Brush piles

Ok boys and girls, not asking for any secret locations on any particular lake.
I am a first time boat owner and want to get on the crappie bite. Have Humminbird electronics with SI and DI capabilities.
My question is this: When going to a lake what is the process used for finding brush piles and other likely crappie habitat?

BTW putting together some crappie condos this weekend. Question #2: Where are the best locations for sinking this man made structure.

Thanks in advance!!

Go to "search." Go back several weeks....
Lot of good info there....

Good fishin'

Points..primary and secondary.

Creek channel bends...especially with timber

Sharp drops and ledges.

You can start at home with maps to find areas you want to scan.

Once you start finding brushpiles and fish, start applying those parameters to other areas of the lake. I find most lakes, a pattern will develop. Same or similar depth and cover across the lake will hold fish.

Pick likely spots as listed above and scan em first to make sure your not dropping a pile 30' from another one!!

When looking for brush piles, laydowns, or any sort of structure, I set my side scan to 100'-120', pick a depth I want to search (usually 10'-20') and follow that contour line on the map. I start by looking in areas like large flats that are close to creek channels, points, tight curves in creek channels, etc. Where I search depends a lot on the time of year. Just keep scanning till you find something interesting, mark it, drive by closer and see if there are fish on it.

Like mentioned above, start with a map and chances are where ever you think would be a good place for a brush pile there is probably one already there.

A follow up question for the crowd. I have sank my share of brush piles and don't mind getting out late on the water and see a boat sitting on my target for the day. I just go to my second third or fourth. If I'm not on my home lake, I scan likely areas and fish the piles of others. Do you get angry when others are sitting on your brush piles.

PM sent

Hahaha it can be annoying but if it's an issue then buy your own lake so no one will fish yours!!!!! Yea once we sink brush, it ceases to be "ours". It's like having your special spot in the sand bass run or crappie spawn and someone else is already there when you get there... you wish you were fishing there but not an issue.

Eric

It's a challenge, I'm first time boat owner for a few months now. This isn't a big secret, but if you're near lake arlington check out around the white bouys, 1 on each end of the lake. I havnt caught a ton of fish on them but you'll be able to get an idea of what you're looking for. Good luck!!

Thanks for all the great advice!
Good luck to all of you!,

Exactly...once it sinks it becomes public property....although, I can assure you that some folks don't look at it that way.

No...not at all. I hope they put a child on some fish. I do get concerned when they anchor on them, or sit and catch fish after fish after fish. Even crappie succumb to pressure. I like to catch the active fish and move on. I keep very few fish...just enough to keep a few bags in the freezer. I usually catch those in the winter since we're required to keep them.

My wife loves trolling, whether it be pulling cranks with the TM or long lining Sand Bass with the big motor. Needless to say, when she's with me I'm pretty much on the move the entire time. Perfect time to scout for piles and tops. On my little 600+ acre lake I fish, I have close to 100 waypoints marked.