I had all intentions of going up river this weekend but with reports of 58 degree temps in Clifty area my plans were changed with just reading that one report. Years have taught me that temperature means the crappie and whites will be in the 12 bridge area.
I launched out of Prairie Creek at 7:20 ( wanted to miss the tournament launch ) I went straight to the islands and started marking fish from 5fow to 30fow, on brush and on the flats and Basin area. I trolled flicker shad for a bit in #6 and #7 Pearl White and picked off whites at a rather nice pace from 14 to 17 inch size in the Basin area's ( Basins are the center flat between 12 bridge and the first island and the second island and the west bluffs )
After I played with them for a while I started working back over brush piles with Bobby Garland baby shad in white and found the crappie more than willing to bite. Spider rigging at .3mph was the perfect speed with lines set at 15, 12, 11, 9 fow along with casting the jigs past brush and slow swimming it over the tops.
I had enough for dinner and decided to try spider rigging for whites just for giggles. A word of warning when 4 10lb hybrids hit all 4 lines at one time it becomes very interesting .
That little interesting experience taught me to stop ( insert dirty word here ) with fish that are way to big for that method of fishing.
I pulled out the little white spoon ( Basspro XPS ) and preceded to abuse the hybrids for the trouble they gave me. just and FYI Hook Line and Sinker in Rogers is now carrying the spoons ( thanks AJ ).
It was a great day my arms are soar and plenty of fish for the table tomorrow.