Where is the Crappie?

I live Nor Cal and have night fished black crappie most of my life under a green LED light. Night fishing has been pretty successful, but I just do not have time to spend nights on the lake then too tired the next day to do anything anymore. It is July with 95-100 dry heat in Nor Cal, where did all the black crappies go?

I spent a few days last summer in the Mid East tightlining, which I have successfully replicated in California during the spawn but summer is still unsuccessful in summertime. Here is what I have done in the past three times in past two weeks out to the lake:
-bought a 598 hummingbird side imaging unit and know how to use it, but not locating any large groups. Side imaged some fish hanging in 9ft lilly pads but they are bitting. Not sure what kind of fish they are.
-Jigged all sorts of weight, color, and live minnows in shaded trees and parts of the 5-8 ft deep flooded forest but nothing, only cats.
-Tightlined creek channels and the 30ft dam at different depths but nothing too.
I am about given up!

Here is the Lake stats: Reservoir with two creeks (non-flowing at the moment). Current lake temp is 83-86 depending on location. Water clarity is only about 25% or 3ft depth clarity. 25% of the lake floods the forest. Most of the lake is 12ft deep with dam being around 30. No shad, but lots and lots of ghost minnows. So many ghost minnows during this time that I actually watched baby large mouths swallow them like nothing. Those ghost minnows seems so blind.

Any help is appreciated.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lol11

in Nor Cal, where did all the black crappies go?
I am about given up!

---

lol,

They swam to God's country ...... PA! I'm catchin' like crazy every time I go out!

They moved a little deep in this summer heat, like 20'

Try a drop shot rig, or super thin line to get down to where they are?

Welcome to C.com, try a drop shot rig and put your hook at 12-18 inches off the bottom, or you
can use two hooks and set them about a foot apart. Hope this helps

Fish the deep points and river channel. They are holding tight to structure or rocks deep.

Thanks for the advice! I spent an hour last night youtubing and rigging up an ultral light pole for the drop shot method, 4 pound line. Never done it before, but drop shot sure looks fun on youtube. I should be on the lake again next week and will let you guys know how I do.

after I go fishing the fish are still in the same place they were before I went fishing!!

i have been catching them 8-20 ft of water around structure like water overflows and branches on ledges.

When you catch some, you have to show us pics of those California Crappie. I have a daughter that just moved out that way, so it's good news to hear that they got Crappie there.

California crappie huh? Then it is entirely possible that your failure to locate and catch them may be a Zen thing. Most probably your boat's Feng Shui is all messed up. A bass fishing buddy of mine, to help him stay focused and visualize what his bait is doing, slowly fishes his Texas-rigged worm back to the boat while transcendentally chanting over and over, "I AM the worm." It works: he usually out-fishes me from the back of the boat. Try a crappie variation of that.

I believe Chevy Chase invented that method.

Find the lakes stumpfield first. Then take your time and find the stumps on the highest part of the field. Could be as shallow as a few feet. You'll be surprized how shallow those crappies will be. Overcast days will be best but they'll be there during sunny, hot days too. Shady side will be best on those days. If they're not there, they'll be close. Check the shady side of the drop before you head to deep water. You wont need to go deeper than 9ft in a lake like that. Go small. Use a 1/32 head with a 1 1/2" shad body bait with a crappie nibble added, under a small bobber. Cast and slow retreive back pass the stumps. Try from all directions as one will be better than all the other angles. Post some pics of those Cali crappies for us too. Good luck and have fun.

Most likely, they are in the water. However, I have found a FEW in my livewell. And on very rare occasion, my freezer. But mostly in the water, I think. Now that you know THAT, all ya gotta do is FIND em. Easy peasy!!! This info is free of charge. :biggrin

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lol11

Thanks for the advice! I spent an hour last night youtubing and rigging up an ultral light pole for the drop shot method, 4 pound line. Never done it before, but drop shot sure looks fun on youtube. I should be on the lake again next week and will let you guys know how I do.

---

You need a light action with a fast tip. The ultra lite wont have the back bone to set the hook properly. A 7' rod would be better than a short rod. Some just reel to place the hook point or just a light wrist snap will do it also. You can step up the poundage to 6 # or 8# and you will be fine. If you need any pointers shoot me a pm.

Finally got back out to the lake on 09/18 @ 12 noon. Air temp 76, water temp 78, water clarity is only a foot, and lake is extremely low. A big thanks to members who suggested dropshotN. I did manage to catch 13 bass for fun and 5 large bluegills off the dropshot rig, but no crappies. Finally located a large school of Crappie under a sunken log in 25ft of water in an area I would never imagine. Fished this lake 27 years and never knew this area had sunken trees in this location. Also never fished during this time of year, had always targeted crappies during spring only. A very big thanks to my little Hummingbird 798 side imaging. This unit is amazing and it works! You just need to put some time in learning it. It is not as big and high-tech as the 900+ models but it does the job. Caught around 25 10” above in 30 minutes, but only brought home a dozen for dinner and saving the rest to grow out for winter/spring. I also want to thank those who contributed ideas to my trip. I now believe the say "crappies will behave like crappies now matter where you live." Here is a pix of some we caught. My nephew: Attachment 174273

Excellent fishing! The drop shot is really a crackerjack some days. Try slow rolling a Roadrunner too. :)