Ohio River creeks - 11/25 & 11/27

Fished creek in Markland Pool Wednesday afternoon, then again this morning.

Catching some larger fish now... All through Summer and until just a few weeks back, I was just catching smaller fish. However, same as last year, once November hit, started catching nice ones again.

One thing I will say, for the big crappie that I am catching, I am catching far more runts than I have in the same creek in years past. I used to not catch many short crappie but now I'd say I catch 10 to 1 small ones to a good one. Maybe it means there was a really good spawn this year and there will be lots of nice crappie the next couple of years.

Probably caught 40 fish both days. Fish were biting better today but you had to fish slow. They are cold and getting ready for winter.

Caught lots of small ones but here's the biggest ones - including a 15" white crappie from today - my personal best ever. My scale's battery was dead so I couldn't weight him but he was fat. My biggest one from Wednesday was a 13.5". Looking forward to fishing through December, if the weather cooperates.


13.5" crappie from Wednesday
Attachment 221026

15" crappie today
Attachment 221027

A good problem to have when keeping crappie :)
Attachment 221028

AWESOME MBK!!!! Love seeing the river reports. Ill be out in the rain on the creeks tomorrow. Last two trips have been not so hot but super high pressure and not a cloud in the sky is what im gonna blame. Not that I suck as a fisherman. Anyways, I assume since you said you had to fish slow you were using jigs?? Also, I have had the worse time trying to get fish shallow in my home creeks, did you get them shallow or have to fish deep?? I tell ya it seems like crappie in my creeks relate to the bottom. If im not fishing 10 ft deet or more I cant buy fish around here. My shallow creeks in the area I fish the hell out of but cannot buy a bite. Those creeks just so happen to be void of shad to. I get the tater chips your talking about shallow some times. What I have learned is that all creeks are so much different from each other. I go to creeks on the river far from my home area and can get them shallow. not round here. Not saying they aren't shallow some places but I sure strike out shallow. my smaller creeks are in the 45 degree range and bigger creeks 48-50. What temps did you see??

I went to Tanners yesterday, 90% of the fish I marked where 6ft and deeper, shad were active too but I could'nt buy a bite. I do much better in lakes

I caught a few fish shallow (4-5 feet) but the biggest ones came from 10-15' of water, with bites about 6-7' down.

My dad used minnows. I used jigs exclusively both days. Bigger fish came on jigs. There was not one color they were biting on but my three of my biggest fish today came from a 1.5' Panfish Assassin, Salt and Pepper color, that I had bought a while back from Walmart (Bass Assassin Shad Assassin - 1.5'' Tiny Assassin | Bass Pro Shops: The Best Hunting, Fishing, Camping & Outdoor Gear). I use all kinds of jigs (Lake Fork, Bobby Garland, etc.). My go-to jig is often a Junebug Chartreuse Charlie Brewer. They just seem to always catch fish, even when nothing else will. But, today, these smaller jigs seemed to work better, on a 1/32 oz. jig head. I'll be investing in a few more bags of these smaller baits.

mbk

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Originally Posted by Tom 513

I went to Tanners yesterday, 90% of the fish I marked where 6ft and deeper, shad were active too but I could'nt buy a bite. I do much better in lakes

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Oh same here brother. Tomorrow, I know I could head to my home lake and get plenty but I love the challenge that the creeks present to me. Sometimes it presents such a challenge I just wanna jump overboard or possibly shoot myself in the temple. LOL. That is so weird you say shad were active. Shad In my creeks are GLUED to the bottom right now. lucky if you see one shad flip all day. I def don't catch the number of fish in the river like I do lakes. Matter of fact, a good day for me is 15 fish or so. I know that doesn't sound like much but seems I always put a few dandies in the boat. Last two trips resulted in 6 fish caught between 2 ppl and three being nice, and the next trip I caught one little crappie. Still going back tomorrow!! LOL

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mbk

I caught a few fish shallow (4-5 feet) but the biggest ones came from 10-15' of water, with bites about 6-7' down.

My dad used minnows. I used jigs exclusively both days. Bigger fish came on jigs. There was not one color they were biting on but my three of my biggest fish today came from a 1.5' Panfish Assassin, Salt and Pepper color, that I had bought a while back from Walmart (Bass Assassin Shad Assassin - 1.5'' Tiny Assassin | Bass Pro Shops: The Best Hunting, Fishing, Camping & Outdoor Gear). I use all kinds of jigs (Lake Fork, Bobby Garland, etc.). My go-to jig is often a Junebug Chartreuse Charlie Brewer. They just seem to always catch fish, even when nothing else will. But, today, these smaller jigs seemed to work better, on a 1/32 oz. jig head. I'll be investing in a few more bags of these smaller baits.

mbk

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awesome info MBK. Check back in tomorrow evening for a creek report on how I do. Bobby garlands are darn near all I use, and with my creeks being so clear right now, that salt and pepper looks natural. Makes sense. All I have is 1/16th heads. I may need to get some 32nd ozers. or cut the head down with side cuts like I normally do!! LOL

I was very tight to cover both days. Especially yesterday. If you weren't right on a log or brush, and getting hung up every other time, they weren't biting. Water temps were about 47.

I have all different size jigs. Typically, I have used 1/8 when vertical jigging and I think they are deep as I can let it go straight to the bottom and slowly bring it up. You can really feel them tap it. However, I caught a lot more fish - and the better ones - on the 1/32 yesterday so I may have to adjust my initial thinking. The smaller ones were hitting it hard. The biggest ones almost just seem to suck it in and I set the hook almost on a hunch that something didn't feel right.

I really don't know the creeks and river very well. I have a small boat so don't venture far. From July - Oct, I do very poorly. Come mid November through December, it seems like it's the best fishing of the year. I've been froze out the last 2 years in Jan/Feb but if it's a warm winter, I hope to get out those 2 months as well.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mbk

I was very tight to cover both days. Especially yesterday. If you weren't right on a log or brush, and getting hung up every other time, they weren't biting. Water temps were about 47.

I have all different size jigs. Typically, I have used 1/8 when vertical jigging and I think they are deep as I can let it go straight to the bottom and slowly bring it up. You can really feel them tap it. However, I caught a lot more fish - and the better ones - on the 1/32 yesterday so I may have to adjust my initial thinking. The smaller ones were hitting it hard. The biggest ones almost just seem to suck it in and I set the hook almost on a hunch that something didn't feel right.

I really don't know the creeks and river very well. I have a small boat so don't venture far. From July - Oct, I do very poorly. Come mid November through December, it seems like it's the best fishing of the year. I've been froze out the last 2 years in Jan/Feb but if it's a warm winter, I hope to get out those 2 months as well.

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To me the cold months are the best on the river. I have my best days in January.