Thread: Finding best area for Spider Rigging??

We need to get EB and Ranger on this topic. Because I need to know too!

Good questions guys first let me say that Ranger and I talk about this topic daily! Let me give you a few tips that might help you.

When I go to look for fish on a body of water I pay close attention to the the water temps and water clarity. If the water temps are close to 50-75 then I am slow vertically trolling. Because the fish are staging, if tge water temps sre colder tgan 50 or warmer than 80 Im looking for cover! usaully fishing with jigs in cover. wood or rocks. As for water clarity I drop my bait in the water and see how far down I can see it! For example on Eufaula 6-12 inches is normal. So if its muddy I don't fish it usaully!

There are times of year and specific lakes where fish will relate to the brush most all the time. Tenkiller is one of those lakes but Ranger is the expert there!

Finally let's talk about banks! In the fall and winter months the big fish will be close to the steepest banks. In the spring and winter they will still be next to the channel but on the flatter banks. Good luck with your search! EB

Can't add much to what EB has said already. There are things you learn thru the years that you just pick up. One of instance is if you have been catching crappie for a few days at a certain depth (lets say 5') and a LP or cold front moves in and chases your fish from the bank. Where will you look for them??? I can tell you from experience that those fish will move off the banks but they will mostly still stay in the 5' to 7' DOW but will stage in deeper water.
On Tenkiller during all seasons the fish relate to wood. Either man made wood piles or natural wood. Standing trees in the winter when it gets really cold and the ice freezes in your line guides. Not saying you can't catch fish on anything except wood but most fish in clear water will relate to something like wood on Tenkiller.
This time of year during pre spawn crappie are on the move. They are headed for those spots on the lake that are magnets for spawning fish. There are so many of them its hard to say were to start. I can say the far South and far North part of the lake warm faster than the middle of Eufaula. Its the same as far as Tenkiller orFt Gibson is concerned its the shallower portion of the lakes. Its the dirtier water that warmsfirst. Its always the North banks since the sun is in the southern hemispere that gets the most sun to warm the water. Winter like EB said its the channel and the breaks on that channel that needs you concentration. Now til full blown spawn its the slowly sloping or flats between the channel and the spawning banks that you should be targeting. Just a few degrees of water temp in the right direction will push those fish either closer or farther from the bank. Usually when you think your fishing slow enough this time of year you need to slow down alittle more. Good Luck...Ranger

Spot on Ranger and EB !!!! Thanks for your posts