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I have been catching the crap out of them for the past couple of weeks and they are running real large. They are just about ready to spawn and are in stumps and trees in about 56 to 8 feet of water especially up the James where I have been going...I have got to get away from them and get to bass fishing again....

What's the hot set up? Jigs, minnows, corks? On bottom or up near the top?

I've been having a terrible year this year. I bet I cleaned over 500 crappie last year, and this year I can't catch enough on a trip to even bother with.

Maybe tonight will be the night.

Dave,

We have been catching them slowly straight reeling a swimming minnow in about the same depths as Triton was talking about

Thanks for the tip Shawn.

Well the old Merc started, so I guess I'm going to have to go. Hope their some left.

Shawn is right...I have been using a swimming minnow type of lure as well and just slowly bringing it back.
Shawn, have you ever seen the size of crappie that is coming out of the Rock as this year? Man they have been just huge. I have caught a number that have been at least 14 to 16 inches long...Man they make some good fillets dont they?

Caught only 12 last night around Shell Knob, but all were of good size

I finally found a few last night in one of the Jackson Co. lakes. 10-11.5" in 4-6' of water, only one male caught and he was shallow, 2-3'next to the bank. The hot set up was a standard gold aberdene hook under a cork. It out fished jigs, and jigs tipped with minnow under a cork. Very light bites.

I was getting light hits on the jig, but couldn't get a hook up. Even with the minnows, we had to let them play with it a while before they took it. Should be better tonight.

First fish wasn't hooked until 6:45, and it kept getting better until dark.

It is unbelievable the size and numbers this year Triton. Have put all other fishing aside for now until the crappie slow down. Those are too good to eat to concentrate on any other fish...

I am with you Triton. I tried to get away from crappie fishing last weekend and started throwing a yammato 4 inch grub and right off the bat caught two 14 inch crappie. Hard to fish for bass when you can catch so many crappie in a short time.

I have an elderly uncle who lives on the lake at
shell Knob. He has stopped Crappie fishing there because according to him there are few fish around anymore. Is he right or is he just mistaken?

Lookin Good.... Tell him to start going again. They seem to have made a come-back.