Sardis Findings

Been fishing sardis a few days the last 2 weeks. Here's a few thoughts.

1. I'm no longer going to preach about wanting high water! :) Just a tad too high.
2. I've averaged about 10 keepers per day fishing all day single jib pole. Most on the smaller side.
3. I've carried at least a truckload of buck bush out of my boat to the ramp. :)
4. I've had at least one passenger get in my boat. Water snake! Not sure how long he was riding with me.
5. I've caught more short fish than in a very long time.
6. This will be a great spawning year!
7. Water keeps rising. Fishing getting harder by the inch rise.
8. I still think the best spawn is yet to come. Full moon on the way. Getting to the fish a problem.
9. My waders are now in my boat!
10. Final thought is that Sardis is just a shell of a lake it once was. Fishing it 40 plus years. Debate all you want. Truth. I would have caught hundreds of fish years ago in places I've been fishing.

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Originally Posted by 27458

10. Final thought is that Sardis is just a shell of a lake it once was. Fishing it 40 plus years. Debate all you want. Truth. I would have caught hundreds of fish years ago in places I've been fishing.

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Pressure, Internet, 11" fish removed, and the G word (Not explaining that one,but nothing to do with "G". He ain't been there much!!). [emoji4]

Thank You Lord for the two years of higher water!!!!!!!

Yep, I'm waiting for it. [emoji57]

10 keepers a day is the most I've heard in 2 weeks. The crew I jig with are lucky to get 2 keepers a day. March was great. April flat out sucks. Worst April ive seen ever. Thought last April was tough. But that's fishing.

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Originally Posted by hotrod1

10 keepers a day is the most I've heard in 2 weeks. The crew I jig with are lucky to get 2 keepers a day. March was great. April flat out sucks. Worst April ive seen ever. Thought last April was tough. But that's fishing.

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Exactly what I said. I thought last year was bad. This year way worse. They didn't come easy I can tell you that. Flat wore out after fishing two days. Told my buddy I've never seen it this bad.

Take off til next Thursday its fixing to get better!!

LiveToFish. Think pressure he increased yes bout 3000% in LST 20 years!!!!

Better days are on the way! LOL- I think!

Yep, looks like we're gonna go from spring to summer pretty quick here in the next week or two. Me personally, I can't wait until the spawn is over and they get back out a little deeper. Last time I was out at Sardis I thought I got lost and ended up in Missouri judging by all the license plates..Lol. Not that it bothers me, our local economy welcomes out of state guest.. :-)

I agree. Warm temps and full moon. I believe in those moon phases! They haven't really even started to spawn I don't think.

Those fish are scattered from one end of the lake to the other . Every rise in water covered fish that had started spawning . they are still there in deep water . wait till cranking weather and tell me it's that bad .to many good fish caught last fall to be poor this spring . jmo.:dono

Caught em last Saturday at FJ single poling in 3-13fow... The numbers are a lil down this year but the fish are as healthy as I've ever seen down there


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I agree on most all fronts of this conversation, but I think the 11 inch rule killed us and with a bad spawn for those years as well we are seeing the results this year and last. I am 60 years old and been fishing Sardis for 40 years and never witnessed two years of this bad of fishing. I hope I have a few years left for the lake to come back, but I think we are in for another tough year next year.

Not trying to jack the thread or nothing. But for you ladies and gentlemen that have been fishing the lake since the 70's & 80's, what kind of numbers where getting and what we're length and creel limits then??. Just curious, I like historical information for some reason. I was just hoping it was the high water Springs the last year or two causing a decline in numbers of fish being caught. And we're quality fish abundant more so then on Sardis then they are now? Thanks!

Lots of 10" numbers back in the day. Much better quality when they went to 12" after a few good spawns. Good numbers also until they reverted back to 11" a few years back. Now we see the results of that and the two bad spawns those 11" fish came from.

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Originally Posted by Snubbys

Not trying to jack the thread or nothing. But for you ladies and gentlemen that have been fishing the lake since the 70's & 80's, what kind of numbers where getting and what we're length and creel limits then??. Just curious, I like historical information for some reason. I was just hoping it was the high water Springs the last year or two causing a decline in numbers of fish being caught. And we're quality fish abundant more so then on Sardis then they are now? Thanks!

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People lose sight of the fact the limit was 50 and it wasn't that hard to get either. Its not just the fishing pressure, but all the timber and buck brush gone out of the lake. They can't hide unless high water which doesn't happen often. They keep it pretty strict to the rule curve.

Back in the early 50 fish days there wasn't a size limit. Then it went to 10", then 30 fish, then 12" fish, back to 11" fish and 20, up until now. The timber was thick and so was the cover in places. I remember yo-yos on all the trees from Piney on up. Water was much deeper at rule curve back then also. The silt has filled her in a bunch.

She's a totally different lake today, and the pressure has quadrupled on a more year round basis, but back in the day during the spawn, you better put in early or walk back to the ramp from the overflow parking at Engineers Point. It got crowded more than today it seemed when the fish hit the bank.

I guess we should continue to Grow the sport until I'm out of business. People won't need a boat, they can just jump across the lake from one boat to another. [emoji23][emoji23]

Thank the Good Lord for the high water the past few years. It's saved a ton of crappie's lives. The weather patterns this year have kept the crowds down also.

Yes sir, timber and brush is going away fast in the big 4.. I vaguely remember in the 80's when we me and my dad would run the creeks and rivers of graysport and catch crappie all day... it wasn't thought as much then other then being (table fair) catching an Ole slab between this yo yo or the next trot line.. I can't recall one professional crappie fishermen's name then, but I do remember several pro bass guys on the tv...

I remember fishing Grenada with my dad in the mid 70's and early 80's. There was a 50 fish limit, and no size restriction. We would catch a bunch of fish, sometimes 2 limits, without even cranking up the big motor at Choctaw, North Greysport, and South Greysport. There was a lot more cover back then. Never saw anyone trolling. I think that over the years, especially with lower water levels over the years, the fish have changed the way they use that lake. But there is one thing I'm sure of............the numbers today are nowhere near what the numbers used to be back then. I think that has to do with better spawns back in the 70's and 80's due to higher water levels. I remember the water used to come over the emergency spillway quite often..........something that hasn't happened in years and years now. Also, of course, lower numbers are due to a lot more pressure today. I think this is basically what is happening on all our reservoirs.

Right on duckhunter, we use to slay crappie without even trying (back in graysport in the 80's).. don't know if the popularity of the sport has helped it or hurt it.. I guess it just boils down to more competition. Like I said, wasn't no professional crappie guys in them days.. we just caught a meal.. and enjoyed it....

All I know for SURE is that so far, this is the worst year I've ever had at Sardis. Looks like you'll need to be airlifted into a spot to catch fish! I done about beat my boat, motor and trolling motor to death. :)

The 10" rule went into effect in 1989. The difference now versus then also is equipment. Most folks at Sardis fished 14' boats Polarkraft from Olive Branch MS. Most bait shops sold them also. Motors most 9.9- 15 outboards. Paddles FER shallow and deep fishing. No fish graphs,foot controlled motors etc. Poor folks fished out of Buddy brand Jon boats. A few of those folks drowned every year. The numbers of fishermen have went up about 4000 percent since 1975. Keith Meals with game and fish has done a great job. He doesn't have control of 20 Game Wardens to work the reservoirs. Heck game and fish will tell you if you call Jackson Sardis is a flood control reservoir. Therefore the do as much Law Enforcement vas the people demand!!!!!!! Years ago on Sardis they had sum hard working Game Wardens they all retired and or died about 15 years ago!!! How many days have you seen a game warden this year on the lake??? Enough said!!! I was fishing out of Coon Town landing yesterday in whites bottom area and had to hide from lead zooming thru the trees!!!!! Yes live fire right at us!!! Drunks ,Gun No Law I'm done!! And

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Originally Posted by sharphook

The 10" rule went into effect in 1989. The difference now versus then also is equipment. Most folks at Sardis fished 14' boats Polarkraft from Olive Branch MS. Most bait shops sold them also. Motors most 9.9- 15 outboards. Paddles FER shallow and deep fishing. No fish graphs,foot controlled motors etc. Poor folks fished out of Buddy brand Jon boats. A few of those folks drowned every year. The numbers of fishermen have went up about 4000 percent since 1975. Keith Meals with game and fish has done a great job. He doesn't have control of 20 Game Wardens to work the reservoirs. Heck game and fish will tell you if you call Jackson Sardis is a flood control reservoir. Therefore the do as much Law Enforcement vas the people demand!!!!!!! Years ago on Sardis they had sum hard working Game Wardens they all retired and or died about 15 years ago!!! How many days have you seen a game warden this year on the lake??? Enough said!!! I was fishing out of Coon Town landing yesterday in whites bottom area and had to hide from lead zooming thru the trees!!!!! Yes live fire right at us!!! Drunks ,Gun No Law I'm done!! And

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my son and i were fishing on the sw side of thompson creek on his recent trip home and all of a sudden pistol fire that sounded extremely close starting going off on a regular basis. we could not see the shooter but they were very close. wish they could put a stop to that close to peeps fishing on a coe...

They shot for 45 minutes non stop yesterday!! I wear a .40 every where I go. I was out gunned by far!! If I go back I will carry one of my .223z and 8-12 magazines to equalize the stress!!!!!!!!! Be safe no Law Equals this kind of logic!!!!!

Thanks FER posting I'm Krazzzeee but HONEST!!!!!!!

Someone was blowing up Tannerite one day I was there west bank of Toby Tuby. I was at Holiday lodge boat ramp and it shook the ground jarred me all that way. I heard a lot of gun fire just before it blew.

And on that note, I saw on the news the other day some idiot using Tannerite to blow up an old lawn mower while his friends took a video. Got a great shot of him loosing his leg from debris flying back at him and he can be heard yelling I blew my leg off. People just do stupid unfortunate things for "fun" and in an instant change their lives forever.

Just jigged my last time. Got 1 catfish. With 2" of more rain coming Iam done. Going to get big boat ready for cranking. Caught 132 keepers last spring. 81 this spring. Not worth getting snake bit to get to em. Those fish will have no problem this year laying. Till next year!!

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Originally Posted by hotrod1

Just jigged my last time. Got 1 catfish. With 2" of more rain coming Iam done. Going to get big boat ready for cranking. Caught 132 keepers last spring. 81 this spring. Not worth getting snake bit to get to em. Those fish will have no problem this year laying. Till next year!!

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I'm going to give it a few more trips.

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Originally Posted by sharphook

The 10" rule went into effect in 1989. The difference now versus then also is equipment. Most folks at Sardis fished 14' boats Polarkraft from Olive Branch MS. Most bait shops sold them also. Motors most 9.9- 15 outboards. Paddles FER shallow and deep fishing. No fish graphs,foot controlled motors etc. Poor folks fished out of Buddy brand Jon boats. A few of those folks drowned every year. The numbers of fishermen have went up about 4000 percent since 1975. Keith Meals with game and fish has done a great job. He doesn't have control of 20 Game Wardens to work the reservoirs. Heck game and fish will tell you if you call Jackson Sardis is a flood control reservoir. Therefore the do as much Law Enforcement vas the people demand!!!!!!! Years ago on Sardis they had sum hard working Game Wardens they all retired and or died about 15 years ago!!! How many days have you seen a game warden this year on the lake??? Enough said!!! I was fishing out of Coon Town landing yesterday in whites bottom area and had to hide from lead zooming thru the trees!!!!! Yes live fire right at us!!! Drunks ,Gun No Law I'm done!! And

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Hey man I had same thing happen to me over there that day. We got shot at 3 times I could hear the bullets and then it would hit the branches above me. That old boy was just trying to keep folks out his fishing hole. What he doesn't understand is that those bullets can hit the limbs and richochet and hit someone. I notified my panola county sherif and he is working with the Lafayette county department to straiten that deal out. I wouldn't quit doing what u like for a few dumb greedy guys out there. They will get what's coming to them

A few bullets won't stop the bird down I know I have seen you bite the head off a cotton mouth cause he was by the tree you wanted to fish.

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Originally Posted by windstone

my son and i were fishing on the sw side of thompson creek on his recent trip home and all of a sudden pistol fire that sounded extremely close starting going off on a regular basis. we could not see the shooter but they were very close. wish they could put a stop to that close to peeps fishing on a coe...

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Ducker and I had the same problem during the Sardis tournament in Thompson creek. Southwest side about halfway down. I don't mind a guy shooting all he wants, but I like to at least have an idea as to where those bullets are landing.

A lot of students go shoot out there at Tobby and Hippie Hollar. Most are drunk. Be careful


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Originally Posted by tcounty

A lot of students go shoot out there at Tobby and Hippie Hollar. Most are drunk. Be careful


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They need to be reported

Sardis is a free for all now. Didn't see a single GW during spawn.


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Originally Posted by tcounty

Sardis is a free for all now. Didn't see a single GW during spawn.

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I haven't seen many this year mainly because I think there hasn't been a lot of fish caught. However, they were there Saturday at Holiday Lodge and writing tickets too.

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Originally Posted by 27458

I haven't seen many this year mainly because I think there hasn't been a lot of fish caught. However, they were there Saturday at Holiday Lodge and writing tickets too.

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there no bad people just good people that make bad decisions

That's great they make 40k per year work opening weekends of every opening season!! Work one Saturday from the bank at the end of the crappie spawn???????????????? I can't figure to well seems like bout $500.00 per hour not bad hook up job!!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by sharphook

That's great they make 40k per year work opening weekends of every opening season!! Work one Saturday from the bank at the end of the crappie spawn???????????????? I can't figure to well seems like bout $500.00 per hour not bad hook up job!!!!!!!!!

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Those guys cover a lot of area, just because you don't see them where you are fishing doesn't mean they are not working somewhere.

I agree with bigkyd maybe y'all should appreciate these boys and what they do if u see something wrong call the hot line. What it all boils down to is that folks are mad cause they not catching fish so u got to blame it on someone else game warden ,biologist who knows, sure the water is high is the main reason or it might be over fished I don't know l. So why don't y'all post another picture of a table full of fish so you can show everyone you can catch a few. What y'all fail to realize is most folks watch this board for a report cause they too lazy to go find a few fish so they just wait on y'all to spill the beans which y'all always do.

Don't know about beans, I got the grease heating up for some fillets tonight. I usually take my crappie with hush puppies, fries and some slaw if I feel up to it. I agree, wardens do work for their money, I always try to buy mine a cup of coffee in the winter or a cold soda or water in the summer when I see them at the bait shop. Not butt kissing, but showing my gratitude for a thank less job. And as far as lazy folks reading this thread, it don't amount to much. I could point out a lazy man, give him the lure and a spot to fish and he would still come out short. I look at it as some aren't much lazy as they are tied up at work, family or can't get out to fish no more due to health or financial reasons. But in all agree, our wardens do work for their money, never met a bad one yet.. guess cause I try to stay on the right side of things.