Crappie numbers?

I’ve caught a lot and I do mean a lot of crappie over the years. Seems like since covid hit, every one is crappie fishing now. Fish just aren’t where they used to be, and not in the numbers they used to be, it seems like to me. I know the fish are still there, but I think it’s like alot of deer hunting now, pressured fish are harder to catch. Anyone else seeing a decline in what they catch or have I just forgot how to catch em good? I know structure changes etc etc. but seems like they just ain’t what they was.

I went Friday for the first time this year on Mitchell and the water was like chocolate milk and I didn’t find many fish at all. I felt fortunate just to catch the 6 nice keepers I had. The fish were definitely not where they have been in past years for this time of year.

I know crappie fishing on Tombigbee has declined in the last 7 years & pressure has skyrocketed .Went from 40 to 50 was a average day in spring to 25 to 30 is a good day now.

Went Monday, and so did every other crappie fisherman. Seen several license plate from over an hours drive in different directions… pressure is high..

I still catch enough to eat from the bank…thats all i care about

I quit crappie fishing regularly a few years ago when i came out of the back of Town creek and counted 30 boats on the way back to the boatlaunch.

There are more crappie now than ever. They are everywhere if you have livescope it does not take long to find them.

if you aint scope"n your hope"n !!!!!!!!!!!!

Like Ben, I have seen incredible schools of crappie on Lay Lake at times. I saw a school in Paint creek back in the fall that had thousands of fish in it. That didn't make them easy to catch; we would catch a few and the rest would get wise in a hurry.

I carried my grandson last week and I never saw a single group of crappie anywhere. Didn't see any bass either. There were hundreds of millions of shad and bunches of catfish under them, but no crappie. I tried fishing just outside the weeds and never got a bite. I remember fishing in February back in the 90s and we could catch all we wanted just off the weeds, but something seems different now.

Not seeing the numbers but catching bigger crappie this year. Went Sunday after teaching Sunday school. Didn't catch big numbers but what we brought home were all over 12 inches.

GE have you fished that newer lake over towards Holly Pond?

Only from the bank and have caught some decent crappie. I don't have a boat that I can take there. I have a brother that fishes it all the time though. Catches tons of crappie and some nice bass. I don't think you can keep any bass out of that lake.

I caught them pretty good last winter/spring but dang if i can catch them this year in any numbers. This is on guntersville. I was off yesterday and went to town creek and you would have thought they were jumping in the boat based off the number of boats. I never fish around the bridge so i can get away from the crowds but that was impossible yesterday. It was still better than work though.

I kept 30 yesterday in about 2 hours and about the same this morning. I went to mitchell last Friday and caught 7 but I had two over 2lbs and a couple that would scare it not one of them was under 14 inches

Caught a limit by lunch time Tuesday. No live scope

They are not on the bank yet they are swimming in groups of 5-20 in creek channels in 5-10 ft of water at lay

I’m old but can find a paper mouth with out an electronic. Old school I guess.

Lots of livescopes out there now picking off the easy to catch fish, this leaving a lake full of Crappie with Tetanus. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Well got a chance to go for a little while this morning, second time I been all year. Got a limit by 10:00. Water temp was 52-55 degrees, they was all under docks, in 20’ of water. 30 keepers in 3 hours, not to bad for a 16’ aluminum boat and a old 596 bird for a graph. 😁😁

Me and Madison kept 30 or so this afternoon they were 20-30 foot deep. Most of the ones we threw back had to be fizzed

Might try to go either tomorrow or Tuesday. Believe I will try lay this time.

I never can get on a whole lot at lay. I catch good size just not numbers

Did it a time or two last year but the year before I was limiting nearly every trip within sight of your place one way or the other. It’s still a little early yet though for when I normally catch them.

23 Been a tough year if that wind had of laid down it would have been easy.

Fur flying if you read this I added to our pm

Caught another limit today in about an hour they were really really deep

I only caught 12 but they were good ones.

We caught 21 yesterday on logan martin shooting piers .
All good fish

Brought home 35 from Wedowee yesterday. Also, all good fish...

Wife and I had 40 today.4-6 foot grass

31

26, 1 channel cat and 1 bream. Had about an 8lb head blow up on a cork and bout popped myself.

My fished moved yesterday and my buddy was fishing close. He located a bunch more on his livescope and told me where they were. If all us old school folks had of had them crappie would be extinct lol I fished weise in the glory days of the 70,s it would have been awesome

14 they dropped the water all weekend and pulled it hard all day fish moved I could not find them

https://youtu.be/H3VyCiKjnaY?si=IyoRMXoIoOc1Rklm
Cool video

I will be fishing later this week and can report on the crappie numbers. I usually catch 2 or 3 for an 8 hour trip so should have some great research for you people later this week!

You're welcome!

Dan

Dropped bottom out of TN river this past week. Toughest spring I can remember.

Got 4 days off next week. Guess I will drown a minnow or two.

Good luck the low water problem will be over. Some of them I cleaned were about ready to lay. Caught them in grass right against the bank. I hope I can go tomorrow

Not numbers but size appears to be declining on the Mississippi flood control lakes. Livescope is a deadly weapon for targeting the bigger females and it is starting to take its toll. The professional guides on Grenada are catching very few 3 lb fish from what I am seeing on their pages. Way less than in the past.

You don't get a strong year class every year without fail.

10- Water 65 degrees and Low

I’d sure believe that.

23 today the biggest crappie I have caught all year