What Are The Crappie Doing?

[troutgnat]

Gentlemen,

If anybody could squeak out a little info on the crappie I would greatly appreciate it! I'm trying to plan for some fun vacation time. Just wondering what your seeing in the little Niangua Arm? From past experience I know anytime now they should begin to move under the deeper docks off the creek channel especially, in this area of the lake. This is such a blast when they are there. It is the funnest time for jig shooting docks.

Really timing is nothing more than a crap shoot against the weather. I've hit it dead on in years past and some years not so good. Two years ago I shot for the 3rd week of March and got skunked with alot of rain and water running chocalate milk in many places.

LOZ fisherman your advice on the current conditions please. Thanks in advance!...............Darren.

[freelancer 11]

Haven't seen any crappie reports for LOZ but there was a report on bass in the area you are looking to fish. To get that report you have to go to 724outdoors.com Hope this helps.

[FishinJack]

I have not been up the niangua yet but I am finally catching fish again. It's been a cold winter to say the least. Water temps are in the mid to low 40's. I found up to 50 degrees, but that was only b/c it was the surface temp the other day. It was flat calm and 70. Soon as the wind picked up the water mixed. I hear the water is warmer up the Niangua. I'll be heading up there today to check things out.

Crappie are next to brush piles in groups. You might hit 10 brushpiles with not a bite and then finally get onto a group of them. I start out with a little tube, then a bobber and tube, then a minnow under a bobber. Fish slow when you know they are there. Here's the crazy thing, they are on the bank! Or at least right off the bank. I'm still not loading the boat but I am catching enough to have some fish fry's. Still have to catch 3 short before I catch a keeper. But that's Ok, it's fun just to get bit.

Jack --- www.FishingLakeoftheOzarks.com

[FishinJack]

Went up the Niangua yesterday. Bite was on! Didn't fish for crappie much but when I did I caught em.

[Guest csfishinfool]

The crappie are eating jerkbaits when money is on the line....15 inchers...lol

[bigfatfish]

A buddy and I went to Public Beach 1 for a couple hours of bank fishing... I was catching them in around 4 foot of water.. not alot of size to them but they were legal and aggresive.. My buddy fished for catfish and caught four in about 2 hours around 2-4 lbs. a peice. Hope this helps