Mark Twain Crappie

[RB]

Headed for Mark Twain this weekend. Anyone been doing any good for the specs yet?

[Daffy]

Good luck rainbow.

Last weekend was snake eyes for me.

Like I said elsewhere the crappies are not stacked up in the areas I visted.
(Mostly around Indian Creek and NE of there).

It SHOULD be producing slabs there very soon.

Have fun.

[perchplucker]

Was there Saturday and caught our limit but it took all day and lots of moving. They were on the small side.

[RB]

What part of the lake?

[fishin]

rainbow,

I can tell you where not to fish. I will be up breaking in the new engine. Look for cleanest water you can find. heck shoot me a PM.

[RB]

fishin, pm your way.

[Bruce Carpenter]

chek with fishin he has a line on possible locations. Bruce

[RB]

Bruce.....wait a minute I think I have another bite. I talked to Larry and fishin. Got plan in motion.

[davemo]

Could any of you folks possibly give any general pointers for crappie spots and techniques at twain? I am new to crappie(mostly cats on the mo river) and have been to twain a few times last yr without any luck.I am getting one of those 12 ft dabbling poles to vertical jig the standing timber.One question i might ask is how close to the bank do you folks fish and how far up the creek arms are you goin.Thanks in advance for any advice you are willing to share with a newbie.

[Daffy]

Bruce is by far the most qualified to answer this question.

But I will give you my 2 cents worth.

Been going up to Twain for the last 3 years and when the crappie is biting the lake is hard to beat. Start with these basic lures: Minnows on weighted hooks, Road runner lures in ch. color and fire tail.

Crappie at MTL should be just about ready to kick off there. LOZ is the place right now, BRUCE correct me if I am wrong about that. But for the most part fish structure and ledges. Those will net you some slabs for sure.

Good luck,

Daf

[Bruce Carpenter]

davemo, during the spawn you can catch them right next to the bank, sometimes you can see the fish working along the banks. However, right now they are still in 5-10 feet of water, mostly males being caught, the spawn as not yet begun. You can learn the lake by spending a couple of tanks of fuel or hire a guide and learning most of it in a day. Scouting/networking is critical to crappie fishing for keepers. Most can catch the 8 inch fish, but work is involve to routinely catch keepers. We have been catching them tightlining in 5-10 feet of water. This weekend try using a bobber about 18 inches above a jig and minnow in the warmest water you and find. Do your homework, monitor the weather/rain patterns the go up the creeks, I think an aluminum boat is better, you will scrape the sides and bottom getting to where the crappie are spawning, normally in 3 feet of water or less. Good luck. Bruce

[fishin]

Bruce,

Did you fish MTL on Sunday?

[Bruce Carpenter]

No my group for MTL cancelled Saturday night, said it would be too cold and Larry said the bite was off from Friday. I called a friend and we went to LOZ, 7 degrees warmer at daylight and we fished that lake the day before. Did quite well, and I didn't have to wear gloves, just above freezing at LOZ come daylight. Going to MTL this weekend and maybe one night if the weather breaks. Did you go?

[Deadeye]

Caught 2 limits 4/23-4/24 only kept 10"+ took better part of day to catch em,bite was better without minnow I think.But I would never go on the lake without a minner.Deadeye

[fishin]

Oh yeah, I was there for the hurricane. It was a nice balmy weekend to be on the water. Deadeye nailed the report on the head though, I didn't catch a single keeper on a minnow. Two of us kept one limit on Saturday but we only fished for 3 1/2 hours.

fishin