Fishing Forum

<br /> With TVA scheduled to pull the lake down to winter pool and the water level on a steady drop, I figured the daytime crappie fishing to be a tough bite with fish heading into a transition period. So the last couple of productive trips have been after dark and in deeper water with fish associated to a fairly steep drop from 13-24fow, that's where we have been finding them and they are pretty well grouped up. I call a crappie a 'slotter' when its tail reaches the top of the slot on the Frabil measuring cup(11-1/2inches), all fish short of the slot goes back into the lake for seed. Been catching lots of 10-11inch fish that just are not a good eating size fillet, the slotters have better shoulders on them at that size group and are really tasty. Went Friday night and had 14 slotters, went back last night and found 20 more good cutters in the deeper water not far from docks that have produced well all summer. Fish are not suspending anymore and requires a 1/16 jig fished a foot or two right off bottom to get a strike. I have been using my usual BGBS shad colors of pink phantom, bleeding shad, and outlaw special in that order. Epaul has a large variety of Lake Fork minnow plastics that he fishes with good success at every stop, he also does a lot of dipping in his favorite spike-it colors that works too! The only dipping that I do is in a bag of fresh sardine oil from time to time when the bite seems to slow down. <br /> In anticipation of my Mother's 80th,thats right 80 years old this next week, I am expecting some out of town guests for the weekend and needed some good fresh crappie fillets to impress with. Going to post a pic of the prettiest 80 year old Grandmommy you'll ever see...too bad that I ended up looking so much like my Daddy.