Friday at Murray

[SeaRay]

This must be battery month for me. I had finally tracked down my problem with my outboard not starting to being a corroded battery terminal. So it cranked up just fine Friday and I was on the lake from 7 til noon. Had my livewell pump running (recirc) the whole time and both DF. Everything was fine until I started to crank up to leave. Dead battery! It is over 5 years old so I am going to replace it and be done with it. Also while I was out on the lake my remote for the I-Pilot went out. Well I have a spare batery, but..............it was in the bag with the foot pedal which I left in the car, so a quick cold run to the ramp and back.

On the good side, I caught my 1st crappie off the brush pile that I put in last fall. It was only 8" so I put it back for seed. Now I only need 199 more brush piles and I can fish like Inkdabber.

The I got a good bite and pulled in one that was just under 14". He went home with me for dinner.

Sorry for the poor picture, I was by myself and trying to get rods moved. The plastic ruler only goes to 10" so I had to measure him later with a ruler.
Caught a few perch and the one more crappie around 11" so I ended up with just enough for a meal for wife and me.
I am not sure how the low water will affect the fishing this winter. Murray is down about 10 feet I think and it will be until probably Febuary.
Here's wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
SeaRay

[sinkermaker]

Ray I am glad you were able to put some fish in the boat at least enough for a meal. I had to put a new cranking battery in my champion boat also. Merry Christmas to you and family and hope you have a blessed holiday. We will get together after first of year and do some fishing. Don

[STUMP HUNTER]

Congrats on the first fish off your brush pile Nice catch on the 14''er and thanks for the report. I fished Monday from the kayak and caught over a limit in deep water, for the lake 23' is the deepest but made the report in the kayak section. Good to hear you found some in the brush
You are right about batteries, batteries for me this year has been interesting also, I had to replaces a few too.

[Countryboy N.C.]

Been hitting Murray heavy the last 4 weeks, about twice a week, the low water has moved the crappie, nothing like last year, but we been catching them,I dont like this low water, it messed up the crappie fishing! But the striper it helped! been loading the boat with them.

[gabowman]

Lets NOT talk batteries. Took me a month to locate a pair of batteries that hasnt been sitting on a shelf for a half a year and a trip to Commerce to pick them up. My cranking batter is still working but I'll almost bet it'll go out before long. Then, my old Johnny Stewart Game Call batts died a year or two ago so I just replaced them (but I did save a ton getting replacement batts off the 'net instead of ordering from the call manufacturer.) Congrats on the fish and the fresh fish dinner. Glad to see your brush is paying off some too.

[MThook]

Searay, The plastic ruler looks like a muzzle, are those Crappie that fierce on Murray?

[SeaRay]

When they put the 8" limit on crappie at Murray I got one of those to measure with. It works real good on 8 to 10 inch fish, but you are right, he is kinda stuffed in there.

[uncle remus]

congrats on your catch sea ray I been wanting to make a trip to murray for a while its been years sense I been there. (is it still where it was bout 20 or so years ago? lol oooook anyway I hope you have a merry Christmas and blessed new year

[V Matt]

good job ray

[red]

Nice catch