Lakes with CrappieI saw an older thread from 2017 that had a few posts about the lakes that have crappie. My wife likes to catch crappie so she asked that I post a request for information about which lakes have them and where they the tend to be. (I know in the water, right...lol) Thank you in advanced for your assistance. SRH

Hi Sandy,

All of my few PWF crappie were caught during bass fishing, but where there a a few there are usually more.

We caught 3 large crappie last month over 14" at Triple J Ferris. I could see schools of them on the sidescan. You will find them next to the dam suspended in the deepest water along with the shad schools.  I caught a few crappie at Grapeland Bennett lake in the spring. They were up shallow right next to the timber.  Not sure if they would be shallow this time of year.  I would try to find the small shad and you will find the crappie nearby. 

If you watch the video: "Lunker TV- Indian Cave La Roca Range" in this Discussion area you can see "Lake Fork Guy" (Justin), pulling up several nice crappie out of the tree tops (using jigs).  You could probably find the exact same trees from the video. 

I know a guide on Lavon that charges $75 a seat, pretty much guaranteed crappie limit, weather permitting.  You could go mark his holes as he doesn't mind.

Good Luck. Let us know how you get on.

Jim

       

  

Thank you for your response and information Jim. We will check out the video, and try those lakes for some Slabs. I will keep you posted. SRH

Triple J has some nice ones.   I caught a few at Northeast over the years. Bill Julian at Julian in Leesburg would talk about catching 25 or more.  I have caught them at Julian Bass fishing.  I think most of them came from island at south end.  If you decide to fish there be careful as lots of stumps just below surface. Not very deep but I think if you find one crappie you'll fill a bucket.  We did catch one at six o in the timber. Maybe with a fish finder you could locate a school. 

Thank you for the response and information Robert. We will also give Julian and Six O a try later in the fall, also. 

SRH

Julian is real shallow most is only 4 to 5 feet. So they will be easy to find.  If you decide to fish for bass at Julian try red spinner or red Shad senko.  Six o is a different animal,  once water starts cooling down the bass move deep.  I marked some 32 foot depths.  You will need some electronics to get them. Last time there I bet it was 65 acres.  Plus there are some big gizzard shad that look like crappie on my electronics.  Remember don't keep any coppernose bluegills as that is the prime meal for the bass. The only place we caught a crappie at six o was the point just north of the old dam. In the trees.

Hi Sandy, in addition to what others have suggested, I would recommend Tushka, Oak Meadows, for black crappie.  Triple J does have slab white crappie, but Tushka has some nice, slab black crappie.  When I fished there last October, they were almost annoying.  I caught 7 between 1.65-1.8lbs on bass tackle.  If you go there, focus on the timber along the creek line across from the boat launch area near the major point.  I understand that there used to be a tent or something on that point but it is no longer there, but last year there was a partially-sunk paddle boat for reference.  You and your wife will be able to fish this area and catch black crappie and bass from the same spot.  Just an FYI, but you do need an OK non-resident license to fish private water in OK, unlike TX.

I should add that you will need four-wheel drive for Tushka, Oak Meadows, and, my wife refuses to go fishing with me, so if you have any advice as to (1) whether that is actually a bad thing, or (2) if a good thing, how to convince your wife to try fishing, all is appreciated.

Greg, thanks for the crappie info and heads up about needing a 4 wheel drive. To attempt to answer your latter questions. I guess whether it is a good or bad thing is always just personal preference. I think it is great that my wife goes with me and enjoys fishing and the peacefulness of just being away from everything. I myself got lucky I guess, my wife has been fishing her whole life and she really enjoys it. Now if they are not bitting she is not like me in that retrospect. I can fish all day and catch nothing, looking for the "1". If they are not bitting she will stay with it for a while but then gets bored and is ready to go. She will hang in with me as long as I want to fish, reading a book or something but I know how long to push the envelope (married 22 years). The best advice (if it can be called that...lol) that I could offer to you on the subject is to maybe not make it about the fishing but more about you guys spending time together having fun. Maybe take her fishing were she is guaranteed to catch a lot of fish when she goes and you guys can have fun doing it together. Maybe a guided trip for sand bass (white bass) or crappie. Fishing fever is something that gets in your blood. So until she gets the fever you got to keep her lines tight and having fun when she goes with you. 

SRH