Anybody Out There Catching Crappie?

[WHARFRAT]

Sept has been a very inconsistant month chasing these specks.

This weekend was no different, fishing the Big Niangua

While I'm not getting skunked, I just can't find a consistant pattern. I have pretty much eliminated <5'. But from there down to 25' it's really a crapshoot.

I've tried everything in my book of knowledge and just can't seem to get on a pattern. Nothing like last year at this time.

Did notice the water temp rose about 4 degrees this past week. Not sure if that has anything to do with it.

[BHowe]

I hear what your saying. We fished all weekend and just managed about two limits the whole time. I did notice that they were very deep when I was fishing 25-30 fow. We were catching them just a foot or two off the bottom. In the evenings fishing the same holes they would come up to about 10-12 fow. I do believe the warming of the water has them all over the place right now. I'll tell you one thing, it was like 4th of July weekend Saturday!!!! I went way to the back of Lynn Creek just to be able to fish:)

[fishinwrench]

No doubt that a few can be caught, and the possibility of stumbling onto a school of decent ones always exists, BUT I doubt you'll have anything resembling a "good pattern" on 11in.+ crappie until later in the Fall, and it will likely be a "mouth of the coves Dock-Shooting pattern".

Until then you're just gonna have to settle for stragglers....of which you can still come up with enough to stink up some grease if you're ambitious enough to keep hammering away for them.

Myself, I'll just wait until they get into an easier to catch mood.

[WHARFRAT]

It was horrible Saturday afternoon. I think everybody was getting their last ride in before they winterized. Lot of big boats running around and back and forth. I couldn't fish any of my main channel areas. I tried, but was getting too frustrated by the wakes. I came back in after about an hour and a half and waited until around 5 and fished just past dark. It was fine by then.

Sunday from 9 until 2 was just slightly better. After 2 it had quieted down quite a bit.

[fishinwrench]

Yeah the MWBP groups were doing runs, I think preparing for an unsanctioned "dad2dam race" coming up fairly soon.

They might cut some points pretty close when plotting their courses, and on the UNANNOUNCED days of the trials they'll be running balls to the wall and running mostly by GPS, so whatever ya do don't get in their way !