Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 28, 1994 TAG: 9403010009
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY BILL COCHRAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Degrees on a thermometer, that is.
When the water temperature goes up, so do the crappie, heading out of their deep-water vaults to the shallows where they spawn. And where fishermen can find them.
The problem last spring, about the time the temperatures went up so did the water levels. Kerr Lake pushed 16 feet above flood stage. High water didn't just scatter the crappie, it made them impossible to reach in many cases.
So Kerr's citation count dropped to a dismal 20. Some seasons, Carl Herring, the world-record holder, catches that many alone. In 1992, Kerr's total was 196.
Other lakes weren't as hard hit by flood conditions, but they were impacted by a rapid warm-up. It appeared to be winter one day and summer the next. If you missed a weekend on the lake, you could have missed the entire crappie run.
With the statewide crappie citation count down by 110, the best thing about the 1993 season is the fact it is over. This spring is certain to be better, even though a hard winter is destined to mean a late start.
Here's a list of Virginia's crappie hot spots, and what anglers can expect this spring:
KERR LAKE
This 50,000-acre Southside impoundment is Virginia's top producer of citation-size crappie, and smaller crappie too. Decent catches, made on both jigs and minnows, began showing up about 10 days ago. Most of the fish have been small.
The biggest threat at Kerr is too much water, which can spoil the fun by making crappie difficult to find. The lake level has been rising and is about 301 elevation, which means it is just above full pool, but nothing like last spring.
If the water cooperates, look for excellent fishing. Population samples taken by state fish officials reveal impressive numbers of keeper-size crappie.
``Just tremendous,'' is the way Bill Kittrell describes it. He is a supervising fish biologist for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
The best action should be in the creeks of the upper reservoir.
``The main one that comes to mind is Bluestone,'' said Kittrell. ``During our sampling last year, it had just phenomenal numbers of crappie.''
SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE
This 20,000-acre lake east of Roanoke is rebounding as a citation producer after some lean years in the 1980s. Last spring it accounted for 13 citations, the same number as Gaston and not far off Kerr's pace. Adding in the post-spring catches, it had a total of 16 citations, second to Kerr.
Fish population surveys conducted by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries show good populations of crappie up the lake, where food and nutrient levels are the highest, said Mike Duval, a state fisheries biologist supervisor.
The threadfin shad, which showed up in large numbers last summer, has potential of providing excellent bite-size food for crappie; however, fish officials believe this species may have suffered a winter die-off.
``It would have been hard for the threadfin to escape the temperature shock,'' said Duval.
LAKE GASTON
Often the No. 2 producer of citation crappie, Gaston lost that ranking to Smith Mountain Lake last year. The spring count was the same, but Smith Mountain produced more late-season catches.
Dock-hopping is a major crappie-catching pattern at the 20,000-acre lake immediately downstream from Kerr.
``Gaston Lake has a lot of boat docks, and that is your key points when the speckles - we call crappie speckles down here - move in to spawn,'' said Bobby Colston, who operates the The Tackle Box. The key to success is moving from dock to dock, because some will hold fish while others don't. Prime spots are Lizard, Poplar, Stone House, Pigeon Roost and Holly Grove creeks. Holly Grove also holds stump beds that are attractive to crappie.
New to Gaston is hydrilla, a fast-growing plant which could change fishing patterns. Fishermen have some learning to do in order to determine how to use this plant to their advantage, said Colston.
LAKE MOOMAW
This 2,530-acre lake northeast of Covington produced nine citation catches last spring, which ranked it fourth in the state. But don't go expecting easy pickings.
``There are numbers of big crappie, but most anglers have difficulty finding them,'' said Larry Mohn, a state fish biologist.
The clear water appears to keep the crappie deep. One angler who has unlocked Moomaw's crappie-catching secrets is Joe Rice, who drives over from West Virginia to probe successfully for crappie at 18- to 20-foot depths.
Most of the citations caught last spring came late - April to June - and don't expect anything different this time. The lake has been frozen over much of the winter. By last weekend a few holes began to appear in the ice at Fortney Branch, where fishermen showed up to land some three- to four-pound trout.
JAMES RIVER
OK, so this isn't normally considered a crappie hot spot. But it produced nine citations in 1993, which ranked it fifth in the state.
Don't go to the Eagle Rock-Buchanan section and expect to load up on crappie. Most of the crappie are taken in the tidal areas of the lake.
TIDAL LAKES
A bevy of water-supply impoundments in the Tidewater section of the state produce excellent crappie fishing. In fact, considering their modest size, from 200 to 1,500 acres, they probably turn out more trophy fish per acre than the bigger lakes mentioned above.
Included is the Suffolk Lakes chain, composed of Speight's Run, Kilby, Cohoon, Meade, Burnt Mill, Prince and Western Branch lakes. A couple of weekends ago, crappie started hitting in several of these impoundments, which tend to warm up quicker than the big lakes to the west.
LAKE ANNA
It was a tough spring for crappie fishermen at Anna last year, a time when citations fell by 80 percent. While success has been slow so far this season, a crappie-catching rebound is likely.
The lake's many bridge pilings provide cover for crappie and have been favorite fishing spots, but now some of the attention has shifted to cover created by beaver colonies. Anna is located between Charlottesville and Richmond.
CLAYTOR LAKE
A few decent crappie catches started showing up a weekend ago, but don't expect a fast start because the lake was ice-covered much of the winter.
Last spring three citations were registered from Claytor, located in Pulaski County. The 4,500-acre lake is better known for its average-size crappie, and these have potential of becoming above average, thanks to an improving baitfish population.
PONDS
Crappie don't have the reputation of being a pond fish, but ponds account for a large percentage of the state's biggest crappie each spring. Seven of the top 10 crappie produced in Virginia last year were pond fish, including the biggest, a 3-pound, 12-ounce trophy.
The next best thing to owning a pond is having a friend who does.
by CNB