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Dec 30th, 2023
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 Re: Crappie Shallow in the creeks in the Winter?
[Re: GarySHO]
#12576537
01/13/18 02:48 PM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 4,948
H2O Seeker
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 4,948 |
I have run across it one time in the winter on sunny days in the back of a creek when fishing jerkbaits for bass and start smashing big crappie in 5-8 foot of water. Water temps around 47. Had to bump the stump with the jerkbait. Same here...enough so it made us pull out the crappie jigs etc and strictly fish for crappie the rest of the day.
![[Linked Image]](http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/images/graemlins/default/texas.gif) Grateful for every sunrise and sunset I get to witness. - Jason
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Re: Crappie Shallow in the creeks in the Winter?
[Re: leanin post]
#12577114
01/13/18 10:47 PM
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,695
Ken Gaby
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,695 |
Here's a couple articles that might be enlightening. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threadfin_shadhttp://www.in-fisherman.com/biology/science-of-shad-winterkill/There was a significant shad die off on Texoma a few yrs ago when water temps were below 38 degrees F for several weeks. The guide reports I read in the Whites-hybrid-striper section back then were talking about the die off and not being able to find any bait. I've noticed when I have shad in a 5 gal bucket and they start to die, they first sink to the bottom. Someone might try that with this cold water, catch some threadfin shad, place in bucket, keep water cold and see what happens when they start to die. There's a definite difference in tolerance between threadfin and gizzard shad. Could also PM some of the guides operating on Texoma and Tawakoni and ask what their observations have been with winter kill of shad. if you buy this then ^^^^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNlMzNUDM8s  lp, unfortunately, I'm not as smart as you are , but if you'll give me some time, I'll try to catch up.
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Re: Crappie Shallow in the creeks in the Winter?
[Re: leanin post]
#12579800
01/15/18 08:06 PM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,176
Tony from Oak Point
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,176 |
heres a question, did the fisherman just ASSUME that there was a massive shad die off because they could not locate the baitfish or did they find tangible proof. with all of the go pro movie producers, smart phone photographers, self proclaimed biologist frequenting our lakes SOMEONE should have pictures of this. heck even UFO enthusiasts have pictures.
If the baitfish die in cold water, when the lakes in the north of the country thaw, there should be millions of dead fish floating around every year. There are lakes in canada covered with a couple feet of ice, that big rigs drive over, these lakes are frozen for several months!!! Birds by the millions would gather to feast on this phenomenon, and it would be big news, yet ive never heard or seen of this.
Yes, I've seen it on Lavon a few years back and the catfishing was great! I think I have pictures somewhere? I witnessed dozens if not hundreds of birds tearing into threadfin shad floating up in an old clay pit pond earlier this year when things got cold about 2 weeks ago. It's a matter of percentages, not all of the threadfin die in the lakes. The small ones float up first.
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Re: Crappie Shallow in the creeks in the Winter?
[Re: Tony from Oak Point]
#12580878
01/16/18 03:11 PM
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 7,009
leanin post
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 7,009 |
heres a question, did the fisherman just ASSUME that there was a massive shad die off because they could not locate the baitfish or did they find tangible proof. with all of the go pro movie producers, smart phone photographers, self proclaimed biologist frequenting our lakes SOMEONE should have pictures of this. heck even UFO enthusiasts have pictures.
If the baitfish die in cold water, when the lakes in the north of the country thaw, there should be millions of dead fish floating around every year. There are lakes in canada covered with a couple feet of ice, that big rigs drive over, these lakes are frozen for several months!!! Birds by the millions would gather to feast on this phenomenon, and it would be big news, yet ive never heard or seen of this.
Yes, I've seen it on Lavon a few years back and the catfishing was great! I think I have pictures somewhere? I witnessed dozens if not hundreds of birds tearing into threadfin shad floating up in an old clay pit pond earlier this year when things got cold about 2 weeks ago. It's a matter of percentages, not all of the threadfin die in the lakes. The small ones float up first. How can you assume its the cold that killed them in the old clay pit pond? they also need oxygen, food, the right water. a few hundred dead shad with possibly a few dozen birds around, come on,. Ive seen thousands of birds feeding on LIVE shad that have been pushed to the top by herding sandbass. You want to know what the real problem is, nobody likes to eat crow, because they have been repeating myths that they have been told for many years. many things happen with massive fish kills, smell is one thing, when the fish start rotting after thaw, many complain abt it, it is widespread news. airplanes and helicopters see these events. Many of the shad simply get eaten, but fisherman have trouble locating the huge schools they saw in summer and fall (when fish feed like crazy),, and just assume, the shad have died off. JMO One highly regarded fisherman states that his opinion is the shad have died off due to freezing to death, then everybody and thier brother starts repeating the same thing, true or not ,, ha
COMING SOON! .. THE STICKLE HOOK " the stay level sickle hook". sits level in the water with all knots.! Provides better hook sets and more natural jigging motion. No more adjusting the knot, gluing , or tying loop knots that cause the hook point to tangle in the loop, or worse knick the line.. The jighook that will make all others obsolete !
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Re: Crappie Shallow in the creeks in the Winter?
[Re: Waco Crappie]
#12582213
01/17/18 04:07 AM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,176
Tony from Oak Point
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,176 |
From what I've seen the very small threadfin will get disoriented in sub 40 degree water and sometimes slowly swim sideways up to the surface. When we plop them in a heated bait tank they perk up pretty well for starving or sick fish or whatever. When we stop heating the water and it drops closer to 40 the shad start to die again, the smaller ones first.
Crappie will stick to spots they like where there are no threadfin shad in the middle of winter. I'll strongly agree with that. You can catch a lot of fish in those areas / situations. Still for those looking for a winter fishing easy catching bonanza for crappie I'd look for schools of threadfin.
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