For the past 2 evenings I've gotten to the Lake at around 4 pm and caught a 1 lb. fish on the first drop on a tree line in 8 - 9 ' of water.

For the next hour and a half consisently catch fish usually all 1 lb + females and rarely if ever a small male about 10" which we release.

The problem....

After about 5:30 the Fish Quit Period, I've tried every stump all the way to the bank and every technique i know of, swimming, slow rolling, under a Cork Etc. Nothing

I might as well go fish for 2 hours and come home.

Any thoughts?

D

First, don't be too upset. You're catching fish while others might be asking, where are the crappie?

Second. If you feel the pattern the fish on in the area you're fishing and the times they are active are an issue, search out another pattern or location that the fish might be more responsive and active beyond the 5:30 time period.

Jeff

Good advice from Jeff.

I'll add you may want to try a completely different area after the fish shut down.

You've already figured out that they are consistantly shutting down at that time. Why are you staying put? Move around until you find more active fish.

Secondly, what happens if you get there earlier than 4pm?

I have experienced the same thing fishing trees @ Lavon. They might bite all day in those trees, but towards evening they shut off like you flipped a switch. I don't know where they go but my theory is they leave to go to supper. I think that the fish we catch holding to those trees are just resting and hanging out as opposed to being actively on a feeding binge. They bite because we drop a jig and/or minnow in their face and they eat it. It is said that predator fishes' eyes adjust to the changing light morning and evening much more rapidly than baitfish do and I think when the sun gets to a certain angle, the crappie move out of those trees going to wherever they're planning on eating that evening. Just a guess, cause I really don't know but it makes sense to me.

On the flip side, in the past I have went to fish off the rocks many times in the spring and people will be leaving who haven't caught anything all day. Get set up right before dark, and all of a sudden, the bite comes on like gang busters. Again, I think the fish that were holding more or less stationary out in those trees during the heat of the day moved into the shallows to feed on the minnows and stuff that hang out in those rocks. The crappie move through in schools and you'll catch a flurry then a few stragglers, and a bit later another flurry. Those fish are bound to be moving through feeding as they go. If it wasn't illegal, it would sure be tempting to let a few back around 5pm in those trees with about 15' of mono clipped to their dorsal fins and one of those big red & white bobbers on the other end. Then you could see where they went. But unfortunately that's big time against the law and not advised.

Jon

Jon is right IMHO. I prefer fishing sunny bright days because Crappie seek shade of trees/docks etc. and are much easier to pattern.

In the late afternoon, go shallower. Shallower water and also fish shallower in deeper water. You should notice that the fish move up then they scatter.
Cloudy days always give me more trouble than bright sunny days. The reason is the fish are packed tight to cover and we can target those fish.

Yesterday morning I was in some good fishing wading at about 8 am.. Was catching fish good. Then about 10:00 couldn't get a bite. Walked all through those trees for another hour and may have caught 2 more fish. If I could have stayed longer, I would have been there when they turned back on. I was in belly deep water.I think we ended up with 30 fish

Dangit, went yesterday around 5:30 and fished till sundown, and not even 1 bite. Tried different parts of the lake, with jig under bobber but it was totally dead. Did anyone do any good yesterday evening?

I hardly ever have any luck in the evenings if i wanna catch fish i gotta go in the mornings .. a big part of mine is i gotta walk up and down the bank of creeks and rivers or ripraps and try and find my crappie i dont have the luxury of driving around the lake .

I went out last friday from 6:30 to 11:00 and left with 20 and went the friday before and caught 25 but all was near rock in 6-12 foot of water. I caught them on jigs and minnows

I caught a limit Friday from 4pm until 7pm. I don't think mornings or evenings matter when your fishing for spawning fish.
I had 5 days in a row last week where we caught over 75 fish in a 3 1/2 hour trip each day. We had a couple 100 fish trips mixed in.

I think i can answer my own question.......


I'm fishing every cove Jerry has just fished.

Now I gotta find a way of getting ahead of him because fishing after him is like following a shocking boat.

D