Quote Originally Posted by CHECrappie View Post
OK. So the thermocline is the "summer" pattern around wood? Maybe rip rap? Around here the guides are posting that they are catching them shallow around the mayfly hatch and shad spawn. Will the crappie suspend above the thermocline in the creeks or are they in main lake areas?
The "thermocline" is not a "pattern" as much as it's a limitation factor to how deep the fish (& baitfish) can go & stay for any extended period of time. The thermocline is not limited to what type of cover or bottom structure a lake has, since it's simply a "condition" of warm oxygenated water sitting on top of cool oxygen poor water.

Creeks with constantly running water will not set up a thermocline, but creek arms of a lake can & do. Any flooding & water output to alleviate the high water levels will stir up the water & disrupt any existing thermocline ... until the lake has settled back long enough for the temperature stratification to return.