on the Eddy Creek side of the lake.

[slabmaster]

Thanks for the info. By next week, this thing is getting ready to bust WIDE OPEN...GO CATS....

[beespringer]

I'm headin back down to KY and Barkley on thurs...I hope the bite picks up by then..

[Live2WetALine]

Fished Barkley in bays/mouths around the prison area yesterday. Not one bite over 6 hours. It did take me close to an hour to get my new Humminbird dialed in. I started marking brushpiles and fish, but yet no action.

Am I doing something wrong? I am used to walleye and bass fishing. I'm just not sure of what presentation I should be using besides under a stick bobber. When casting away from boat, should I be dragging it slowly over the bottom, or burning it back in to keep at a certain depth the fish are holding at. Or do some guys strictly vertical jig for crappie. I was hoping not to have to set up my boat for spidderrigging before I had more crappie catching experience. But, with limited time on the water, I'm starting to get discouraged.

Thanks in advance guys

[rnvinc]

Fished Barkley in bays/mouths around the prison area yesterday. Not one bite over 6 hours. It did take me close to an hour to get my new Humminbird dialed in. I started marking brushpiles and fish, but yet no action.

Am I doing something wrong? I am used to walleye and bass fishing. I'm just not sure of what presentation I should be using besides under a stick bobber. When casting away from boat, should I be dragging it slowly over the bottom, or burning it back in to keep at a certain depth the fish are holding at. Or do some guys strictly vertical jig for crappie. I was hoping not to have to set up my boat for spidderrigging before I had more crappie catching experience. But, with limited time on the water, I'm starting to get discouraged.

Thanks in advance guys

Read this...
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/archi...e-degrees.html

Then utilize your favorite fishing method in a way that relates to where the crappie should be by the things you learn in the article....

Realize black crappie usually go shallow earlier than white crappie...and a cold front or falling water will temporarily put a damper on things until the water stabilzes...

So first check the water temp...then go to where they "should" be....in that temp range...

Second know falling, stabil, or rising water... falling water will either pull the fish out a little deeper or make them get deep into the same cover they are relating to....

Stabil or rising water will have the fish on the outside fringes of the structure that they are relating to....maybe even roaming out past the structure somewhat chasing food....

Know these 2 things the day you fish along with where they "should" be (by the info in "crappie by degree")...and then adjust your favorite fishing method to take advantage of the above "Best Guess" of where the crappie should be ...

Rickie