Some Days the Fish Won't Cooperate

Yesterday, I had the privilege of sharing a guided crappie trip with my new friend and fellow crappie.com member, Brian Johnson. We made a spider-rigging trip to Dale Hollow Lake. It was a gorgeous day: clear water, beautiful skies and not much wind. Everything cooperated....everything, that is, but the crappie. We fished all depths of water in places where I usually can always catch a few fish with not much to show for our efforts. We even switched from trolling to jig fishing brush piles, but again, the fish weren't cooperating. They were there, but just were not biting in any kind of serious way. Most of the bites we did get were timid at best, highly unlike the ferocious bite usually associated with Dale Hollow black crappie.

I've been crappie fishing for 54 years. I started when I was 14 years old. 20 of those years were spent fishing tournaments. I've caught my fair share of crappie. But some days, in spite of advances in equipment, and technology and a myriad of techniques and baits, the fish just won't cooperate. It's tough on the fisherman, and believe me it's especially tough on a fishing guide, but it's just the way it is. You've experienced those kinds of days, haven't you? But it was still a great day on the water with a fellow crappie fisherman and I wouldn't change it for anything, except maybe to have caught a few more fish. It was a good day!

By the way, I've promised Brian another trip. We'll get those big black crappie yet!

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Cpt. Steve .... I witnessed the same thing Monday at Green & Tues at Taylorsville (especially there). Green's fish were scattered all over the place and at the 20-25' depths (plus the quickly rising water). Taylorsville's fish were bunched in tight wads around submerged timber with multiple branches (none on straight up trunks) and at the 15-20' depths. They'd come rushing up out of the tree to check out the jig, study it a second or two, then turn and go right back into the tree. :Doh: Even the dink bites were on the timid side !!!

It was the same story today on Ky Lake. We did catch enough dinks to keep it interesting. Wonderful day with friends.


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I even had a day like that once


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At least you was out there.

I've had several of those days lately. However, its better to be on the water and not catch fish than to not be on the water, but a nice mess of crappie makes it even better.

I say it was not the fault of the guide. I’ve fished with Brian, and some days you’d swear he has a banana in his pocket.

Smile Buddy [emoji16]


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