Crappie Report 3-25-06

[greenwoodmo]

A buddy and I put in at Mallard Bay Resort (mm56)on Saturday 4-1-06 and went out in the main channel around 7:30am. We started picking up crappie around any brush in 6 feet of water. The fish were scattered and we never did get on a pattern early. We'd catch one here and there, I threw a purple and white 2" power grub with a 1/16oz. black head. He was throwing a 2" chartruse (spelling?) jig. No float just throwing it and letting it sink. The water was 56 degrees. Around noon we headed over along the south side of the channel and started picking up more crappie. The water got up to 58 in a hurry and the crappie moved shallow. If we could find some shade we would catch 3 or 4 out of it. In the sun they were still scattered and moved out into deeper water. We both had limits around 1:30.

Sorry I have to end this but will finish it tomorrow.

[jcmojo]

Greenwoodmo,

Mallard Bay is the name of the resort that we used to launch at. I had forgotten, but it all comes back now. How was the ramp. It used to be tough if the lake was down like it is now. Did you pick up any black males up there? Was the fishing as good as up at Brown Bend?

jcmojo

[troutgnat]

Gentlemen,

Congratulations on your success, seems as though you are fairing pretty good. Thank you for keeping us up to date on the crappie. I am so ready to be on the water, Sat. can't come quick enough. I will be checking into the A&J motel in Camdenton Friday evening. I just looked on weather.com and it looks like Camdenton and the surrounding area is to be hit pretty hard with storms tonight, some very severe.? How is water level and clarity right now by the way?..........Thanks.

[jcmojo]

troutgnat,

The only areas that I know about the water clarity is on the main Osage arm above the 36mm and on the Gravois arm. I know for certain that above the 36mm the water is perfect. Just a little off-color with about 2 foot visibility. The Gravois as of last week was very clear in the area that I was in. I believe the entire lake is about 6 foot low, which puts a lot of shallow brush out of water, but brings the medium depth beds up shallow, which is fine.

jcmojo

[troutgnat]

Thanks for the report. Did you all get pounded with the storms last night. Supposedly we may be in for a few more tonight but tomorrow is to be clear and sunny; just what I like to push those crappie up under those shady docks! I'll be on the water early tommorrow morning. I'll let you know how our trip went. Good luck if you fish this weekend.

[greenwoodmo]

jcmojo,

The water was real low at Mallard Bay. We could only put the tires in the water about a foot with my tail lights not even getting wet. I've got a 16' johnboat with a 9.9hp on it so for me it was easy. A couple of guys had some big fiberglass jobs that I thought they were gonna trash. It took some snaggers 45 minutes to load their boat at dark. It was actually kinda funny. I think they had too many beverages on the water. Anyway, back to the fishing report.

I would agree the water color was about perfect. Stained with maybe 2' visibility. My fishing buddy started hammering them on a smoke colored grub about 2:00.

Good fishing to all of you, I won't see anyone for a while I have to work the next 6 Saturdays. And my wife about killed me when I pulled in last Saturday at 10:00pm.

[greenwoodmo]

jcmojo,

Sorry I should have read the rest of your question.

We caught one black crappie at the end of the day around 6:00pm. He was up tight to the bank right at the mouth of the cove that Mallard Bay is in. As for where the fishing was better, we fished some of the same areas that I did when I put in at Brown Bend. I think the water temperature made the biggest difference. Also last week (4-1-06) we didn't have to be fishing structure to pick up fish. They moved up into the warmer water close to the bank.

[jcmojo]

greenwoodmo,

Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like you have the perfect boat for Mallard Bay. I won't be trying that. My boats a little too deep. If there's one black on the banks others can't be far behind. Glad your wife didn't kill you, although that would probably have spared countless crappie who are doomed to come under your fillet knife in the years to come. I used to have the same problem, but have since retired and can go during the week. That's a pretty nice perk, but all the aches and pains that go along with getting old are not so good. Maybe she'll let you escape on one of your other days off while the crappie are still at it. I won't be around LOZ for a few days, as I am heading to Table Rock for 3 days next week. Good luck.

troutgnat,

We didn't get hammered last night in JC as the storms split and went north and south of us. Good luck on your trip this weekend. Looking forward to your report. I will post my TR trip when I get back.

jcmojo