Memory

[united jigsticker]

I was sitting at the Old Country Buffet for lunch today, eating some of there fish, dipped in a heavy scoop of tartar sauce, when I got to wondering...

On a particular lake I fish, there are a couple of hot early spring spots where the Crappies always end up.

The demogrphic for one spot has adjacent water about 25 feet in depth, a gradual break line up to 8 feet, and then a 100 foot flat of 3 feet of water. Past the flat is a very shallow (16" deep) short flat that narrows down to no wider then 1 boat wide and kind of winds around before it slips into a backwater where depth is 5 feet deep and the Crappies are thick.

The question is, how do Crappies either find the areas like this in the first place, or, remember these spots year after year?

Another spot I fish has is an 11' hole that is lead to by a large 16" deep mud flat that is 3/4 mile wide and 1/2 mile long. Before the flat, there is another 11 foot hole, followed by 4-6 feet deep of weedy flat, and then the shallow flat. In order to get to the intitial 11 foot hole, the fish must come out of 27 feet of water, up across a rock point that is 3 feet deep before falling into the intial hole.

The crappies are in the furthest 11 foot hole as soon as I can get to them after ice-out.

The entire trip is about 1 mile back over rock bars, and huge shallow mud flats....

Crappies must just like to swim and swim, even if it seems like it could be a dead end, until they can't go anymore.

And once they found a good spring spot, can they remember it for next year?? Or do they start the same process of aimless swimming over again until they nestle back into these cuts and crannys?

I think Crappies find river backwaters easier because they are seeking breaks from the current...but in lakes where there is no current..what's the logistics behind it?

Or, are they just following their food?

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Good fishing,
UJ
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by united jigsticker (edited 05-13-2004).]

[Lost]

Great observations and questions! I'm looking forward to the answer that comes along. Wish I could help but I dropped out of college. Thinking about going back and continuing to follow one of my many dreams, one of which is to work for the DNR or doing biological research.

[CrappieJohn]

Good poser dude. I think many fish "imprint" and I think others are taught, much like historic caribou migration routes. In the case of the crappie I'd imagine it is more the case of the latter. As the young of the year crappies grow and begin to fall into place in the social structure of the school, they are more "steered" into where they should go. Over several years they become so acclimated to the seasonal and periodic movements that they become the teachers and the chain simply pertetuates itself year after year. How they know what to seek for structure is driven from both instinct and education. If you look at,say, a lake of 1000 acres and you decide to fish it for crappies, you have to apply some knowlege to find them at any given time. Now say you find a honey hole- just stumble across it without the use of landmarks or fancy gadgetry but learn to "know" right where it is- and return to it year after year at the same calander period and catch the heck out of the fish. One day someone asks you, "How did you ever decide to fish here? I mean, there is nothing here to guide or attract you, yet here you sit catching fish." The principle is the same. You relate to that spot at the same general time of the year because the fish are there then. Be it a spawning drive, a food issue, or a transitional feature, something in their life is calling them. I'd be willing to bet that it is more a preditor/prey thing than anything else. I have a spot that is dynamite at the very first hint of open water. When this opens up you will have about ten days, on average, to fish this area. As soon as the ice recedes from the two adjecent bays, you will not find much there again until the following year's ice-out.Why are they there only then? I can't say for sure but I think it is the attraction to the first open and warmer water on the lake. What is certain though, is that these are historically some of the largest fish taken on the lake, they are there in large numbers and they absolutely will tear plastics to pieces while shunning live bait. Same question UJ...just different body of water. Again, good poser. You have been quiet for a while so I have to assume that you were just thinking this one up....lol.

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Plastics...making better fishermen without bait! Good Fishing Guys! CrappieTom
muckbootsonline.com Pro Staff
Culprit Tackle Crappie Pro Staff
[email protected]

[united jigsticker]

Well, aside from thinking that during my luncheon at The Old, I have often wondered such things as I was slowly motoring in and out of these nooks and crannys.

Ahh well.

Tomorrow is another day filled of fishing and excitement. I am really excited.

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Good fishing,
UJ
[email protected]

[CrappieJohn]

Have a good opener UJ! I'll be manning the rummage sale here with Ma.

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Plastics...making better fishermen without bait! Good Fishing Guys! CrappieTom
muckbootsonline.com Pro Staff
Culprit Tackle Crappie Pro Staff
[email protected]

[mnrstrider]

Memory or not it has lot water temp too, atleast IMO.