High guys. Sorry I started the "New to Crappie Fishing need Assistance" thread then left. I have been very busy the last two days while my daughter made me a grandfather. Carter Ramone was born 4:07pm this afternoon, 8lb 10oz. Definitely a keeper. He already has a tackle box and a Diawa ultralight.

Reading all this made me realize I need to flesh out my initial thread. First, I only found this site Tuesday afternoon. I am new to this Forum stuff. How would I go about putting a picture in here? Anybody want to see my boat or some fish pictures?

I have 5 acres very close to Decker, less than a 1/2 mile from the entrance. I keep my boat there. I used to fish Decker, I can remember $2 entrance fees. In the mid 80s I gave up fresh water and went back to the coast.

I grew up on the gulf coast and I am usually a fairly consistent saltwater fisherman. It really doesn't take a lot of skill to fish live croaker on an oyster reef. As long as the weather cooperates I catch lots of fish. This year I got beat up pretty bad on Copano Bay by 3 really freaky thunderstorms. In the last one it took me over an hour and a half to make it 8 miles back to the dock. I fished 15 minutes, caught nothing, lost $50 bait, and got everyone in the boat bone soaking wet. Now gas is $3 gallon. This leaves me wanting to fish more with lures, closer to home and near a protected cove.

I want to learn how and where to place brush piles to attract crappie. I would like to chop a couple dozen cedars off of my acres, stick them in concrete, and build me 6 or so piles so I can move around if one spot isn't working.

I need to learn how to read my depth finder to separate the carp from the hybrids. I would love to learn how to identify big schools of bait fish in a panic because they are being slaughtered by hybrid bass, mark the spot, hover over it, and drop slab spoons down into them filling an ice chest and turning my grandson into a convert.

Next, I need to learn how to fish at night because in the summer, it's too damn hot.

If you are not a guide and you just want to fish, I'll bring the boat. If you are a guide, send me info, guides are how I learned to fish the coast.

Don,

I'm in for the night fishing trip. I fish mostly at night so I've gotten pretty good at it I guess. I'll night fish as long as the low temp for the night isn't below 50 degrees. I catch all the fish you mentioned under lights on Belton. Would be happy to show you sometime. Send me an e-mail. another forum you might want to check is Bass Pro Shops Outdoor forums. Lots of traffic on there and plenty of knowledge.

By the way...congrats grandpa. When My daughter was born in '03, the doctor asked me what I thought she waighed before they put her on the scale. I told him that I was a fisherman and would have to hold her up by the lip to get a good feel. Decided she was a keeper too.

On the fish finder....a school of shad will look like a black ball moving across the screen. Any gamefish will show up as arcs most likely either behind or below the ball. When those hybrids get into a school of bait they usually force them to the surface and just start busting them. It looks like boat wake when they are really into it.
Carp and catfish will usually show up almost on the bottom, hybrids will be the same size arc, but up off the bottom.

Good fishing...Scott

CONGRATS ON THE NEW GRAND, ( THAT'S WHY THEY CALL THEM GRAND ).... AS FAR AS THE FISHING SINCE I LIVE IN THE METROPLEX IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SAY WHERE YOU SHOULD FISH... I GREW UP IN AUSTIN GRADUATED FROM REAGAN HIGH BACK IN 69, SOMETIMES I MISS IT UNTIL I GO TO VISIT MOM AND MY BROTHER, WHO BOTH LIVE IN PFLUGERVILLE AND THE TRAFFIC TELLS ME THAT I DON'T MISS IT THAT MUCH... THERE ARE SEVERAL GOOD PEOPLE IN THE AREA THAT I'M SURE CAN HELP YOU OUT... YOU MIGHT TRY GETTING A HOLD OF MY BROTHER AND ASK HIM WHERE TO GO FISH, HE MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW...
MATTHEW
I'LL TELL TERRY TO E-MAIL YOU THROUGH THE FORUM