I am thinking perhaps it depends on several factors, lake size, release rate, etc. but... How many of you believe that crappie bite is worse when theyhave the gates open and the water is falling? Old WivesTale?

absolutely true! Bass too.

They can't eat while hanging on to a tree.. There's exceptions but I've always found the bite slow on falling water levels.

100% accurate!

YES, it tends to stain the water and causes the fish to migrate to cleaner water and also stay tight to cover. in these conditions fish the back side of visible structure where small eddys are created, like behind bridge column, stumps , trees , rocks ,ect also check the newly flooded grass and weed lines for crappie chasing baitfish on this new food source of bugs and micro organisms . also fish brighter colors and contrasting colors.. black/orange is my favorite.. also gold, silver, black/yellow black/chartruese. larger profile baits can make all the difference as well. as mentioned crappie dont like current, they prefer clean water not saturated with mud or wood particles.
Fish will be more scattered and less big schools.
overall its a tough cookie to chew on, but you can still snag a few fish here and there.

Navarro Mills, absolutely forget about it

Fishing 101. Sorry.

100% accurate on Granger during the spawn, not so much after the spawn though.

They have had the gates open at Fork before and we fished the West Arm up North and caught a double limit.

I'm sure it does affect the bite on some lakes, but we were so far up North from the Dam on Fork they did not seem to mind the day we got the double limit.

Thanks for your input.It's been my experience too. We are always looking for a reason that the fish aren't biting I was just hoping I was wrong. With all my favorite lakes spilling over, I'll just have to remind myself wait it out. (Pouty face)

My father-in-law fished for catfish for 60+ years. He fished the crappie spawns too. The only fish he had bite well with water level changes was catfish. He would put a stick in the water with about a foot sticking above the surface. As long as the water was rising on the stick, he caught catfish. When the water started to fall he didn't catch catfish and went home.