Joe Pool Update

Crappie catching is starting to pick up at the slips. Not large numbers yet but the ones you catch are nice sized. I have caught a lot over 12 " the few days I fished last week. I'm not measuring the exact length, just holding them up to the measure and if the tail sticks beyond the measure I know they are larger than 12 ". I have seen quite a few nice stingers by those who fish the slips everyday when I have been there. But they show up in the front docks before they show up at the rear dock where I fish.

I tried the schools I found suspended in the deeper water by the dam. Unfortunately all I could catch there were white bass. Caught them in numbers, with plenty over 12" and had the line broken several times. Had fun catching them but they are not crappie. I'm finding the schools suspended about five foot off the bottom in water 30 foot or deeper.

The livescope shows formations that look as they should be crappie by the dam but every drop produces white bass. Don't know if the crappie are there and the white bass just strike quicker or if the schools only contain white bass.

I am going to try some of the deeper water near the spawning areas to see if I can find where the crappie are hiding right now. I am not seeing much bait fish so I know I haven't found the right areas yet as Joe Pool is loaded with bait fish.

From what I've read usually when the fish stack up like that the crappie are below the other fish..... Might try a heavier jig and get below those WB......
Good to hear the slips are picking up as right now with the short days and work that would be good to do since you won't be able to take the boat out....

Sound like you're catchn some good'uns over there..... Stay At'um.....

The nicest thing is the size ratio of what I am catching at the slips. Catching more of the larger crappie than the smaller crappie right now. However I expect that to change as the numbers caught increase.

I've ordered some 1/4 oz jig heads to use with my tube jigs. That will drop them faster. I am also thinking about place a 1/2 oz sinker of the bottom of the line, with two jigs above the sinker to see if I can get down faster.

Starting Wednesday the weather is going to be warm again so I hope to do more fishing this week that I did last week.