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This is my first time to post a meesage so bear with me...
I have fished lake Conway mostly over the years for crappie durring the fall and winter. With the draw down this year I am forced to try some larger clear lakes. I have had success bass fishing but just can't seem to find crappie on these types of lakes. Does any one have suggestions and pointers.
Probably have to find moss or cover in water deeper than your used to fishing. Good luck.:)
Welcome aboard Bigfishn. I fish Ouachita with regularity and our catch seems to always be hot or cold. This year my best catches have been night fishing with lights off the houseboats on and arround some of the docks at Mt Harbor. I keep my boat at Navy, Lena, Northshores marina on the NE side of the lake. Our success has been slow this summer on our nightstalks but we seem to always land a real hog or two. Right now the only thing I can tell you is be careful out there as the lake is real low and there is a forest of stickups out there just waiting on a lower unit.
I have a crew sitting on go for a nightstalk Friday so hopefully I will have a report for you by the first of next week.
Gooch, do you ever night stalk Ouachita later in the year like the end of October?
No but I plan to this year. I have always had the deer fever in October thus no fishing, but the wife has told me that I cant have any more deer mounted so I am going to get after them this fall and winter. What about you do you fish Ouachita in the fall or winter?Quote:
Originally Posted by creekslick
There are several of use that fish about 5 days the last week of October or the first week of November. But we have always fish during the day. Thought I might give it a try this year.
I was on Quachita a couple of weeks ago. I couldn't beleave how low it was. I saw stuff I never knew was there. But, I think I saw some spring time fishing holes I have been blowing by. I have only been fishing there for five years or so. I have never seen it this low. Some of the structure I fish in the spring and early summer was 5 feet out of the water.
DP
Glad to hear we have another Crappie.com member fishing Ouachita. I havent seen Wingshooter or Jakecatfishin post in a while but they also fish over there but on the South side of the lake. Where on Ouachita do you fish?Quote:
Originally Posted by DRPEPPER
I have been hitting the North Shores/Lena/Navy area since I was a little boy and every time it gets this low I still cant belive how much stuff is out there. Whats really scary is to know its there and see the water lice pulling kids over it. It amazing they dont hit it more than they do. I am nightstalking Friday night and hope to have the anchors, poles and lights out well before sunset to avoid any meetings with those stickups.
[QUOTE=gooch]Glad to hear we have another Crappie.com member fishing Ouachita. I havent seen Wingshooter or Jakecatfishin post in a while but they also fish over there but on the South side of the lake. Where on Ouachita do you fish?
The only places I have been are out of Crystal Springs. And, I will admit the only serious fishing I have done there is for bream. Most of my trips have either been camping, or to show a customer a good time. They have been easier for me to find than the crappie. I tried to bait some holes for crappie this summer. I filled the wife's panty hose with some Old Roy and sunk them in 30'. They floated back up with a brick tied to them. She started making fun of me for all of the trouble I had went through then have them float back up. I told her I didn't realize that the legs in her panty hose would hold so much. I still wonder why that made her mad??
DP
I sometimes have luck trolling a jig along the weed line for crappie. I haven't been out on the lake lately, but I imagine that Ouachita's gonna take a little longer to cool off than some of the other area lakes. I did catch a pretty good mess of brim from the dock early in the month. Not a single crappie tho.
Are you long line trolling your jigs along the weed lines or spider rigging? Also what area of Ouachita are you fishing? We do most of our trolling (long line) the morning after our nightstalks. When you just barely put my big ole barge in gear it creeps at about 1.7 to 1.9mph. We throw 2 to 4 bandit/bomber cranks out the back and just putt around the standing timber lines while we cook our pancakes and sausage. Sure makes for a great way to start a day, and we always pick up a few more for the cooler.Quote:
Originally Posted by Woohdog
Yes, long line trolling. I'm not coordinated enough to spider rig yet. I fish out of Mountain Harbor. Man, it sounds like y'all do it right with the pancakes and sausage while fishin'.
I like to fish out of navy and three sisters the most. I have heard that the west end of the lake like little fur has been good in the past.
I have always heard the west end was the best fishing. However Navy is the closest to Bryant and North Shores is 1/3 less on there slips than anyone else's I have found. Another HUGE factor in my staying at Navy is the fact that the boat traffic is so light compared to Brady,Crystal, and Mt Harbor. Not to mention your driving in traffic the whole way to the south side areas and you have a nice scenic drive comming to the north side. I guess what I am saying is that with all the factors of importance to us (wife and kid) the best fishing is second to all the other stuff.Quote:
Originally Posted by bigfishn
I would like for all us Ouachita anglers to have a get together some time in the form of a nightstalk or somthing just so we can put some faces with some names.
Take care and keep us posted on your Ouachita fishing trips.
I havent posted here in a while, but I fish Ouachita for Crappie pretty regular in the spring and in the summer. I havent been over there in a little while because of a new job and moving. I have been fishing a few reserviors around Stuttgart here lately though. My dad goes over to Ouachita about every weekend or ever other weekend for sure. The best tactic that I have ever come across to catch crappie at Ouachita is to fish some type of jig over moss flats(throwing out and slowly retrieving right over the top of the moss). Thats how we catch them. I hope yall wear them out over there when you go!
Hey there BigFishn. Crappie fishing in larger, deep, clear water is a little different only in that you don't see the cover you're fishing. The key is finding the cover. Using your graph and gps becomes more important. Find the cover and then fish that particular spot in your manner.
We do what we call "hovering." We go to the brushpile and hover the boat on and around it. We use long poles (10ft.) with slip floats and minnows in rodholders or we tightline jigs. Using the graph, determine the depth best to fish and while using the boat and trolling motor slowly and quietly work the entire brushpile till you find the hungry ones. Use of bouy markers is a great help too.
If you're fishing Ouachita, then Hamilton and even Greeson isn't to far for ya. We're working on DeGray right now and it won't be long before we'll be ready to guide there too.