Why here?

[CrappieJohn]

The other day I was fishing in a Mississippi River backwater area and was having some moderate success on the crappies and sunfish. As the day got along, the fishing got better and better. And other people showed up. One guy was working the shore near me and finally came over and asked why I thought the fishing had gotten so good in this particular area in the last few weeks. I told him food. Then he asked "Why here"? "Ain't there food in the river itself"? He brought up a couple very relevant points.

One way to look at the fish activity there as opposed to the river proper is that the water temps are a bit higher than in the river. This temp difference makes a big difference in what the food that crappies feed on is feeding on. Micro organisms that are a food source for young of the year bait fish are rife in these warmer, shallower, and less currented areas right now. This is perhaps the primary reason that the crappies and sunfish are being found there in numbers....they have plenty to feed on.

Crappies too, will benefit from the bug life which is exploding in the shallows. When submergent hatches occur, a person targeting crappies and sunfish might find the going tough. They have plenty to eat. But right now we are entering into this time when the crappies and other panfish will begin to gourge and feed almost constantly to get ready for the lean times ahead. Small minnows and young of the year are also feeding heavily for the same reasons, only on the minutest of foods available to them and it is this backwater arena that their food source is richest. The food chain gets very pronounced about now. And the crappies and sunfish are almost at the top of that feeding pyramid.

Current plays an integral part of this scheme. The lack of current allows for the water to warm and cool daily. This sets up insect hatches over a longer period of time, which in turn helps to hold baitfish in the area for a longer timeframe. Current can also prevent a hatch from being so much as noticed if there is enough to effectively sweep the hatchlings away before they can become food.

While I am refering to a river situation, the same type of activity can be found in lakes where current is missing...but they always seem to have wind do they? Same principal. If you have a constant wind direction for several days, you are dealing with stable conditions. Look to quiet bays where the warmer surface water has been pushed by waves. Sharp inside corners will offer the same sort of conditions.

Right now can be tough to get into a good bite. But by looking at some subtle differences, one can likely get backinto a decent bite by looking where the fish maybe are not supposed to be just yet.

------------------
Plastics...making better fishermen without bait! Good Fishing Guys! CrappieTom

muckbootsonline.com Pro Staff
Culprit Tackle Crappie Pro Staff
Catch-n Tackle Pro Staff
[email protected]

[muskybuck]

Say Tom, right now the sunfish are biting pretty well right below the Onalaska spillway in the eddys right below the outlet. Is the current taking that food source and washing it over the spillway?

[CrappieJohn]

The river is ripe right now with all sorts of food. The eddies provide a slack area where the food, mostly very small offerings, settle down into the depths after it washes over the dam. Like crappies, sunfish tend to be opportunists and will set themselves up where feeding is the best.

------------------
Plastics...making better fishermen without bait! Good Fishing Guys! CrappieTom

muckbootsonline.com Pro Staff
Culprit Tackle Crappie Pro Staff
Catch-n Tackle Pro Staff
[email protected]