| Reelfoot Lake is a natural lake that is | | | | the crappie in the deeper waters so |
| in northern Tennessee and more | | | | stick to the center of the lake or just |
| specifically in Fulton county. It was | | | | at the mouth of the coves. On other |
| once the only commercially fished lake | | | | lakes in the late winter or early spring |
| for crappie. With this said it would | | | | I have had great luck fishing right were |
| might be easy to find a decent crappie | | | | the plant life begins in the cove. Bait |
| in the lake's various coves and other | | | | fish will go where they can find food |
| holes. This particular lake looks like | | | | and plant life is often a good indicator |
| a reservoir for good reason. It is | | | | of that food. |
| suggested in the annals of history that | | | | Once spring has set in, late April or |
| the Mississippi river flowed backwards | | | | early May, you should start to move your |
| after an earthquake to fill this shallow | | | | crappie fishing to the shores where the |
| valley with water. Regardless of how | | | | water temperatures are about 60 degrees. |
| the lake was formed we know that it is a | | | | Crappie will spawn between 60 and 65 |
| great source for crappie. | | | | degrees depending on the weather and |
| The best crappie fishing will be found | | | | some other variables. No matter when |
| in late April or early May. With that | | | | they spawn it means good bites for you. |
| said let me focus on the other times of | | | | Spawning requires lots of energy and |
| the year first and save the best for | | | | there is also a self preservation aspect |
| last. | | | | here. If your bait looks like it might |
| Let us start with late winter and early | | | | eat the young crappie it has a really |
| spring on Reelfoot, this is a shallow | | | | good chance of being ate. |
| lake, at most 18 foot deep, and these | | | | During spawning times use a small jig. |
| deep areas are where the crappie are | | | | There is no need to use live bait at |
| going to spend the winter. To fish | | | | this time of year as they will eat |
| these waters during this time of year it | | | | almost anything. I would avoid brightly |
| is important to know what the | | | | colored jigs as they seem to be |
| temperature of the water is. For | | | | unnatural and I just have never had good |
| crappie 50 degrees seems to be a magic | | | | luck with them during spawning. Basic |
| number, warmer temperatures and they are | | | | rule for the spring crappie is just |
| super active and colder they turn into a | | | | practice moderation and only take a few. |
| couch potatoes. Use large jigs or | | | | Spring is over and the spawning is done |
| minnows during these colder times. Most | | | | so the Crappie are getting picky about |
| of this lake is a shallow lake so look | | | | what they eat. In these shallow waters |
| for the ledges. I know that these | | | | what you present may not be as important |
| really don't exist on this lake but you | | | | as where you present it. As summer sets |
| can always hope. The whole trick is to | | | | in and the waters begin to warm expect |
| follow the bait fish but knowing that | | | | crappie to be hanging out in the colder |
| some of the edges or coves might have | | | | waters and this means deeper waters. |
| warmer waters during the day the bait | | | | Lakes shaped like this seem to age and |
| fish are looking for a constant | | | | fill in from the center so the mouths of |
| temperature. | | | | the coves have slightly deeper areas. |
| Before the spring spawning try to catch | | | | |