I am pretty new to crappie fishing. I have heard that Aqulla is a good crappie lake and would like some help on what's the best boat ramp to use and where to start looking for slabs. Any help is appreciated. Also, jigs or minnows and where to get minnows. I am not from the area.

I believe Aquilla is closed due to high water. If this weekly rain doesn't end soon, it may be closed for a while.

Welcome to the forum!

Minnows...Whitney is the closest place, or Cleburne, or Luckos grocery in Malone.
I use jugs these days and don�t really keep up with minnow stores. Yep, Aquila is a decent crappie lake with ample structure. Good luck and good fishing.

Aquilla used to be a decent crappie lake 5 to 7 years ago. The numbers and size of fish has declined dramatically in recent years. It is a small lake that gets a lot of pressure, and it has been fished out in my opinion. TPWD has not stocked Aquilla with any fish in years and nature just can't put fish back in as fast as people pull them out.

My last trip to Aquilla(early spring 2018 ) with a Good friend of mine ( The Sarge) was a VERY GOOD experience which produced several quality fish!! & with that being said ,there was a very Conscience effort made to shy away from the Community areas such as the TPWD structures & the Bridge and fish a few sparse pieces of structure that required GOOD Electronics or we would have just passed them up.The TPWD structures & fm1947 Bridge did produce keepers but the larger fish(Slabs) we caught came from elsewhere using Jigs & Minnows.This is a tactic used RELIGIOUSLY by one Mr.SK on the lakes he fishes.Thanks for the tip Boss!IMHO Aquilla.... not bad.

Great point!!! If folks keep fishing the same places there aren't going to be a "school of slabs" that just move in!! Just don't work that way!!! Thanks Fishbonz!!!!!!!!

I fished up there quite a bit about 7 or 8 years ago. I did a job near there and brought the boat up to keep busy. I caught some nice crappie while bass fishing on crank baits. Ended up using a crappie jig and caught some good ones in the trees near the ramp on the NE end.

Went last week, lake is real high. Same during the spawn. Where I caught crappie spawning last year is about 10-12 fow right now.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! JK

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It was a long time ago! Lol

Poor Boys Propane in Peoria sells minnows. They are good folks to deal with. The lake is still very high.

killabooner do you know if the Ramp close to fm1947 is open ? I live almost an hour away & would hate to make that trip for nothing.

I believe both ramps are closed. the Corps of Engineers may have info on their website.

http://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/lake/lakefacilities.htm

Per this notice they were closed as of 5/9/19. I'm not sure this will work as a link. Copy and paste in your address bar.