Crappie Fishing On Tr

[cjones10]

I was just curious why the crappie fishing on TR is so lackluster. Is there just a low population of crappie in the lake compared to other Missouri lakes or are they just extremely difficult to catch because of the water clarity and depth? I realize most people on this forum are bass fisherman but I harldy ever hear of anyone catching crappie.

[Phil Lilley]

I feel your pain. Was looking forward to a good crappie season on the Rock but I haven't even tried. No reports at all. It could be a combination of low population and too much water. Come 3 years and we should see lots of crappie.

[Whack'emGood]

Probably because of both water clarity (hard to locate) and lack of population because of competition (for forage) from the huge populations of whites, kentuckies (especially the kentuckies) , and smallies I would guess. I am not a fisheries biologist though, so I don't have a better answer. Also, Stockton is so close and is a top notch crappie lake. I have always thought that most serious crappie anglers go up to Stockton to catch'em. Maybe someone who really knows why will have a better answer for you. I agree with Lilley though... in 2-3 years the crappie population should explode (because of this year's high water spawn) along with the baitfish and all of the other species as well. I figure in 3-4 years you will be able to (relatively) cast anything out into the water nearly anywhere and catch something (including crappie). Probably not quite that easy really, but TR should be choc full of all species. Some really good times are just ahead of us boys.

Whack'em

[SKMO]

I think the crappie are alive and doing well. If you just started reading the forum when you joined this past Feb, it was deceiving. Go back and look at posts late winter through May in years past.

I think very few were caught this year because of the high water, period. Crappie absolutely love thick tangled hard cover when they are spawning. I would say 90% of the crappie in a normal year are caught during March and April dragging crappie jigs or minnows on the shallow spawning banks, or in the deeper trees. It's pretty easy most years and there are plenty of sizable fish to be had. We had some really good crappie fishing the last 3 years. Quality sized fish.

In a normal year you would have hundreds of boats fishing the the James, Kings, Long Creek and other branches of the lake every day during the spring, and doing well. This year access was poor, water bad muddy, and conventional crappie bagging methods in traditional places were impossible. I would venture a guess and say there was maybe 5% of the normal fishing pressure/hours put toward the crappie in 08 compared to a normal year. I normally dedicate maybe 8-10 trips a year after crappie but this year zero. I did see 8 come over the side of the boat accidently however, 2 on a spinnerbait, 1 on a crankbait, and 5 on bass grubs. I think the smallest was 13".

So my theory is that they did their thing totally unmolested in the thousands of acres of flooded cover where your typical TR crappie fisherperson dared not venture.

There are some folks who chase them post spawn in the deeper water and trees all summer and fall and I predict they will do well as the lake goes down and they start to follow the shad. There should be a lot of big uncaught 08 fish out there.

Like Phil and Whackem I am most optimistic about the baby fish making that went on this year.

PS Cjones - I love to bass fish and tend to ramble about it more than anything but I foremost consider myself a Fisherman rather than A Bass Fisherman. I have intentionally fished for and caught every species on the lake I think, including gar and carp. Don't think you are hanging out with Micropterus elitists, many of us just live for the tug on the end of the line.

[Whack'emGood]

Another great post SKMO. Good stuff. I am primarily a bass fisherman, but I also do go after crappie and an occasional walleye. SKMO is right... with the high water... the bass fishing has been so good and other species so spread out and slow this spring, that everybody has been after the bass primarily. Therefore, thats all you hear about.

[Jason Essary]

If u can wait a couple of years, crappie will be truely thick with the spawn they have had this year. Normally I catch a lot of them on the james and kings, didnt chase them this year after the flood. Caught couple dozen before it all went up.

SKMO is right, with a very limited catch this year by the majority of people that normally catch them, size and quality should be up great next year also.

TRs main problem in my mind is how hard the good areas get here. Ive seen boats every 100 feet when they are spawning in the james and close to that in the kings. They are easier to fish (productive) than the clear main lake and the fish get punnished for it. But, they come back every year. And this year, they were mainly left alone