panfish on pool 12,13 or 14

Anybody been out tryin to figure out the panfish bite around here,with this current flow yet, should a guy target no inlet backwater lakes or will they still be in the running sloughs? I would appreciate any help on the areas that a guy should try with the water flowing the way it is on the main channel right now and what techniques a guy should use.
Thanks Rick,

Rick, I have heard from some locals that the bluegills are doing o.k. in no current backwaters, like the slough by my house and in Rock Creek, but I have no confirmation of these tidbits. Also heard they are starting to make beds. Seems kinda early to me, but water temp in the channel at L&D 13 is hovering right around 60 according to the Corps website. Wish I could help more! I’ll try to dig up some more info tommorrow.

I just got finished cleaning a bunch of crappie and a limit of bluegill (25) caught on pool 12 in a “no-current” backwater lake. It was just me and my 5 year old son and we did well. Ready for the first big fish feed of the year!
The water temp in this area was 64.4 degrees. The crappie are not too far from spawning and the bluegill are still a couple weeks away (or more). Anyway I used waxworms under a float about 2 1/2 feet deep not too far from shore. I had minnows too, but the waxworms way outfished them.
I don’t know if that helps, but I have been out 4 times and this is the first time this year I have found agressive, feeding fish!!

Mr Twister

I caught 4 crappie today while bass fishing on pool 15- one each on a rc 1.5, a 1/4 oz spinner bait, a jig and pig and a baby hog by zoom- they were shallow and near brush in backwaters out of current. Not sure if that will help you at all but i presume they were either spawning or close to it

Thanks to all of you guys that replied,Your information definately points me in the right direction I’ve got the 8th,9th and 10th of May off,I plan on doing some fishing and morell hunting

John, are you catchin any of those post spawn females yet?

john, got this from a very good source, but no names. they were older gentlemen and not sure how many. anyway this was during that really warm week we had a couple weeks back. they went to rathbun, caught hundreds of crappies, brought back now this is second hand but i have no reason to believe its not true 250 large crappies. many in the 15 to 16 inch range. i keep hearing how lake rathbun is in that really great crappie cycle again. they must be getting close to spawn there too. i’m doing alittle more research on this one. when i find out anymore i’ll let u know.

Mr.Twister,
I have been out 3 or 4 times the last couple weeks trying to find some crappies and just cant seem to get more than one or two each time out not sure what the deal is i thought it might be a tad bit early yet but i guess not. Congrats on the fish, they will be mighty tasty

Made it out Wed. on poool 13 for some of those tasty crappies.Got 13 crappies and 1 sriper.Had 3 fish that went over a foot and the others were pretty decent.Fish were very tight to the brush.
Rick

1 more,

Way to go Rick!! What were you using?

I haven’t been out much at all. Darn work keeps getting in the way. I’m implementing a new phone system at a big clinic and a new ISP and firewall for the health system. Both are are pretty intense.

I made it out to the lake for two hours a couple weeks ago. I had 8 gills over 9″ but none hit 10. I had many smaller. If you want, perhaps we can hook up and go to the lake sometime.

Jeff,I was using my long rod 12 footer with a gold hook tied up aways on a loop knot and sinker below and just dipping it right in the brush,with a minnow on.IF you ever need to fill a seat in your boat I’d be glad to go with you on the Canyon or up on pool 13.Just shoot me a pm and we’ll try to work something out.
Rick,