Chickamauga crappie hunt - 2/27/07

[Liveliner]

Beautiful day on the water. First time I had a chance to go looking for crappie in several weeks so I took that chance today. I Put in at CF and ran to Possom Creek to start . saw no fish to amount to anything so back down to Soddy Creek. Fished in tree tops in 6' - 10'. Caught about ten crappie and LM with only Two keepers. Low fish# on the sonar so downriver to WT. Fished a few minutes at the bridge. Saw big fish deep on the 24' drop from 18' but that was not the target so I moved on into the Wolftever Creek. The creek was muddy plus the dying bait was everywhere. Did not even fish WT. Said Hello to Polo and moved on to 6'-8' clear flats in CF bay. That is where I found the numbers I was looking for. I lost count on the numbers of yellow stripe I caught and released (Probably about Twenty Five) I did not keep count of the 9 1/2' fat crappie released. I had boated about a dozen keeper crappie. Decided I did not want to clean all that many so I released all but Eight at the ramp. I had my Nikon but took no pics. Nothing special enough to post.

The fish were moving around in schools suspended about two to six feet deep in 6' - 8' water they were scattered all around. Most of the fish schooling were yellow stripe. I soon found that there were some slabs running in the bunch as well.

Now for the interesting part. I could not see the schooling fish on my down sonar. They were running so shallow they avoided swimming too close to the boat. I fortunately have a side view sonar that spotted the fish for me. When I would pick up fish I would cast to where they were and got a strike on most every cast. Without the side view I would have had no way of tracking those moving schools of fish.

I caught all the fish in Soddy Creek on minnows. 90% of the fish in CF was on 1/8oz jig head with 2 1/2" Firecracker grub.

I was having so much fun, I stayed until dark and was the last to leave the ramp.

Gotta go clean some fish now. Can not wait to get out again.

 

[DHaun]

Great Report LL - Thanks!

 

[Fishin Fool]

Good report man. This weekend should be interesting if the weather holds.

 

[polo-dog]

Thanks for stopping by liveliner. I had to get to work otherwise I would have come down to see what you were up to. Stop by again sometime and I'll get out there with you if it's okay. Let me know if you'll be out any time soon. That side scan sonar sounds incredible.

 

[drumking]

I don't own a side scanning sonar now, but I wished that I did. I borrowed a portable one from a friend several years ago, and was amazed at the numbers of fish that I would have missed unless I had the side scanner. I found out that the fish were in open water more than I realized at that time.

When I would stop at a place to fish, I would scan in a 360 degree circle to see where the fish were located and only cast to those areas. It is amazing how many more bites that you get when you only fish where the fish are.

Great report, Liveliner. You sure know your stuff. emoBigsmile emoWorthy emoGeezer

 

[Liveliner]

[No message]

 

[Liveliner]

As soon as I can get Sharkbait to Elementary school I am heading straight for the flats again this morning. No running up and down the river needed. I am shooting for Thirty (30) slabs today as a farwell to the old creel limit. The fish are in the flats and bays. If anyone is going, I hope to see you in CF bay. If you don't have side scan, go somewhere else.emoLaugh emoLaugh emoLaugh