Crappie are on fire!!

[Mike jones]

18 minutes ago, J-Doc said:

I am overly sensitive on sharing info Mike. Especially when I have seen nothing but 8-9" crappie this year.  There is now a club tournament series on the lake for crappie.  All this lake needs is more tournaments. We already have one every other day on average and in the summer it's almost every day.  Granted, these are not 100+ boat events, it's still quite a bit of boats on a very frequent basis chucking and winding baits.

 

Anytime someone reports a species as "biting" generally most folks know where they are due to the time of year and a "flotilla" occurs. 

I must be getting old and such because I see more and more pressure on this lake for all species.  Bass especially.  It's debatable how that can impact a fishery.  I won't start that as it would create such a fury. I've got my opinions on it like everyone else.  And I of all people used to share a lot!! I'm sure many have seen I don't say anything anymore.  I still talk to a select few members outside the forum for networking vs public posts where hundreds of lurkers gather "free info".  

Public forum, share what you want.  Just be forwarned.  There are hundreds of views on threads here yet, fewer comments/participation. People wanting the scoop" to make their trip more productive and some do not obey the law and slot lengths or limits. 

 

Apologies for the comment and for being Mr Scrooge.  Now if you'll excuse me, I suddenly feel the need for Geritol and Preparation H. (That's a joke at myself btw)

I totally understand. This lake does see a lot of pressure!  The crappie tourney out of Hickory only had 5 boats last weekend..in sure that number will grow in the spring though. 

I also see your point about lurkers coming on here looking for free info but do not make any posts. We have been very fortunate this year bass fishing and had by far the best year we have had on the lake..I enjoy bass tournaments and have ever since I fished my first one with my Dad at 12 years old. Guess it's just in my blood. 

I have also tried to help some guys through messages that have been struggling,  new to the lake or just visiting.  I had guys help me when I moved here several years ago and just try to return the favor. 

From what I have seen this year, the bass population looks as strong as it's been in a long time. I'm sure the high water last year and again this winter/early spring has something to do with that. Here is our best 5 from earlier this year in a 4 1/2 hour jackpot..it was just one of those special nights!!

[Champ188]

That's a fine sack of fish anywhere, anytime, Mike.

[J-Doc]

1 hour ago, Champ188 said:

I feel where you're coming from, J-Doc. I don't mind sharing tactics, tackle specifics or other detailed info out on the public forum, but I'm not giving away spots or even general areas. Some of these lurkers need to become real fishermen and "enjoy the hunt" instead of wanting to just drive up on someone else's hard-earned fish and start jerking and winding.

Thanks Champ. I appreciate that.  I don't think anyone who has been here for years would say I don't mind sharing.  I've just recently started keeping to myself more.  

On this lake especially, you're only as good as your good day. One could post coordinates, baits, etc.  Not everyone can catch them no doubt.  However there are "human sane nets" that can and will clean out the lake. Some even sell their catch I hear. Which is another subject entirely. 

I tend to lend myself in the opposite category. Some days this year it seems I couldn't catch my own backside with an Alabamba rig tied onto a Barbie Pole with a tremendous back swinging cast. And if that doesn't stick hooks in a painfully area, your bud from the rear deck using an 8ft rod can do the job. 

[Quillback]

Nice sack of fish for sure Mike.  Personally I don't worry too much about what's "hot" and what's not.  You just got to get out and fish and try and ignore the noise.  And if you want to see pressure, go over to Swepco on a Saturday around the holidays, but in spite of it, that lake just produces bass.  No way you'll catch me over there on a Saturday however. 

When I was working and had to fish on Saturdays, I would go up to the Indian Creek arm, it may not be the lake hot spot, but generally there aren't a lot of fishermen up there and it's a beautiful place to fish.  

 

 

 

[Quillback]

And I hear you guys on not sharing exact fishing spots. 

[Stump bumper]

I have to learn to stay away from Prairie Creek until it is freezing, seems that is what gives me an attitude. It is a really nice launch and close to my house but the tournaments have just taken over with jack pots everyday and all the big clubs going 12 months out of the year now.

I really think going North or South and using small parks like Horseshoe or Rocky Branch will help with the attitude, I just don't get as motivated when I have to drive. 

I know how much you like PC J-Doc just like me it is the easiest and safest to use but it is hard to get out on the lake without getting mad there then our whole day is spoiled. We just have to find those old men spots. lol

I do like to watch the deer out of Horseshoe.

[J-Doc]

Guess I need to change my name to OldFartJr. Lol

[Bird Watcher]

Man, I just don't know.  I went down there on Saturday afternoon.   Launched at Rocky Branch. I thought it would be a madhouse because I'm sure everyone saw the same report I did from FF on his facebook page (thanks Scott)...I was the only trailer there.  I didn't even pull up to the ramp until 3:30 because I had to spend 3 hours at my secret shad catching spot.  motored out from the ramp, turned on the graph and ran over a big school of shad with fish under it in about 50-60 fow.  I'm always thrown off on Beaver because most of the time, especially in the clear water, I just don't see the densities of bait and fish that I see on other lakes so I have to recalibrate myself.

After looking at two other areas I wanted to graph I decided that right where I started was the best I was going to find.  Set up one pass with the wind, downlines and planers, nada, thought I was pulling them too fast at .8mph.  I could see a couple come up and chase my shad on the graph but no dice.  flipped it around and went into the wind at .3mph and it was game on.  Caught 3 fish in 30 minutes on dowlines 30 feet deep in 55 fow.  saw mulitiple chasers on top but I was bowed up on fish and couldn't get a cast to them.  I did have a boat chase my bent rod after the 2nd and after the 3rd fish I realized that I had a wiring fault and my lights weren't going to work so had to leave them biting at sundown.  It sucks that I left my house at 10 am and only fished for an hour at dark, but nothing like a flurry of fish to make the end justify the means.

Just a .02 doc, I don't get to pick premium days to fish anymore.  My job usually requires more than 40 a week and with a young family at home, I just go when I can.  I quit worrying about the things out of my control like weather,other fisherman, and big recreational boats.  If momma will cover the parental duties for the afternoon, I just try to pick a spot within 2.5hrs of home that I stand the best chance of catching a big fish. There were wake surfing boats out and cruisers and a couple of other fisherman, but it wasn't anything like fishing in front of the dam on Truman on the 4th of July.  It could be better, but it could be worse too.  I've just never seen the crowds on Beaver that some of you speak of, but I also fish Grand and Truman a lot so maybe we have differing perspectives   

I do know that I've caught all of my biggest fish while fishing, so at some point you just have to fishing if you're going to catch one.

I came out of lurking/posting retirement just to post this part fishing report, part motivational speech.

[J-Doc]

I was out Saturday morning and most folks (like me) stopped before noon.  Wind was just too much for what I was fishing for. Totally shut off anything I was catching. 

 

I too never get choice days.  Part of why I get frustrated with crowds. Saturday morning wasn't bad except for the dudes in $70-80k bass rigs with power poles on back running through the middle of my topwater activity.  They never saw it and drove right into it on plane. Total shutdown. I just kept fishing and waited for it to kick back up and pushed away from them. 

By 11:30, the parking lot was thinning out. 

[Quillback]

To add to the motivational theme...

My neighbor, who runs his own business and therefore can only fish on the weekends, fished the lower lake this year for stripers.  He only fished it during prime time, May into June.  He launches on Saturday mornings (early), usually at Lost Bridge Noth, and never has any issues as far as having to wait on a bunch of other boats.  He usually just fishes the prime early morning hours and gets off the water around 9-10 AM. 

I'd call him a modestly skilled fisherman, he just fishes spinning gear, doesn't want to learn to throw a bait caster.  He goes out, usually has a spot in mind to start, usually it's a main lake point, near deep water and he'll toss a 4 inch Storm Wildeye shad around all the time watching for surface fish.  He's usually got his son with him.

When he sees fish on top he'll motor over to them, not right on top of them, but he'll get within a 100 yards, drop the TM and sneak up on them.  And he'll usually throw that shad deal at them.

They caught somewhere between 25-30 stripers this spring, biggest was 35 lbs.  Some days they got their limits, some days not.  He doesn't get fazed by other fishermen being around, doesn't care if people see where he is fishing or what he is using, he just goes out and fishes. 

We're thinking about going this weekend.  I'll be happy to share with you guys what happens, hopefully it won't be a skunk.  If we go, I'm going to try some surface baits, love to see those big blow ups.