I have read several posts on the crappie bite slowing down recently. I too have notice the slow down on deep brush pile fishing earlier this week. Today I visited my brush piles in 9'-13' feet of water. Limited out! Crappie were biting minnows at 8' depth. Two possible reasons for crappie pulling off deep water brush piles could be:
1. Thermocline is at 14'. Today I increased the sensitivity on the sonar and the thermocline line was around 14.4'. If I read it right, there is little oxygen below 14'. Crappie (and the shad they feed on) are going to be more comfortable above the thermocline.
2. I cleaned my customer's limit of crappie and in over half of them were eggs 1/4" TO 1/2" long. This change could be triggering the crappie to begin the slow movement we see in the fall. Keep in mind they only moved to the next level up, from 14'-20' to 8'-14'.
I have worked hard to have brush piles in three locations. 1. Deep water, 2. Mid depth water, 3. Slopes on edge of river, bayou, creeks for winter crappie.
That being said, the bite was light. I used a 10' rod with braid. Minnows hooked through bottom lip. Crucial to watch the end of the rod. Many times I didn't feel anything, the line just went slack. When I did feel a small peck, I waited until I saw the line start to move sideways, then lifted up easy. No hook setting on these fish!
Just my observation,
Camoriver Guide Service
Lake Sam Rayburn

I did a little out of Fin & Feather pre-spawn this year. Hard to resist those big black crappie. Caught them all on a 1/16 road runner with a Bone Head Palestine Special Slim Stik. Great Action!

I cleaned one couple days ago that was full of eggs. Light colored yellow and runny.

fall Spawn!!