thinning out some

[Ketchn]

the local creek fish are lower in numbers and size lately , lots of pressure and I am sure the keep fish are going home with folks . but none the less I am still finding a few on my lunch break visits . having to downsize to real small and natural colors most of the time and present the jig just so so ...no more pitch it all willy nilly and rip em fast as it hits the water .....
got a boat ride invite from a local guy yesterday and may ride up the creek some next week , showed me some large fish yesterday he managed in some out of the way ,less hammered spots up and down the creek ,stay tuned yawl ....
and then .....
here are a few photos from the 2 visits this week ....a thermocline pearl ice mini tadpole fished extra slowly on a 1/32 seems to easily out fish all my other offerings .....KABOOM is near

[Bayoubob]

I often wonder at times like this. Are the fish being over-pressured to a point that it could be detrimental? I see it in the creeks down here where i am in the Houston area.

[SKs Crappie Catching Adventures]

I think they are just kicked back waiting on the water temps to get right before they gorge themselves....
Keep at'em it won't be long before everyone is juss hammering them....
Goin small & slow is key right now....

The bite has been awesome for me down here Bob.....

[Epicrates]

I wondered where you went Ketchn. I missed your old posts on TFF.


Looks like a good day.

[Bigskyfisherman]

Very nice, Ketchn. Downsizing is the ticket when it gets cold. I usually double rig with a 1/16th blue/white hair jig on the bottom and a 1/64th (and sometimes a 1/80th) orange head/peacock herl body/ pheasant tail above it. The peacock herl jig has been my most consistent winter jig over the last 20-25 years. Lately though, a pink estaz/ green chartreuse marabou jig has killed them. It's always more fun to catch them on something you made yourself.
ps Always enjoy your posts.

[Bayoubob]

Oh I hear ya SK. I'm catching good size and good numbers on the creeks that you can only access by boat, but if I go and do a little bank running without the boat they tend to be much smaller(that could also be just because the bigger fish haven't moved in there yet also though). I think there are many undersized fish kept by people that think the size restrictions are just merely a suggestion! LOL

[Ketchn]

I wondered where you went Ketchn. I missed your old posts on TFF.


Looks like a good day.

Calmer waters here , and the forum is way more informative and super friendly , it’s run by a great owner and moderators .

[Ketchn]

I often wonder at times like this. Are the fish being over-pressured to a point that it could be detrimental? I see it in the creeks down here where i am in the Houston area.

I don’t personall think fisherman have much impact on crappie . But that said I saw a double limit being held up under that bridge Saturday morning and that explains why most of the fish are running small now I think .

[Slab]

Calmer waters here , and the forum is way more informative and super friendly , it’s run by a great owner and moderators .

Thank you so much for the kind comments. Yep. great members, great mods, great site.

[Bigskyfisherman]

I don’t personall think fisherman have much impact on crappie . But that said I saw a double limit being held up under that bridge Saturday morning and that explains why most of the fish are running small now I think .

Cormorants are the BIG problem. A few years ago, the front page of the local paper said that "9,000 cormorants have taken up residence on Lake Hefner". They were here for seven weeks. At 1 pound of fish per day (some researchers say more, but the minimum is 1 pound), that's over 220 tons of fish that were eaten by those scourges. And PETA got them on the endangered species list!!!