Cape Fair Crappie?

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

Left out of Cape today fished about every brush pule i know in all depths up to 20'. Only got a couple. bite was very light, lost a few before the boat. Went to my "for sure brush piles in flat creek and had no luck. fish i caught were on the bluff across from Bridgeport but nothing to speak of...Anyone catching any???

[Quillback]

Talked to a retired fellow that lives in the Eagle Rock area last week, he was getting them pretty good a few weeks ago, but when I talked to him last week he said it had slowed down.

[Crappie Fisherman]

I think that front shut down your bite Monday. Kept a limit and released about half that many keepers today fishing brushpiles in 10-12' around Bridgeport. Minnows were the ticket and had to get them down in the brush. They didn't want to come out of it to hit the jig. Water temp was perfect at 59. Lots of 9 3/4 inch black crappie caught, next spring will be good.

[Cindyjo]

2014 has been a very bad year for crappie in the Cape Fair area. The previous 2 years were excellent. Small and not many of them is how I would characterize crappie fishing. Im beginning to believe the hugh gar population is beginning to have a very negative impact on crappie just as it has had on walleye. Im at a loss on how to explain this dramatic change if it is not the gar.

[Crappie Fisherman]

Recruitment of crappie is very inconsistent in Table Rock. Last few years we've been reaping the bounty of a big year class of fish produced in the high water in 2008. Next year should be much better as the fish produced in 2011 will be 10".

[Champ188]

Recruitment of crappie is very inconsistent in Table Rock. Last few years we've been reaping the bounty of a big year class of fish produced in the high water in 2008. Next year should be much better as the fish produced in 2011 will be 10".

I think this is the case just about everywhere with crappie. My grandfather was a true expert crappie guy ... he fished every morning and evening for them in spring and fall on Lake Ouachita near Hot Springs, AR ... and I can remember him and his cronies sitting around talking about how some years were waaaaaaay better than others. Seems like they all had different opinions as to why, although there was never a consensus among them.

[InPiney]

Cindyjo I agree, the darn gar are everywhere and I mean everywhere up this way. Why is it? I've often heard that if gar are around forget catching anything. I have been out three times in the last month and every time I have seen schools of topping gar. One day they were on the flat just north of Piney by the hundreds, next time in the back of Piney and the third in the mouth of Smith Branch (School house?).

[Quillback]

Not to be argumentative - but I know a gravel point that is a great early morning bass spot in the first part of summer, there's also some gar swimming around it, but they don't seem to bother the bass.

[InPiney]

And you aren't going to share Quillback?

[Quillback]

That's one spot I will keep to myself.