At Ft. Phantom Lake, there's not really a "river" for the sandies or even really the crappie to swim up and spawn. So, where are they doin' the deed? Main lake? What kinds of areas should I target?
Thanks!

Wind blown points would probably be the best option.

^^ that and humps in the lake.

Wind blown points for sure

I bet there is some flow somewhere today! The flats north of the sailboats and south by the smokestack is my first choice and then wind blown points on FPH. But I zeroed the one time I fished that confounded lake.
It fishes different than I�m used to.

Also try any windblown riprap areas you can find. I had good luck last spring catching them on Ray Hubbard along the I30 riprap on the south side. Seems they started spawning there when the droughts dried up the creeks a few years back. They are a highly adaptive species.

since we mostly have south'ish winds in the spring I'd focus on the wind blown points the are on the north end of your lake. look for ones that have deep water nearby and also if they have rocks or gravel bottom on them thats a plus. anchor your boat in 5-7FOW and chunk 1/4 jigs with paddle tails near the shoreline and either slow roll or work them like a TX rigged worm back to the boat.

I fish mostly wind blown points ( south wind) with clay bottom from the bank. I usually cast a Cordell silver casting spoon with jig about 12-18 inches above! My spot has a slight drop off with a flat close by.

Windblown points and creeks.

Find the finest gravel you can, but not sand, and that has the most current on the bottom. Could be water movement from the wind but it's the water moving on the bottom that's most important. Or any small creek, if there isn't a big creek or river the tiny ones will still get fish...

Eric

That's a great question and I am wondering where they may spawn at Phantom too!

1 ) I have heard of people catching them along the northern parts of the spillway in spring so I plan to search there this go-around.
2)I also wonder about the west bank from silos to about a mile north where the houses/docks start up again. That flat is very sandy and would probably hold them but the sweet spots I'm not sure of out of the mile plus of flats. I plan to search the west bank keying in on the few subtle humps to hopefully hold them. I plan to troll some shallow diving crankbaits up along that bank in shallow water until I figure out where they are.
3) Right by the main boat ramp has a fairly gradual drop off of a point that I've seen them on with my fish finder at different times of the year.
4), Lastly I wonder about the dam and maybe some of the east rocky bank.

I agree with you that I doubt they swim up the creek which is only 8-10 feet, riddled with thick brush/trees in the shallows and has no current. I have heard the key is to find some current which our creek does not offer. Those are the four main areas I'm really going to probe in the next few months. Night fishing seems to get really good around March, April and May so sometimes I default to night fishing.

If u don�t have flow check the rip rap if ya got it

We do have plenty of rip rap. Do you think the rip rap over a more mud/sandy flat Michael?

Fine gravel but not sand!!!!!! Eggs need gravel to settle in but sand will smother and can suffocate them. Rip rap will work but gravel is best, and ZERO mud. We have several 1-5 acre ponds in the area that have sand bass in them and there is absolutely NO creek inflow. They absolutely spawn on the gravel.

Eric

Thanks all. Lots of good info, will try to find some gravel bottoms and windblown points (EVERY point...have you BEEN to Phantom?! )