Chickamauga Crappie 3/11

[rsimms]

Another fine day on Wolftever Creek. A lot more crappie anglers out today, and bass anglers. I had to wait in line to put the boat in at 6:45 am. Had a great day sharing the joys of catching crappie with Charles Brewer and Tim Vaughn (l-r, below). Average day overall... we had 23 keepers and a couple of bonus channel cats. A few of the crappie were monsters. Actually I don't think we pulled the biggest ones out of the box for pictures. No pattern on the fish... we caught some over 14 feet of water, others in 8 and still others in 4 feet. They're really scattered... as enmreal tells me, "it doesn't matter where you go, as long as you keep goin'!" I suspect he'll file his report soon... he whipped me today! emoRedface

 

[DHaun]

Thanks for the report RSimms! Looks like some real happy clients. I bet it was a great day to be on the water. The crappie I had out of that water tasted incredible - looks like they are looking forward to a nice fish fry! Although I did not get a chance to get out this weekend, I'm glad to know the fish are still there!

 

[Fishin Fool]

Yup, was a very good day on the Lake. Didn't manage to get out until 11 or so. We took about 35 Crappie but only kept a dozen to eat. Threw the rest back. I have no idea how many white bass we caught but it was in the 30's or so. Wind picked up a little bit late in the day and the bite slowed down. Caught them in as little as 9 feet of water and as much as 25. Caught them on tubes and minnows. The good thing was that almost every fish we boated was a keeper. Very few little guys this time out. Noticed a few big ole females also but we turned them lose. Going to hit them again tomorrow!

 

[DHaun]

Fishin Fool, Thanks for the report - were you trolling or casting? Thanks for throwing some back too...maybe I can get out there in a week or two.

 

[Jos]

My brother and I and our boys were there also this morning about 6:30 or so yeah it was busy at the launch for a while. We only fished for a short while before the kids got bored. I needed to get home anyway honeydew list and what not. We caught 4 keepers several small ones and some small Bluegills. We caught all crappie on minnows none hit the jigs. Like rsimms said they were all over as far as depth. The boys had a great time and that is what counts. rsimms I dont know if you remember me but we emailed a few times 3 years ago before I moved down here from Michigan. Thanks for all the info. Good luck to all!!

 

[Fishin Fool]

Hey D,
Started around the docks at Harrison Bay casting tubes without much luck but then decided to troll a little as the wind was light and coming from the right direction. First thing I noticed was all the boats down by the Wolftever Bridge so I heading down that way but honestly they were so thick there I started trolling north of them and immediately picked up fish. My partner and I only use one rod apiece, and managed that many fish. I can't imagine what someone with a real trolling rig could do to 'em! I always try and release the females (if I see they are full of eggs) if I can. I know that may sound stupid but I know that I'll have tons of fish during the season and harvesting the males is just something I try and do. Same way with large mouth. If I am on a spawning spot I seldom keep any fish at all, female or male. I just know that our fish are under a lot of pressure and that for every one of us that follows the rules, keeps only what they can eat, there are as many more that don't think that way.

 

[DHaun]

Thanks for the info FF - I have heard other folks talk about the importance of throwing back the females w/eggs too.

 

[rsimms]

Jos - 3/11/2006 5:36 PM
rsimms I dont know if you remember me but we emailed a few times 3 years ago before I moved down here from Michigan. Thanks for all the info. Good luck to all!!

I do remember.... a belated welcome. Glad to hear you're catching some fish.

 

[drc]

Hey Rsimms & fishin fool, where did you guy's launch and how did the ramps look? I was planning on fishing the Hiwassee in the a.m. and putting in at Charleston but the water is too low for anything other than a flatbottom jon. I put in at HBSP last week and the water was as low as I have ever seen it. I was thinking about skull island but imagine it's probably a little rough too. With me having a 2wd ranger, my trailer falling off the end of the ramp is the last thing I need. If I'm able too get out there I hope I have half the luck you guy's did.

 

[rsimms]

drc - 3/11/2006 6:49 PM
Hey Rsimms & fishin fool, where did you guy's launch and how did the ramps look? I was planning on fishing the Hiwassee in the a.m. and putting in at Charleston but the water is too low for anything other than a flatbottom jon. I put in at HBSP last week and the water was as low as I have ever seen it. I was thinking about skull island but imagine it's probably a little rough too. With me having a 2wd ranger, my trailer falling off the end of the ramp is the last thing I need. If I'm able too get out there I hope I have half the luck you guy's did.

Water is extremely low... but you can launch OK at Wolftever Launch Ramp off Hwy. 58. Unless you've got an extremely long trailer... I did back off end one time a long time ago. But dozens of folks launched there today without a problem. It's kind of a pain pulling back to shore to get in-out of boat. If it's busy and you can't pull back into concrete, go about 60 feet to left of concrete (toward fishing pier) and trim up as you come in. Don't bother trying to use the dock next too ramp... extremely shallow.

 

[drc]

Thanks Richard.

 

[bow_vol]

Glad to see somebody did some good today...I waited too late and didn't get on the water til after 12:30 - by then the wind was getting up. Did stop by the Sport Stop later and a guy had a crappie that weighed 2lb 4oz...

 

[Fishin Fool]

Hey DRC,
I put in at Harrison Bay Park but you are right, the ramp just drops off with the water being so low. If it were me I'd put in at the hwy 58 ramp. I'd guess the Skull is pretty low although I did see several folks launching there early this morning. Skull Island is usually a pretty safe bet, I haven't hit any big drops off the ramp there like at HBSP. Let me know if you do any good up there!emoToast

 

[jason]

Hey drc, you can launch from the free ramp on Hwy 58 at the Hiawassee Bridge. From there it is just a short run downstream to Gunstocker, which is where the crappie bite has been for the past two weeks.

 

[drc]

jason - 3/11/2006 9:36 PM

Hey drc, you can launch from the free ramp on Hwy 58 at the Hiawassee Bridge. From there it is just a short run downstream to Gunstocker, which is where the crappie bite has been for the past two weeks.

That idea did cross my mind a few times today, but that ramp got the best of me a few years ago and i haven't used it since. When I fish gunstocker or agency creeks I usually use B&B marina but heard from a guy at work that it's pretty rough right now. I also use blythe ferry a good bit when the water is up, a friend of mine put his "brush pile/ flat bottom" boat in there Thursday and told me not to even try it with a bass boat. Isn't there a pay ramp across the bridge at that camp ground at agency creek? Do you know anything about it right now?

 

[enmreal]

No one ever whips RSimms at his game; unless it is our good buddy, DFW. We worked hard for 33 keepers; even a blind hog finds a bone every now and then; actually my partner, who tainted my boat with "minners" today did the best. I even hooked a "minner" on a time or two. Did catch a two pound "white bass" during one of those escapades. We caught most of our crappie in 9'-11', although RSimms put us on a neat little area at the end of the day in much shallower water. Like RSimms says, keep trollin and you'll keep catchin them.

 

[jason]

drc, I believe there is a fee ramp across the bridge at Agency Creek. However, we've never used it.