Hey guys I've pretty much given up on the winter crappie in the creeks and I'm looking forward to Spring. I have read that the crappie will start moving shallow in 60 up to 68f for the peak . Can you folks tell me if this is typical in the Metroplex . I'm particularly going to try to fish White Rock and Ray Hubbard any info from our experienced user would be appreciated . Oh I'll be fishing from a kayak for the first time and just bought a lowrance Elite 4x with Chirp. I was actually finally successful in catching some this winter all thanks to the friends I've made on this board I caught a good 8 this year , It may not seem like much to you guys but it was awesome to me . So thanks !

60 is the magic number for me. Find protected coves that are deep water near by. Look for depth lines that are close together on the map indicating steep banks. Hit the shallow wood and rocks

Aquiles I live by Ray Hubbard but do not have a boat or kayak and catch them from the bank. I fish Ray Hubbard, Fork, Tawakoni and Lavon mostly. If you like send me your number via pm and want to try it sometime we can go after them when I visit any of the spots.

Your PM is full.

Generally they'll start a small push to the banks around 56-57*, but the main wave is at 60-63* the spawn tapers off around 71-72*

If I had to guess I would say they'll be moving up within the next two weeks in force. I fished sister grove this past weekend and the crappie were biting, it wasn't fast but they were definitely in there.

I've caught spawning females (two feet deep) in 53 degree water. It was not in the creeks either, main lake cove.

From what I have observed, crappie don't read the forums very much any more. Typically I would do a 3 page dissertation on when how and why they go deep or shallow and I would be talking from years of experience fishing for them with some success and watching and filming them from underwater for decades.

This last year or two what they have taught me is they don't really care what I think they should be doing, they are going to do what seems like the least of the evils for that particular day.

Two weeks ago I hit them slow but steady with almost no dinks about 8'deep suspended over 16' of water against bridge columns. I was doing pretty good when two kids walking down the bank near me where doing a lot better than me in 2'-3' of water over rip-rap rocks. This did not make any sense at all, but you can't argue with success. I put a slip float on and started drifting my yak out from the bank just dragging the bait a couple of feet off the rocks. I filled my creel and went home bragging to the redhead about how I had them nailed. Yeah, you know the rest of that story. Talked her into going the next day, no fronts, same weather pattern, water temp and clarity still stable and could not buy a bite on bait or jigs. Saw the same two kids and they were getting skunked too. They explained it to me simply,,, we caught them all yesterday. In sheer embarrassment and a bit of desperation I moved out to a borrow pit about 30' deep where I had marked some shad balls and quickly just to snag a couple of hybrids for entertainment value and found where they , at least some, were hanging around. It was late and a slow bite,, but ended up with minor redemption for the day.

I fish from a kayak exclusively and cannot "RUN and GUN" all over the lake so I have made it a point last year and this to start in an area where I can conveniently get to some of each of the major pattern locators without having to paddle miles. I have changed my initial focus on almost every trip I have made in the last two weeks and still have not found concentrations like I have enjoyed for decades. I have hope they will come, but at least I have a few bags in the freezer, partially thanks to those kids that did not know where they should be fishing.

All that being said, I usually ( used to ) expect to start seeing "easy" shallow limits mid March.

Tight lines, Phill

Great story Carver , and I will take what I learn here and put it to use but will try to always keep and open mind to what the fish have to teach me lol. I have just started fishing out of a kayak and would value any other input you would like to share .

Retired , tried to PM you but your box is full !