Crappie on DeParte Creek

Took my 11year old son muzzle loading sat. morning, seen alot of does but no horns. He has been on me to go fishing, so we get home from hunting and load the boat and hook it to the fourweeler headed for the creek. Got to the creek and it was almost dry. I wanted to leave but my son wanted to fish. So we found a spot that was deep enough to put in. We coldnt go 50 yards either way for it was to shallow. we sarted fishing and the second stump i dropped my jig by i pulled a pound and half crappie out. To make a long story short,we fished for two and a half hours and brought home 32 good crappie.
We fished a spot about the size of a truck it was two feet deep and my 12 foot boat almost reached acrossed it. i have never seen anything like it. He wanted to go back hunting so we did but the whole time sitting in the stand yall know what i was thinking about. No deer, but went back sunday and we brought home 47 of em out of another hole that I new that was deeper. Dont know how to put pics. on here if someone could tell me how i can show yall some of the fish we caught.

That is a good weekend of fishin right there. Congrats!!

Where on Departee Creek were you?

Blairarnold

We are fishing the creek between Bradford lake and Walker lake. The creek is as low as I have ever seen it . I lived on horseshoe lake road for 37 years and have never seen it this dry. It is hard to get up and down the creek, but if you can find some of the deeper holes you can find the fish. Went yesturday and caught 25 keepers in 2 hours, got to dark to fish to finish out my limit. If you are ever down this way just give me a holler and i will take you out or at least show you were to go. that goes for all you guys. Would really like to fish with some of the crappie . comers . One of these days i will get some pics put on here. Headed back this afternoon, will let yall know how i done.

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Originally Posted by Back Woods

Blairarnold

We are fishing the creek between Bradford lake and Walker lake. The creek is as low as I have ever seen it . I lived on horseshoe lake road for 37 years and have never seen it this dry. It is hard to get up and down the creek, but if you can find some of the deeper holes you can find the fish. Went yesturday and caught 25 keepers in 2 hours, got to dark to fish to finish out my limit. If you are ever down this way just give me a holler and i will take you out or at least show you were to go. that goes for all you guys. Would really like to fish with some of the crappie . comers . One of these days i will get some pics put on here. Headed back this afternoon, will let yall know how i done.

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Thank you very much.

Back Woods

I live in Searcy and have fished Bradford & Arm lakes. I've eyed Horseshoe but haven't got to fish it yet. I appreciate your posts on the lakes up in that area. Since I purchased a boat this past spring I'm trying to gather as much info. on the lakes around that area. Do you do much good on any of the mentioned lakes? I've caught some nice ones out of Arm lake but never have done much at Bradford.

Thanks

S.S.

Arm lake is one of my favorite lakes to fish,their are some really good fish in their. Bradford lake is also one of my favorite lakes to fish. I have caught some of the biggest fish in that lake. This year seems like the lakes havent done much,the creeks have produced more and better fish this year. The creek at the south end of Bradford lake has been hot all spring and summer. We even paddle trough the tiles at the road and fish on down. Their is some deep holes down that way that hold alot of fish. When i say deep imean 2 to 3 foot deep, were the rest of it is less than that. Horseshoe is probably my favorite lake up this way,the creek you cross before you get to horseshoe is my favorite place to crappie fish. It is the same creek that runs trough bradford lake and on down through walker,and murphy lake. Then it ties into cutoff creek just below murphy then runs on out into the river. If you know of any holes on that creek you need to be on them as soon as possible, they are tearing it up. call me sometime and I will show you around and maybe catch a slab or two. If you need any more info let me know would gladly let you know.

Thanks for the information Backwoods. Do you usually fish with jigs or minnows and if jigs, what colors work best out there? I'll be honest, I enjoy dunking minnows much more than jigs because I and am not a very good jig fisherman at this time.

I only use jigs, blue and white , black and char. are the colors i have been using lately but like everone else i have a tackle box full of different colors and styles. 1.5 inch tube jigs is my favorite. When you get the hang of jig fishing theirs nothing like it. I havent bought a minner in years. You wont either when you figure out the jigging thing. Feeling that slite thump then seeting the hook, theirs nothing like it.