Do lakes like pines and fork do so good in the winter when others don't?I know there good all the time but Cc doesn't have 100s of boats lined up at the dam hammerin the crappie or RC or Waco etc.?..Darrell

I think it has a lot to do with the shad migrations. On some lakes more shad go up in the creeks and others more go to the dam. The shad just don't do the same thing on every lake.

Just the number of people, and where it is. The best crappie lake in Texas is Pal when the wind is not blowing.

A good question. Different lakes do seem to have their own personality, and not just in the winter.

I think the color of the water comes in to play too. Some lakes can receive a lot of water & remain relatively clear, some get really muddy.

The lakes with the clearest year round water, deepest depths and most bait fish are better overall

All is true but Pines is not a deep lake, it would have less depth than any lake in Texas for it size. And I think all Texas lakes have baitfish for the crappie.

Maybe real crappie fishermen only live in East Texas.

Or maybe there are more fish in those lakes cause no one knows how to catch 'em. grin


Big Crappie keeps Cedar Creek population down.

Oh good...I live in east Texas so that should make me a real crappie fisherman...Shouldn't it? ...Kirk did you troll under 154 yesterday?

I did drive my boat under 154 with my TM, starting battery was dead.

You should have helped. Jk. Wasn't a happy camper, be glad you missed me.

Hey DW, why do you catch more female crappies than male crappies?

Ever notice?

Wish we knew that answer DW. I've wondered several times. In general, the lakes in east TX have better crappie populations that central or west TX. Waco used to have good winter crappie fishing toward the dam but I don't think people try very much lately. Lavon and Tawk are also good winter lakes along with Fork and Bob Sandlin. The one thing I think makes a difference is the amount of water over 35 feet deep. Lakes that have a lot of water deeper than 35 ft have plenty of area for the shad to hold in and fish don't concentrate as much. Water temps have to get 52 or below to concentrate the shad in deep water.
Palestine has a good crappie population but also a lot of water between the 155 bridge and the dam that's 35+ feet deep. When the water temps drop below 50, Palestine can get good down by the dam. Otherwise, I've caught late Dec crappie on Pal 2 miles from the dam.
But that's all just a guess on my part.

Ken, that sounds as good as anything I have heard or know of.

I had a convo of the such juss yesterday with a good friend, being I've never fished a lake with DEEP water MY crappie go to the creeks & I usually catch'em fairly shallow during cold water months. I've seen fish deep during the hot summer months on MY lake....
When I read about these lakes where folks have been killin crappie in 20 to 35fow during winter I had to wonder if maybe I was overlooking fish on MY lake. I have put in several hours on this lake during all seasons & have never seen fish stacked deep.
Guess I'll continue wearin'em out up shalla during the cold water months on MY lake....