Today: Friday 29 March 2024
  • Ranger Alluminum
    Crappie Kingdom 18 Aug 2015

    Crappie Kingdom

    HIGH WATER HINTS
     
    The last couple months have been somewhat “tricky” when it comes to catching crappie. Heavy and frequent rains caused a rise in lake levels which has had a profound effect on locating catchable fish. I have a couple of theories as to what has occurred and how a person can remedy this difficult situation. One needs to know that the crappie numbers are down for this year class of fish as well, that contributes to the difficulty of catching legal fish as well. 
    Stockton Lake jumped a little over 9 feet during the “monsoon” season. That’s a significant increase of depth over what is normally good fishing structure. The fact we must remember is that the fish did not go away. They are still there but maybe in a little different type or location of structure. The methods of catching these fish remain much the same. 
    One theory that I surmise is that with the influx of a lot of water causing a sudden rise in lake level causes a huge dispersal of the bait fish which consists of shad and minnows. This dispersing effect causes the predator fish to break up from large schools and feed on the small schools of bait fish that are aimlessly roaming around all over the lake. This process takes away from the usual structure concentration that occurs during the summer months. I feel that the zooplankton the baitfish are usually feeding upon are also scattered from the sudden rush of flood waters which contributes to the dispersal of the baitfish. Remember that the bait fish are looking for food also.
    Another theory I have is that the sudden rise in lake levels prompts a sudden decline when the water is released. This prolongs the conditions of scattered fish and lack of concentrations of fish in and around cover. Water temperature is drastically affected and a noticeable thermocline is not really defined. This causes fish to be located in shallow cover and not nearly as concentrated in schools. Normally at this time of the year the thermocline on Stockton Lake is at around 20 feet give or take a foot or two. Most of the 20 foot beds are in 22-29 feet of water and are not holding numbers of fish. This is a direct effect of the thermocline.
    So, the question many folks ask is how do you fish these conditions and catch fish. My experience dictates for me to do some things a little different. I look for the shallow cover that I have either placed in the lake intentionally or the natural conditions have created. Homework is pretty important for these conditions. Over the years, I, as well as some of my fishing buddies, have taken pictures of low lake conditions thus showing where root “wads”, stumps, log jams, and etc. are located. These come in handy when trying to find the right cover that is holding fish. A good GPS unit is critical because high water changes the look of the lake and makes it difficult to find structure that otherwise is easily found. The pictures show you a visual as to where to go and the GPS pinpoints the structure. Also a good Graph is critical. 
    The method of fishing is fairly simple. In ultra-shallow water, a long pole used for dipping a jig is effective. Pitching and drifting a jig over the top of the cover can also be effective. Vertical jigging the cover is another option that produces fish. Trolling crank baits or drifting baits over flats may also produce fish. One thing for sure is that if the bite does not occur quickly, it’s time to move to another spot. It seems to me that thicker cover will hold more fish during this time. I think the reason being, is that the thicker cover offers more opportunity for the bait fish to congregate.  Having numerous locations is a key to catching fish. It’s a mystery why one day a piece of cover will hold the fish and the next day they are gone. In turn, two or three days later the fish may return. I continually spend time looking at deeper cover in case fish change and water conditions allow for the normal bite. At the same time, I look for new locations in addition to what I already have. I try to give spots that have produced fish somewhat regularly a rest for three or four days before returning.  
     
    The most important factor surrounding catching fish in high water is your confidence to find fish and spending time on the water. You cannot catch fish sitting at home wishing conditions would improve. You gotta be there to make it work. I hope some of these ideas will encourage you to spend time on the water. Conditions will improve and “normal” will return. Good fishing and good catching!

    Rick Flint

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