Is the floater dead?

My boys and I used to have the best time from mid Feb-mid April floater fishing the banks at both Barkley and KY lakes in less than 10' of water. The last few years we've tried it several times and hardly ever catch anything. We started noticing the carp cruising the shallows and seemed to be running off spawning crappie. Now my grandkids are getting to the age I'd love to pass this technique on to them and let them watch the floater bury with a big slab on the other end.
My question is with the Asian carp issue...do you all think the days of fishing with a floater about 2' deep is about over or are we just fishing the wrong places now? I know we can get out away from the bank and long line troll and catch fish but really want to catch them with a floater. I know I can let them load the boat with bluegills beginning in May but really like crappie fishing 10x better.
Really enjoy reading everybody's comments on here and appreciate the help.

I think with the water getting to be more and more clear each year (due to Carp and Zebra Mussels), the fish along the banks will be a bit farther and farther out each year.

Bank fishing is still good, just have to cast out a little farther, or pick bank spots that are a little deeper than you've been fishing in the past.

This is a great question. I truly wonder what happened to these fish where that approach doesn't seem to work nowadays??? It's almost like if you aren't trolling, you aren't catching. That's sort of sad. Cork fishing is a fantastic method of fishing and seeing that bobber disappear never gets old.

Only time I ever used a float/minner down there was when fishing the buck bushes in late April ... but, that was decades ago. I "heard" that the buck bushes had all but disappeared, for one reason or another. Even so, they weren't in any place where one could get to them by land.

All else fails ... go to the marina on Barkley at the State Park, and fish the chunk rock riprap that runs along the entry road. You might have company and/or competition along that little stretch of bank, but you very well could get your string stretched there, too. We used to go in late April, but who knows these days. It might be worth the drive, if you're around that area. (now, we were in a boat and it's been several decades since then, so I don't know if you can fish from the bank in that area ... so I'd call & find out, first, before making the trip).

Thanks crappiepappy we never used miners always just use jigs. I've caught them years ago at the State Park that used to be a good area. We used to stay at the lodge. But last 2 years cant get a shallow bite anywhere in Little River. Tried it 3 times last year.

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Originally Posted by BEcrappie

Thanks crappiepappy we never used miners always just use jigs. I've caught them years ago at the State Park that used to be a good area. We used to stay at the lodge. But last 2 years cant get a shallow bite anywhere in Little River. Tried it 3 times last year.

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Yeah, we didn't use minners at the marina riprap, either. We were casting Road Runners. We caught Crappie from the point of the Lodge walkway all the way down that bank back to inside the boat house at the riprap, but most came from in front of the short stretch of riprap. Funny thing was, they'd nail my 1/16oz pink Road Runner but not my two buddy's white or chartreuse Road Runners. One found a jig hung on a log against the bank that had a pinkish plastic stinger shad body, started using it ... and started catching fish !!
3 man limit on day one, and well on our way to a 3 man limit on day two (a Saturday) even with a couple other boats fishing the same area .... until the owner of the cruiser, parked in the boathouse, started up his motor & flushing out his bilge. :Doh: That put a stop to everybody catching fish !!