Nickajack 11-11-11

[Alphahawk]

Today is Veterans Day. To all my fellow Veterans...Thanks.


It was very cold at Nicakajack this morning. The Crappie would turn off and turn on...or move in and move out...depends on how you think about that. Caught 13 fish today that weighed 21 pounds. The four on the cutting board averaged 2.2 pounds each. The fish I am holding up measured 16 and 15 inches. As you can tell I am still working on taking photos by myself. As usual around 3:00PM I get tuckered out and leave just as expect them to turn on again as the sun sets. Larry if you are reading I think we need to go Monday...I will call you later. The last 4 trips to Nickajack there has been a guy in his new boat fishing the same place as me for Crappie....he did not have much success those days. He had asked and I had told him what I was catching them on and so on. This morning when I pull in I see a truck parked there and I think " Darn..someone is on the Crappie spot". As I get down to the water it is the guy that has been there in the bass boat...LOL. He says "I can't catch them from the boat so I thought I would try the bank". He had one Bluegill. I think he is waiting on his order from Trout Magnet...I expect to see him there next week also. He did tell me this is his first year to pursue Crappie. It was a great day but a little cold in the wind. Hopefully next time I can hang long enough to get the limit.


Regards

[StriperFan]

I feel for the poor guy. Crappie are a mysterious fish to me. I have heard stories as long as I can remember of folks going out and catching a fish fry full over and over again. But the few times I have gone it has been a mixed bag of gills, bass, and crappie, with crappie usually being the least represented. The pictures you have been posting lately are some of the most consistent big crappie catches I have ever seen. Reminds me of the pictures at a fishing show that convinced me and a buddy to book a trip to Reelfoot. After the trip I was convinced they must have been saving their crappie in the freezer for the last five years just to make that convincing photo. Great catch by the way.

[Travis C.]

Nice bag of crappie.

Words getting out, they have guys in boats looking for you now.

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by StriperFan

I feel for the poor guy. Crappie are a mysterious fish to me. I have heard stories as long as I can remember of folks going out and catching a fish fry full over and over again. But the few times I have gone it has been a mixed bag of gills, bass, and crappie, with crappie usually being the least represented. The pictures you have been posting lately are some of the most consistent big crappie catches I have ever seen. Reminds me of the pictures at a fishing show that convinced me and a buddy to book a trip to Reelfoot. After the trip I was convinced they must have been saving their crappie in the freezer for the last five years just to make that convincing photo. Great catch by the way.

I am a very blessed man that I can fish through the week. Had it not been for "clean air" I would have never made the first trip to Nickajack. I found these Crappie places on my own.....and finding them is a big if. Then you have to catch them. The man that developed and tested the Crappie Magnet lives in Nashville. It was field tested on Percy Priest Lake. I asked my friend today did he think the man would take me Crappie fishing on Percy. He said he would but that the man would have to check me. I thought he was kidding. He was not. He will even look at your watch to make sure there is no GPS device in it and you can't take any cell phones...electronics etc with you. The man spent years creating his Crappie places and is not going to share them. I can't blame him. Crappie fishing can be so finicky. You are right about the size of these Crappies. I have been doing this a while and even though I can bring home 30 fish from KY Lake below Pickwick Dam I don't think I have ever been this consistent with fish that big down there. Maybe this year will be different there...I don't know. My nephew has 5 stake beds out at Dale Hollow that hold the big Black Nose Crappie. He wants to see if the Crappie and Trout Magnet will catch them there...I don't know why not. The Black Nose are more difficult to catch at Dale Hollow because the water is so clear. We are supposed to go over the Thanksgiving weekend. Will let you know how that turns out.


Regards

[StriperFan]

Well that really does make me feel better, it's magic! That's what I thought. Most of the crappie I have caught have been black nose at that either on Center Hill or Tim's Ford...I think my overall fishing technique is overly aggressive for your average crappie but the black nose will hit a little bolder bait.

[rsimms]

Thanks for your reports. I don't make it downriver to Nickajack as much as I used to, but it's nice to know what's going on.

Obviously the little Marion County pond is producing some SLABS!