Has anyone had in luck finding male crappie on the banks this year? I have tried Dunlap, Canyon, Meadow, & Placid and have usually found one or two here and there that have turned black, but not nearly in the numbers of recent years.

I think they spawned in deeper water this year. Weather was all kinds of messed up.

First off, to the forum. Hmmm, maybe you caught them all last year!...I don't fish the areas you speak of, but my suggestion would be to back out to staging areas or deeper and concentrate there. Crappie can spawn in fairly deep water, especially if the water is clear. Also, keep trying, may be the spawn has not hit your area yet...

I've been going to Placid about once a week since the beginning of February and haven't done good up shallow, yet. Too much inconsistent weather is what I've chalked it up to.

Honestly, today looked like the best day to go while the north wind is blowing the front in, but I couldn't get away.

I've fished Placid and Canyon several times each over the last month or so and have not found the numbers from the last few years. I have talked with several other crappie fishermen. We have all felt like we had lost our touch and that everybody else was catching crappie but us. We all feel a little better for our egos knowing that everybody is struggling right now - but we wish that things will pick up soon for everybody.

Haven't caught much shallow here around Austin either.

danny