small cover with big results

Some of the better cover I have fished for crappie have been small but yet still hold good fish. Not sure what it is and was wondering what seemed to work best for most of you. I would prefer it can be made at home and carried to the lake and dumped in by one person.

This cover seems pretty solid and almost always holds fish. I've also considered putting out small, tight groups of 25-35 stakes or putting out stakes in concrete buckets and add some brushy tree limbs to them.

Any good suggestions would be appreciated.

ANY cover is better than none, but a couple of things to consider; A is adding cover legal where you are? Some states just don`t care, some are down right ANAL- good idea to check first. B WHERE the cover is going is atleast as important as what type; the edges of old creek channels, sharp breaks, SUBMERGED SPRINGS***( HINT!! HINT!!), points and deeper inside turns of shore lines, and at the mouthes of streams can ALL be good spots. C durability- how long will what you drop last? Personally try to sink cedar if can, osage orange (hedge apple), hickory, ash, mulberry, and locust; all last generally 8-12+ yrs underwater depending on the fertility of the waters you sink them in. Good luck!

Cover doe'nt need to be too large. I don't want it too tight either, minumum of 8'' spacing and more is easier to fish. I will take 10 small condos or brushpiles over 1 or 2 big ones. My thinking is most lakes only hold so many fish in a given area. I tend to average bigger fish on small loosely built covers.

Agreed, Nimrod. And achieving an "umbrella" effect enhances this effect also. Area coverage + maximum cover (literally) = some GOOD fishing.

I plan on working some up real soon. The best crappie I caught today came in 7 foot of water and only stood about 3 foot tall. Good tip about trying to create the umbrella effect.

How do you find submerged spring?

Any older maps of area pre body of water, look for ponds, GRAVEL PITS, seasonal stream heads. Also, talk to old timers who knew area pre body of water. As far as actually pinpointing the springs, 2 ways; #1 boat, with 2 anchors, (one with 100` rope) GPS and thermometer. Note this one is easier when the water temps are already below 50 degrees, generally after the fall "turn over". Get in general area, get upwind or up current (if applicale) set long rope anchor short at first. Wire thermometer to shank of 2cnd anchor and touch bottom with it GPS that spot. Allow to soak 3-5 minutes. Quickly retrieve and record temp. Let out 10` more line, repeat. Gps will let you see where you`ve already done. Do a solid grid search pattern. If you are patient and thourgh you WILL find it where the temp reads 55-56; this is the exact spot. GPS the spot! #2 involves going out onto ice... KEEP IN MIND a spring`s warmer water plume CAN thin the ice over it VERY DANGEROUSLY!!! You WILL need a partner , at least 50` of rope tied to BOTH of you, "a set of "cat`s claws" for BOTH of you , ice auger, GPS and a pole with a heavy sinker and thermometer. GPS a start point and drill a hole every 10 feet in a grid pattern. Take 3-5 minutes then retrieve and read temps. IF you drill a hole and it`s 6'' and your next hole is 3" GET AWAY FROM that spot!! Chances are you found a spring! Avoid "jumbled milky" looking patches of ice, and "heaves" in the ice. PLEASE be carefull and SAFE!!! NO fish is worth falling thru the ice, and even getting back out (unlikely if alone) is still NO guarentee of survival. Again, RESPECT the ice and USE ALL your safety gear!!

Lots of good advice from these guys. The best one I have is seperating them about a foot; this will keep from catching so many dinks.

Happy post Thanksgiving; massive but realitively strong front barreled thru 24 hrs ago; have you parchance been upon them recently? Also, any sign of a shad "stress event"; temperatures falling `nough to have a very rapid decline (generally 10+ degrees) of a body of water`s shallower areas; plus larger #s of oak leaves going into said same body of water causes an annual natural and YEARLY spike of tannic acid as the leaves breakdown. This CAN cause a shad eating event...