Where are all the crappie on Priest?

[TNBronzeback]

Hey fellas.....long time since my last contribution. Haven't been fishing much and when I do go, I've been getting my rear whipped on priest. In years past I would have no problems having 15-20 nice 12"-13" keepers on ice by 11 or so from my 3-4 spots. Now I'm lucky to get 1 if any.
Now I will say I did make the commitment to not fish minnows this year as they are a hassle to keep cool and fresh water.....but i think I'm gonna be bait shop bound next summer. This is killing me. Lol.
Has anybody else struggled with thier normal summer pattern that normally produces? I'm marking good bait but I'm not seeing any decent numbers of predator fish around the bait.

[Buzzy15]

I too have been getting slow numbers all summer. Tryin all over. Hopefully it will start to turn with cooler weather comin

[Flatline]

Do y'all think this past winter with all the rain might have something to do with the over all fishing this yr ?

[jaycee]

I too am having a very slow summer. I have brush (bamboo) out and have always been able to catch 10 or so in an early morning before the heat.

But not this year. The most I have caught, 6. This is even true for late May when last year I was catching in the 20s. Not this year.

Just sayin....

[commdd]

priest is the dead sea... way too much emphasis on stocking hybrids/trout/sauger. when they need to focus on bass/crappie/bluegill. just my opinion.

[jaycee]

The surrounding lakes in middle Tennessee have a limit of 15 crappie.
The limit for JPPriest is 30.

[Flatline]

The surrounding lakes in middle Tennessee have a limit of 15 crappie.
The limit for JPPriest is 30.




Of course it makes too sense for the TRWA to take a count of the number of people fishing the lake and making the limits accordingly.

[Alan 54]

I think Priest is hammered for crappie day and night year around. I would expect a major depletion of keepers. I don't think it matters if the limit is 15 or 30 when you can only catch enough for supper....sometimes.
Will TWRA do a netting to see how this year's hatch did?