straw hat

Just a note that I thought some of you might find interesting. The black-nosed crappie is a recessive genetic variant of the black crappie. It was first discovered in Beaver Lake in Arkansas in 1984. At least seven states now grow black-nosed crappie in hatcheries for stocking. They are a popular quarry in southern California. They grow slightly faster and are more agressive than the normal black crappie. They also occupy shallower water than other crappie, especially in summer. Tagging studies are currently being proposed in several states. I have caught many between CC and Roark Bluff over the years including one 12".

Tough day. Rain and windy in AM. Sunny and humid in afternoon with white caps. Put in at CC and a lot of boats again. Tough to find a spot to fish. Anyplace out of the wind was usually occupied. Last weekend we found the crappie at around 18'. So we started there and after several hours we finally found some around 6 to 7 foot deep on chunk rock banks. Still nothing but a few small black crappie on brush piles. We came back with 6 crappie and a 4 lb male cat.

I don't know any places on stockton but I use to do a lot of bowfishing for gar n the backs of the wooded coves near the dam on Table Rock. All the time I have spent on Stockton and really haven't seen a good place.

Your in-law is correct. A small percentage (usually thought to be about 2 to 5%) will fall spawn. Most biologists think (but it is not proven yet) that it is a seperate strain of crappie that fall spawn and that they do not actually double spawn. It is belived that one reason that this strain is not very successful is that the fall spawn takes place at a time of year where the young have a deminishing source of food and survival is therefore low. It is interesting to note that it is very rare for black crappie to fall spawn. White crappie are more of a southern species than black crappie which can survive way up into Canada. Considering that your in-laws are from Louisiana I would imagine that they were white crappie.

PS. wtr dogs; The hormone estradiol, better known as FSH (follicle stimulation hormone) is produced by the fishes endocrine system when the day length, temperature or both reach a certain level. Whether temperature or day length regulates the production of this hormone depends on the species. This hormone is then produced until the eggs mature and are released.

I have just begun seeing some small schools of shad on the surface. In the next couple weeks this should increase and the surface bite should pick up.

Once spawning is complete the egg sacs remain with some residual eggs in them which are slowly reabsorbed. New eggs are always being developed by the ovaries which then pass through the oviduct which lays down the coating on the egg before they are deposited in the egg sacs. These coatings determine wether the egg will be sticky or not when exposed to water. The eggs are then held in the egg sacs until the metabolism increases in the spring which causes the release of certain hormones and accelerates the maturing process. So while eggs are maturing in the spring new eggs are still being produced and stored in the egg sacs. By the time the maturing eggs are laid many more eggs have been produced during that time. But these new eggs will not develope until next spring when once again the metabolism increases and the right hormones are present. As you can see the egg sacs are never empty.

What? No kitchen sink? Looks like a great day to me!

That is similar to what happened to the wife and I on Saturday. They were only in a few places and the rest were pretty empty. Still sounds like you had a good day.

The wife and I took the boat out on the Big Sac arm. We started by fishing for crappie on brush piles 5 to 20' deep. After 4 hours and only a few small crappie we swithed to fishing chunk rock banks. Over the next 6 hour we caught about 50 crappie, 12 keepers and 4 catfish. The crappie were 7 to 20' deep with the keepers mostly 15 to 20 ft deep in about 20' of water. I was supprised by the number of boats. There were more boats out than on Memorial weekend! When I drove over the CC bridge on the way home I saw one guy come off the rock rip rap with 4 nice cats (2 to 5 lbs +/-). Of the four cats we caught two were females and both had spawned.

I agree with beagle man completely. Most of the rock rip rap is also good at night if you are into cats.

The last limit of cats I caught was last year at this time. It was about half way back in Maze creek along a steep rocky bank. There is usually some decent crappie back there in the trees this time of year. Good luck!!

I am not very experienced with walleye. During the fall (Oct. to mid-Dec.)I fish steep drop-offs a lot with slip bobbers for crappie at 25 to 35 ft. During those times I pick up an occasional walleye. Do you think that leaches would improve my walleye catch under those conditions or is it too late in the year for using them? I appreciate any advice you can give.

Both of you indicated an interest in catfishing so I tought I would write down a few of my thoughts. I am sure that others will add to this. I usually start catting in late February. During Feb and March I catch most of my channels along the shoulders of channel drops about 10 to 15 ft deep. Areas include Aldrich and Greenfield. Fishing will be slow that time of year. You will need a very sunny warm day, especially if there has been 2 or 3 warm days in a row. Oddly, they seem to prefer live bait during that time (minnows). April is an outstanding month as the cats will follow the old creek channels toward the rivers. The day of or after a warm rain can be fantastic. During rising water focus on any area where the water enters the lake. Many times they are hugging close to this incoming water and are very shallow. River worms seem to work well this time of year. May and June they start their spawn. The rock rip raps and chunk rock banks are the best as catfish nest in cavaties such as under large rocks. River worms continue to be your best bet. After the spawn there is a couple of weeks of transition as the cats begin to head back to deeper water. There summer pattern begins by late June. At night the cats run up on the flats to feed. As sun rises they follow the small ditches and channels back to deeper water. Fishing these small ditches can yeild large stringers once you figure out which ones they use. From 10 AM or so think deep. My rule is 30'. Less if cloudy and deeper if sunny. During the summer any cloudy rainy day can bring them much shallower to feed but they will still be along deep rocky banks. Shad and fresh cut bait work better this time of year but river worms work well if you don't mind the bluegill. Dip baits work very well during the summer, especially Sonny's which can be purchased at BPS. The dip baits can yeild large stringers but they will tend to be smaller fish. Once the water begins to cool (starting in Sept.) the fish can really put on the feed bag until November or early December if the weather doesn't turn too bad. In the main lake focus on deep channels from 25 to 40' deep. Fresh cut bait and minnows/shad work well. They begin to really school up tight during this period so it is critical that if you don't get a bite in 45 minutes-move. Also during the fall the cats that have stayed up in the mouths of the tributaries come down in mass. These are usually smaller fish (less than 3 pounds) but fishing on the bottom in the very middle of the channels can be some of the fastest action you will ever have for cats. Again, shad and fresh cut bait work well. I like to fish the Greenfield and Aldrich area at this time. I hope this answers some of your questions and gives you a place to start.

Right know the cats are spawning so I would suggest any of the rock rip rap around the bridges. After about mid-June I do the best from bank on flat points off of rocky channel banks. Fish the shoulder on the deep side of these points.

I have been fishing the CC area lately and have just started seeing the young shad school there.

That is not only the first limit of cats I have heard of this year but the only decent catch I know of. Those big cats are nice but there is nothing wrong with cats in that size range. Sounds like a great day to me!!! I also have noticed that the cats I have caught lately did not contain eggs either. I know that the water has warmed quickly but this is really early for them to be spawned out.

Great report binman. Thanks for the info.

Wife and I went back to CC rock rip rap. Much tougher day. No whites or catfish for us. Several crappie but only 3 keepers. Still a lot of catfisherman but we only saw two cats caught all day. It really seems like the catfishing of fthe riprap is really down this year. Still a nice day to be out.

THe wife and I (plus half of the free world) fished the CC rock rip rap today. We caught one 8 lb channel, 7 keeper crappie (from 7 to 10 ft deep), 5 nice whites (12 to 14") and of coarse 50 or 60 small crappie and bass. Of all the peple fishing down there I only saw 2 or 3 small cats being caught and one 22" walleye. The water is really clesring up down there. Visibility about 2 ft. and no current to speak of. I will pass on my usual ranting about some of the inconsiderate people, we all sort of expect that on a holiday weekend. I will mention that many of us on the bank were taking bets on the survival of some on their personal watercraft. They kept crossing the old road across from the rip rap. The road was just under water and they really seemed to be enjoying skimming across the low spots and trying to bump the bottom with their pw or running through some of the smaller brush just sticking out of the water.

Sorry Trav. I miss read your report. I thought it said on the dam instead of near the dam.

Great report. The info is deeply appreciated. You had a great day. Based on your trip do you think someone could catch a few of the dam rock riprap? I use a slip bobber rig so getting hung in the rocks is no problem. I am also suprised that the water has warmed that much towrd the dam. Summer is hear.

Thanks for the info. It is really appreciated.

Went to CC rock rip rap today. Fished from 8 AM to 12 noon with fresh cut bait and worms. Only caught one very small flathead. Water is starting to drop. Water was green and a lot clearer than last Saturday (1' visibiity). There was a fairly good current under the bridge. I stopped by Springfield Landing and checked out the trees along those bluffs. The water is so high nearly all the trees were completely submerged. A shame, it is about time to start fishing the flooded timber. Still a lot of small crappie suspended 7 to 12' deep in 20' of water but no keepers.

Great trip!! What type of bank was it? Pea gravel, chunk rock...?