and as to the cover hugging Crappie of Taylorsville ... if you had big Blue & Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, and Hybrid Stripers hanging around, wouldn't you hug the cover tightly :p

Seriously though ... you're right, they do like to stay close to the wood cover. That's one big reason for me having gone to using weedless jigheads

Now, as for KY/Barkley winter Crappie .... can't help you much there, with personal experience, but read thru this : Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources - Kentucky Lake - Crappie Movement Study and see if it gives you any indication of where they might tend to be, during the Winter months.

... luck2ya ... cp