In spite of the weird weather we've had, the Chickamauga Lake crappie are right on time. This adds credence to my theory that activity is often more calendar-based than it is temperature based. But that's a debate for another day. :D
Bottomline, I'm catching them. I've had 45-fish limits the last two days and 33 on Friday, only because I'd been off the water a few days and didn't figure out where they are until late morning.
I'm finding fish (using my typical longline trolling technique seen here) at mid-range depths... mostly 8-12 feet. They've moved in from the deep stuff but they're still staging outside key spawning areas. I've kind of been crying about the cool rainy weather but now I'm actually hoping it will prolong my bite rather than it coming and going in the short, furious fashion it came last year. Water temps where I'm fishing are still generally around 53-54 degrees.
The fishing is NOT fast & furious and we've had to cull through a zillion short fish to catch our keepers... and been fishing a solid 7 or 8 hours to get our limits. But if you put in the time and "do the work," it pays off. And sometimes it pays off BIG!
Bottomline, I'm catching them. I've had 45-fish limits the last two days and 33 on Friday, only because I'd been off the water a few days and didn't figure out where they are until late morning.
I'm finding fish (using my typical longline trolling technique seen here) at mid-range depths... mostly 8-12 feet. They've moved in from the deep stuff but they're still staging outside key spawning areas. I've kind of been crying about the cool rainy weather but now I'm actually hoping it will prolong my bite rather than it coming and going in the short, furious fashion it came last year. Water temps where I'm fishing are still generally around 53-54 degrees.
The fishing is NOT fast & furious and we've had to cull through a zillion short fish to catch our keepers... and been fishing a solid 7 or 8 hours to get our limits. But if you put in the time and "do the work," it pays off. And sometimes it pays off BIG!
