Let me start by saying, I've fished a lot more than normal lately and it has been frustrating!
Last weekend, Belinda & I fished late afternoon and then for a good part of the day on Sunday. Although we caught fish, they were few and far between
We spent the better part of Sunday idling around graphing new areas that I had been told should be productive. When we found something that looked good, we fished, but never pulled more than 2 or 3 from each spot.
On Tuesday, 9-30 I had a old friend, Mike Johnson come down from Greenville and we went about scanning everything I had stored on my graph. Most everything that I have been catching fish off of is now void
Mike is new to jig fishing and he missed/lost quite a few fish. we ended up catching 17 for him to take home, with the best fish a 1.49 from a spot Belinda & I found on Sunday


This Friday Belinda said she wanted to go out again. After checking the wind forecast, I said OK "Game On".

Because every place that I had been fishing was now unproductive, we went to the creeks 10-12 fow and started graphing. Although I did find some good spots that should hold fish, they just weren't that shallow yet. I marked some fish in a clump of trees out in open water beside the creek channel and thought MAYBE???? Belinda stuck a small black bass and then I hung something that instantly pulled drag

3.80# ditch pickle. Ok, I thought to myself, I got my customary bass out of the way

Back off to search some more.
While heading out of the creek, I marked some fish in a submerged tree top at the bend of the creek in 19 fow. Instantly, the lip jerking, slab slinging session was on




Belinda was using the Mr. Fry in Natural Shad and I was using a new color that I have had very good luck with for the past month or so, Blue/Glo-Treuse.
While fishing there I made some adjustments, went to a 1/32 jig head and a Lil' Fry. I discovered that this was what they wanted the most. I suspect it was because of the post front conditions. I also remembered another spot similar to this, submerged tree tops on a bend in the creek channel, that I'd found last Tuesday but was unable to fish because of the wind.
I rigged Belinda up a rod with a 1/32 chart jig head and a Blue/Glo-Treuse Lil' Fry, but didn't let on that it was for her just yet.

We took off for the other spot, threw out a bouy, dropped jigs and I immediately started piercing lips!


After catching a few and Belinda not, I gave her the rod and some quick instructions for fishing a 1/32 jig. It didn't take her but a minute to get her "Game On!"




After pounding the fish for a while, I was about to quit, when my line jumped, set the hook and line started screaming out of my reel. The fish dove in the tree a couple of times and I thought I was going to lose it, but each time it came loose.
Belinda swooped the net and boated my PB bass off a crappie rod


We decided that we had had enough and with 24 fish in the box, we headed to the ramp.


There was a man and woman fishing beside the ramp and I asked them if they had any luck, "Couple of turtles" was their answer, so I donated our crappie to them.
Their smiles was ample payment for the fish

OK, what I've pieced together so far here, is that once fall approaches, the crappie leave their summer haunts and congregate on structure in the 1st major bends in the creeks channels in 20-19 fow. Now, hopefully, I'll be able to duplicate this in other areas and follow them back as they migrate shallower to feed up for the winter months

Here's an image of the last spot we fished after we raped it

glad you got'em figured out! it's the hat i tell ya.

Great report!

Enjoyed the read. Nice screen shot. What fish finder are you using?

Thanks for the report ,and that tree looks amazing

Lowrance HDS 8

Nicely done!

Fantastic report! Great pics to.

Very nice, Mr Todd!!

man is that black bass a TOAD
KABOOM
and look at all the pretty slabs ...
very nice

Way to go Todd...I am fishing the CAT Fork fun fish event Saturday the 18th and may drive down Friday the 17th early and fish with ya if you have an open seat....You/Belinda still need footage/video of that new secret lure coming out?

WTG! Todd/Belinda,ya'll got some chuncky slabs there

and a Awesome Post. Thanks for sharing.

Man what a read !! Love it man , nice catch
And look at the trees loaded with fish on scan ..
That's awesome !!

Nice catch. Great info you posted. Post like this is educational to all crappie fishermen. That is a great pic from your sonar. I've never been able to perfect the settings on my HB 998 to get one that good.