The Pond "Crappie City"

[Alphahawk]

Went to the Pond on the Caney today hoping for some trout or bluegill. I knew if nothing else I would get some chunky Gills and have some fun. I didn't catch a single bluegill.....not even under the water falls. I caught one brook trout and had two massive browns follow a Rapala UL #3. I paddled all over the Pond looking for fish. The sonar did not show what I thought I would see. There was a small shad kill this a.m. and a few rainbow would come up and play with the shad but wouldn't eat it. Yet down past the steps at the campground the white bass were tearing them up. In the end I found some very nice crappie and after I boated number 27 called it a day. The crappie were caught using a white Trout Magnet along with a Bison Trout Magnet. Got a shot of some big fish on bottom....maybe walleye...I don't know. I didn't keep a single fish but wish I had brought a cooler. The crappie were really nice. Talked with Janice at Big Rock and she remarked how the bluegill have been noticeably absent but said some really nice crappie had been coming out. The water temps I got ranged from 54 to as much as 62 degrees in one place but most places it was around 58 degrees. Janice told me before they turned the generators on water was 52 degrees.

[commdd]

nice report with great photos and screens shots.. thanks as always.

[Buccaneer]

Wow Alpha, amazing. Although I'm a few years short yet, I need to retire now and spend more time on the water. 27 Crappie? Can't catch them on a weekday when I'm 20 floors up in downtown Nashville. I'm bummed.

[Cstew]

Just curious what area of the caney is called the pond? Dam or ...?

[jad2t]

Originally Posted by Cstew

Just curious what area of the caney is called the pond? Dam or ...?

Right below the dam on the waterfall side.

[jad2t]

Very cool, looks like they were stacked up in there pretty nice. Not sure about the Walleye pic, I'm no expert on those fish but sitting that low on the bottom that would be my guess. Only one way to find out

[Cornbread]

What do you attribute the shad kill to? Do you think its natural process? Nice crappie for sure. Thanks for the report.

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by Cornbread

What do you attribute the shad kill to? Do you think its natural process? Nice crappie for sure. Thanks for the report.

I don't know. I feel it was a natural thing.....maybe thermal shock. Funny to watch the trout just play with them and not eat them.....at least the ones I was seeing. Very strange to not catch a bluegill up in there.

Regards

[Travis C.]

Nice crappie as always.

The water has been pretty cold this year it seems even down at Stonewall it's still in the upper 50's-low 60's.

Maybe those browns were cousins to mine Saturday night. Usually if a brown tails your bait it's not gonna eat it.

I'd guess those could be walleye or trout. Both will lay on the bottom in a river setting. Trout typically are either in the top 1/3 of the water column or bottom 1/3 rarely the middle. Wouldn't shock me if those Alpha were big bows.

[MNfisher]

Great stuff! I actually already had plans to fish the pond tomorrow after work! How did you know about the whites down at the steps? I might have to check that out.

[TNBronzeback]

Walleyes????? Did somebody say walleyes? My ears started burning and i got a nervous twitch! LOL.
Do any of you guys that go down there specifically target the walleyes?
I know as much about the caney as i do about greek mythology!
Do you need a kayak to fish the pond or can ya get a boat there?

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by MNfisher

Great stuff! I actually already had plans to fish the pond tomorrow after work! How did you know about the whites down at the steps? I might have to check that out.

A guy floating the river and staying at campground told me so I drove in and saw for myself. They must have been doing it all morning and up through the afternoon. None up by the dam...that I saw anyway. The Pond fished strange today.


Regards

[MNfisher]

Awesome!

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by Travis C.

Nice crappie as always.

The water has been pretty cold this year it seems even down at Stonewall it's still in the upper 50's-low 60's.

Maybe those browns were cousins to mine Saturday night. Usually if a brown tails your bait it's not gonna eat it.

I'd guess those could be walleye or trout. Both will lay on the bottom in a river setting. Trout typically are either in the top 1/3 of the water column or bottom 1/3 rarely the middle. Wouldn't shock me if those Alpha were big bows.

Yeah browntrout and I have witnessed so many follows up there with big browns makes one sick.....LOL. I agree with you...could be either specie..but most assuredly large fish. Two areas of the Pond are over 20 feet deep with one generator going....I would have never guessed. Out in the middle and the catch basin right below spill gates...it is actually a trough as you can tell from image.

Regards

[agelesssone]

It's tough to get anything bigger than a small jon boat in there. Darn near got a bass boat stuck in there one night. Chewed up a prop trying to get it back on the trailer.