Crappie Galore

[WHARFRAT]

Yesterday was the day to be out there. Wasn't able to go out until about 2:30, but in just a short period of time, I probably caught a couple of limits. It was a C&R day, so all fish are back home and safe in their beds.

I'm amazed at how quickly the water temps have plummeted. Two weeks ago they were 78-80 degrees, now I'm not finding anything higher than 63.

Most of the nice ones were blacks between 10.5 and 12". I found them on main lake docs on the Big Niangua between the 8 and 10mm.

Shooting a red/chart slab buster or stinger shad in the front third of the dock, I don't think the jig is falling much more than 3' before the strike. Caught more shooting next to lifts with galvanized tanks more so than with poly tanks.

Here's a few pics of the fish. Notice one has a red bloody spot on its side. A couple of days ago I had caught numerous fish with the same spot. Not sure what's going on with them.

[MOsmallies]

Great report as always... I'll be down in a couple weeks mostly chasing bass, but I'll have a few rods rigged up for crappie. Did the depth of the docks matter? And I guess brush didn't matter because they were suspended just under the docks.

Very strange sore... Definitely not something I like to see!

[Old plug]

Yesterday afternoon was a pretty good day for bass as well as crappie. I got some on flukes and wacky worms. That is a way I lovee to fish right now. Bass are still on the small side but the average size has in proved. I managed one keeper and two just short.it is a lot of fun on a 6 ft crappie outfit.

The gravois is hovering in the very low 60sand today was no help. I will start fishing a heavy jig down the north shore banks I guess next week if I go out.

[WHARFRAT]

The docks were in the 18' range real close to a bend in the main channel

[WHARFRAT]

Today was really cold, wind made it hard to control the boat, managed about a half dozen good size crappie and quite a few in the 8-9" range. Was only out for a couple hrs this morning.

[fishinwrench]

I haven't been out much, just a few short jaunts in the evenings. I'm still finding lots of super shallow crappie, and like the rest of you I am seeing the average size go up.

So since I can't seem to stay on the whites this Fall I guess I should load up on crappie so I can have a few fish frys this Winter.

I find it interesting that Wharfrat's bites were coming 3' under the floats because that's exactly the depth I am finding them up on the flats. It would actually be better for me to wade than to fight the wind in the boat.

I don't know if they are up that shallow all day or just in the afternoon/evening since I've only been out from 5pm til dark, but there sure is plenty of them. One little twiggy piece of brush can give up 10 or more on a #4 clouser. All bites are on the pauses.

[Old plug]

I think the thing is wrench that there ar more and beter crappie currenly in the Gravois

[fishinwrench]

I think the thing is wrench that there ar more and beter crappie currenly in the Gravois

Suddenly? Where do ya reckon they were a month ago? LOL

[Old plug]

Wrench I was catching crappie on the point down by me where the white bass should have been and they were at least twice the size of the whites. The crappie have been pretty active shallow in the evening around my place for well over a month. I been up in STL for a couple days. I have gave up on the whites. I do not like watching those fisherman either around here take every tiny white and I mean little 6" fish they can catch. I am thinking the whites need to be covered with a length limit.

[WHARFRAT]

What few white bass we've caught this week, they've all been pretty good size. Here is one Miss Julie caught on a flicker shad. Btw, I've never seen so many Cormorants than I've been seeing this week. Must be gorging on the shad.