Quote Originally Posted by Downwind
Shes' just a good kid. Her Momma did the hard part about raising her. She gets her good looks after me though! LOL! We dipped minnows around standing timber in about 25' of water, fished jigs over brush piles in 25-30 ft of water and cast jigs to what trees we could find. Didn't try for whites or hybrids and saw very few jumps. Shad were working surface in areas. We put in at V.B and the shad are usually thick enough to walk on but they were far and few in between down that way. Guess I may have to try some night fishing under the lights. I've been told by Crappie 52 they are biting pretty well.
I haven't been to T-ville this year, yet. Thinking about trying it this weekend (Sat AM) but no definite plans ... more of a wait and see/watch the weather channel/get a wild hair kind of situation.
I don't usually fish the VB end much ... except during Spring, occasionally. Mostly fish a few blowdowns I know about ... and any new ones I see/find. I usually only troll for the Hybrids/White Bass if the Crappie quit on me ... or once it starts getting hot (midday) and I haven't had my string stretched, much :D I could care less about their size, since I'm C&R'ng them.

I know what you're talking about ... about being able to walk on them (Shad) up in the "river" end (Van Buren area) ... but, I've mostly seen that later on in the year. Never did catch much, in that area, when they were doing that, either. T-ville's creeks are not so much "running water" creeks (inflow), as they are water filled valleys ... so the Shad migrate "upriver" in the Fall. They're mostly too big for most Crappie, by then ... running around the 4" length range or more ... but, I bet they'd make good Catfish bait. They'd sure be easy to net up :D being that thick.

.... cp