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John's Journal... Entry 201, Day 4

CRAPPIE WHEN IT SIZZLES

Suspended Crappie

EDITOR'S NOTE: Although skeptical about the possibilities of catching crappie in 100-degree weather, I had to believe what Phillip Criss of Adger, Alabama, a fishing guide who always had produced crappie year-round, said. He promised if we had hot weather, a clear sky and a current running through the lake that we would catch more and bigger crappie than we ever had taken in our lives. And what I learned completely changed my mind about hot-weather crappie fishing.

Criss then told me he had another honeyhole he wanted to show me where I always could catch fish in hot weather. He cranked up his engine before slowing his motor and turning toward the bank. I saw a large oak tree there that apparently had blown over in a storm and lay in the water at a sharp angle.

After positioning his boat directly over the tree, Criss pointed at his depth finder and told me to watch the tree. He motored down the tree's trunk toward its top where I spotted a large school of crappie on the depth finder.

"Those crappie have suspended in the top of the tree at about 10 feet deep," Criss reported. "When this tree fell in the water, its top fell across the edge of an underwater river bank. Crappie have cover and structure out in the old river channel. That tree breaks the current and holds baitfish and crappie. However, most crappie anglers won't fish around a tree 20 yards from the bank out in the main river channel in 100-degree temperatures. We anchored the boat and cast out lines upstream. Our minnows sank. Our quill bobbers stood up and drifted with the current about 4 feet in front of the underwater treetop before they sank quickly. Our limber poles pretzeled. Wide-sided crappie on the other ends of our poles used the force of the current to try to pull free. However, we finished our limit of 1- to 1-1/2-pound crappie. I never would have believed I could anchor in the middle of a river in 40 feet of water and catch crappie at 10 feet. Criss had predicted correctly.

TOMORROW: CRISS'S SYSTEM WORKS -WHY?

 

 

Check back each day this week for more about CRAPPIE WHEN IT SIZZLES ...

Day 1 - Inside Ledge Tactics
Day 2 - More Inside Ledge Tactics
Day 3 - Laying Trees
Day 4 - Suspended Crappie
Day 5 - Criss's System Works -- Why?


John's Journal