What is going on?

[Bobb-o]

OK i have to admit that i am completely stumped from this weekend at my cabin. I couldnt find the craps in any of the normal spots on the lake. But at sunset on sat, there were fish hitting the top almost everywhere in the lake. I could have sworn that these were craps. We tried almost everything to get them to hit, small spinnerbaits, trolled rapalas, minnow on a plain hook, jig-in-a-tube, we then searched all over the lake for suspended fish and came up blank, the neighbor said he was marking them in aboot 25-30 feet of water and we searched but couldnt find them anywhere, this is the first time in 15 years that i have gotten skunked for crappies on this lake.....anybody know what's going on? or am i just really stupid?

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Diplomacy - The art of saying "nice doggie" while you find a rock.

[Sturgeon46]

Bobb-o, you could not be stupid if you've not been skunked in 15 years!

[Corey Bechtold]

It sounds like your lake turned over. Crappies will scatter and feed on some stirred up insects and junk. Was there a lot of floating debris in the lake? That's usually a good sign.

[CrappieJohn]

Lake got weeds? If so, look in there during the day and try a casting bubble with a fly behind it about three feet in the evening when the surface activity picks up. Definitely sounds like a turn-over problem.

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Sure life happens- why wait....The Crapster....good fishing guys!
[email protected]

[Bobb-o]

all of this surface activity was over water of at least 15 feet. There was not a lot of stuff floating on the surface. tried fishing with the fly rod during the day all i got were bluegills and the occasional small bass. later in the day we tried casting small jigs into patches in the weeds with minnows and still only got bass and gills.

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Diplomacy - The art of saying "nice doggie" while you find a rock.

[united jigsticker]

Bobb-o,

What has been the dominant pattern in years past at this point in the open water period on this lake for you?

During turnover, Crappies usually hug closer to the bottom in a nuetral mood. On some lakes, they'll sit in 25 feet of water, belly in the mud, almost non detectable on electronics.

Go nearest your typical hot spots for this time of year, drop your jig down next to the transducer, and see if you can't jig the Crappies out of the mud winter style.

Good luck

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Good fishing,
UJ
[email protected]