Alan Rivers from Grapecreek, Illinois shows off some nice Norfork Lake crappie. Wish they could have caught more. Nice group.
Water temperature was just under 56 on main lake today and just over 57 in the creeks. I caught one giant crappie and a few smaller ones. It was tough. I switched to bass fishing and caught three. Reports that crappie are jumping in the boat are exaggerated. I did see some swallows and that means better fishing is near. Checked out the backs of creeks and no fish there. The good places are too shallow. If you find a brush pile where there are crappie there are just a few. If you catch 7 or 8 the pile is cleaned out and will remain so until the water warms and the spawn is over. When the fry get about an inch long they look for cover and that is when good fish will move to the brush. Until then the next step is the males move shallow in the creeks and make a nest. We are kind of in transition until then with many fish still in open water on shad. Smallmouth bass fishing is best now . A few small fish are surfacing in the evening. The top water bite has started early so get a spook ready. Be out there at first light. Stripers, hybrids and bass.
