Cotaco Creek - Report

Fished Cotaco last Tuesday afternoon from 2:30 - 4:30 - caught about 15 fish with 10 keepers, with the biggest being 1.5lbs. Water temp was around 59 - 60 degrees and the best bait was a BGBS in the green/blue color (i think it's called blue grass?) on 1/32 oz jig head. Fish were caught fishing around lay downs (not right next to them)

Fished again on Friday from 6:30 - 10:30 - it was very slow to start, caught maybe 10-15 the last 1.5 hours we were out there, with only 4-5 keepers. No color really worked better than any other. Water temp was around 56-57 degrees i think? Almost all fish were caught off underwater structure.

Max: Glad you were able to get out a couple of times. I might have to try bluegrass...been toting a bag around for a while. Great report and pic. A 1.5lbr is a mighty respectable fish. Thanks.

Anyone else notice the high numbers of Black Crappie on Lake Wheeler this year? I'm catching at least 10 to 1 Black Crappie compared to White Crappie this year.

Ditch,
Me and my brother had that exact convo...I'm not sure why it's like that tho right now ?

Interesting observation. I had not really paid too much attention in the past. I agree, most catches recently have been solely black. I also think there has always been a few more Black crappie. I have certainly noticed an improved color in the Black crappie. I have seen many for a long time quite faded. Another thing I have noticed is more black-nosed crappie. They certainly aren't common, but my sense is there are a few more showing up.

a friend posted a pic of a cooler full of blacks and i thought he caught them in g'ville and lied about it. lol i feel bad now.

Good report

When I moved here six years ago (2010) I caught mostly White Crappie on Lake Wheeler, the few Black Crappie came from the creeks and backwaters. Now it's unusual to catch a White Crappie with Blacks being 95% or better of my catch. I typically only fish from Decatur back upstream on the river section of the reservoir. I'm not sure what the more lake like section is like down stream.

By the way, I've caught most of my "Black Nose" Crappie from Limestone Bay the last couple years with them becoming almost common. The interesting thing is I've found them up Limestone Creek in holes several miles upstream of old Hwy 20. My theory (someone on here will tell me I'm wrong) is a Black Crappie and a White Crappie got together in one of the small holes upstream on Limestone Creek. One of the big rains a couple years ago pushed them downstream spreading them throughout the system and into the bay. Most seem to be 8 to 12 inches which could be a single year class if you look at variations on growth rates based on available forage. Just my :twocents

When I started catching them, I did some research some time ago on black-nose crappie. Apparently, they are a black crappie with a recessive gene. If I remember correctly, they were originally identified in Arkansas.

Alright DB: Since we have hijacked Max's thread. I have another thought/observation. Unless it doesn't happen, I believe I do catch hybrid/crossbreed between white and black Crappie. They seem to have dominate black crappie characteristics with a slight trace of white crappie vertical striping. I have no scientific proof of cross-breeding but believe it occurs.

Believe the whites will move up into the creeks once the rain gets in and colors the water a little more. But I do believe there are more blacks than whites in there.