rblackburn

Just got back in from an evening session. This time I was armed with minnows. I only bought a dozen, figured that would be enough to see what depth Mr/Mrs Crappie were holding. I caught a some dinks, but did manage 3 keepers in 4-6 feet around brush piles. All 3 keepers were males and one was completely jet black. 2x10.25 and 1x12.

My bite has cooled off a bit since the water level has come up. I was getting good keepers in 6 feet or less, but now it is extending out to 14. Fished from the dock this morning and only managed 5 dinks and a couple missed bites. Yesterday was not much better, 2 10's in 3 hours and about 10 dinks. Both 10's were males with reproductive organs that did not appear to be ready to spawn.

Preaching to the choir I'm sure, but I hate it when I drag these up or something like it.

12.25" caught her on a 1/16th oz head #4 hook Bobby Garland slab 2" slay'r pink and pearl about 4 feet deep with a 6 foot bottom. She was the only keeper in about a half hour, I also hooked a couple sun fish and a tiny smallmouth.

Im catching a lot of males around brush piles in 8 feet or less of water near the 12mm of the Big Niangua. The females that I do catch, I am letting go. Muddy Water baits in milk blue and electric chicken are doing best and having luck on bobby garland pink and pearl slab slay'r. I am noticing that the crappie are being really temperamental with their bite with the subtle rises and drops. You will have to try different colors and weights even depths to get on a good bite. I got skunked tonight on the boat, but caught a couple 10's and 12's from the dock. Good luck!

Nice haul Seth!

The community dock I fish on saw a lot of action this weekend. I was using a Muddy Waters bait in pink and chartreuse and couldn't keep slabs off of it. I hit the limit in three hours, all were 10-14 inches. The other guys were having luck on black and chartreuse tube jigs, marabou jigs and minnows. We all were catching in 8 feet of water or less. Seems as though you can catch them on pretty much anything with a hook right now.

What a beautiful day on the water! I was able to get on the crappie early and often. Caught a ton of dinks, and a few 11's to 13's. Threw them back as the bigger ones were females and seemed about ready to drop their eggs. I was using a 1/32 black and chartreuse tube jig and 1/32 2" slab slay'r in their ice blue or whatever they are calling it. These are the conditions as of 2 pm ish from the Big Niangua: 4 Corners 60 degrees and the water had some color, visible to about 2-3 feet in the shallows. 1 MM 61* stained to murky, fish holding near the bluffs to the north in 2-15 feet 2-4 MM 59/61/62* respectively. Stained to murky, fish are near secondary points. 5-8 MM 63* clear to stained. Look for chunk rock near the banks 8-12 feet. 9-15 MM 65* clear to stained. Fish are everywhere except in the channel. I'm sure the temps have changed since I've been out, and will again a couple times the end of the weekend. Good luck to all the BBB guys, have fun and be safe! Hope this helps and happy fishing.

Great looking fish, congratulations on the sixer!

Was talking with a guy at the grocery store and he was saying that he was having success around the 16mm in 12-14 feet with a red and orange tube jig. Hear say, so I don't know the validity to his claim. I've been having success on almost anything pink and white or black and chartreuse up here on the Big Niangua, different conditions though. Happy Fishing!

No rain yesterday. We just had high winds and rough chop on the water. The banks got stirred up a little, doubt it had much affect in the grand scheme of things.

I was able to get on the water a little earlier today, but didn't want to fight the wind trying to fish. I made it from the 4mm to Ha Ha Tonka. Here is what I found: 4mm was stained and 54 degrees. 7mm was murky and 57. 10mm to Ha Ha Tonka was murky and 59-60. All parts of the water where there were large community docks, fish were holding anywhere from 2-8 feet and did not seem to matter what the depth was. Fish were also holding at 8-14 feet near bluffs. The coves I went into had shallow flats with cover near the banks and they seemed to be holding around 1-4 feet. I did not venture up the Little Niangua, but the water appeared to have been more clear and based on the BN temp at the LN mouth, I would assume that the LN would have been around 52-54 degrees. Hope this helps. Happy Fishing!

I am all for the info sharing, and by no means what is working for me is an endorsement to any product. I'm hoping the rain will help things and bring some slabs! Sounds like great fishing at you father in law's place, good luck this weekend! With the current draw down, it appears that the Big Niangua is clearing up a little. I am sure with the anticipated rain, that will change with the runoff. If I am able to get the boat out tomorrow, I will get temperatures from Bridal cave to Ha Ha Tonka. Not too sure if that will help anybody up in my end, but worth a shot.

Hi everyone, just wanted to take a minute for an intro while I'm watching opening day. I fish the Big Niangua arm mostly and rarely hit the main channel. I am targeting crappie, but will catch an occasional bluegill/sunfish and black bass or largemouth. The past couple days I have been using a 1/16 jig with a 2" pink and pearl white slab slay'r. I've been vertical jigging and slow retrieving near the shore line to about 6-8 ft of water and catching in about 2-4 feet depth. I have found that the crappies are holding in or near brush piles with gravel to mud/sand transitions. The water is pretty well stained and looks nearly like chocolate milk, but when it was more clear, I had success with blue/blue tint and black and chartreuse baits. Happy Fishing!!!