CHRIS SMITH

Back in the day, I had a fishing buddy that had days of the year marked for certain activities.

For instance, July the 4th, “If you weren’t on Monticello at the dam, you were missing out on big bass.”

Valentine’s Day, “Rattletraps in Martinez Creek on Toledo Bend was the only way to spend the day.”

April 1 was Caddo Lake catching giant Bluegill. Columbus Day, Lake Cypress Springs, slinging buzzbaits or frogs in the dying pad fields.

The most memorable was Thanksgiving Day. My friend Archie Jones would be found on the far upper reaches of Lake O’ the Pines. He said of the thousands of crappie that are beginning to stack up deep, near the dam, an equal amount were heading upstream into the river. Some years were better than others at these locations on these dates but he was onto something.

Over the years since his passing, I have tried duplicating these scenarios on other water bodies. The upper end of Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn or Murvaul all heat up around Thanksgiving.

By “heating up” I mean the crappie start getting busy killing minnows and jigs. A recent trip to a major tributary on Toledo proved my old friend’s accuracy yet again. Arriving in the back part of the creek around 10 a.m., we noticed a small aluminum boat slowly idling out toward the main lake.

As they passed by, one of the guys said “We killed ‘em! A two-person limit of 50 crappie in 2 hours.” We just smiled and nodded congratulations to them. Knowing we were about to cash in on the crappie filet sweepstakes.

I’m not a fisheries biologist, and I have no idea why some crappie head to the extreme depths during late fall/early winter while others head upstream but they do. I also don’t care why (most likely the answer is shad) they do it but I am glad they do.

During the next few weeks make plans to try your favorite lake tributaries for some crappie fun. Look for bends in the creek/river where the crappie are likely to school up. Any funnel point such as a bridge or a submerged bridge will be an awesome spot to intercept the traveling schools.

Casting a small jig or soaking minnows will both work but some days are better for one or the other. The fish may be in 2 feet of water on the edge of the creek or in the deepest part of the channel. It may take a few tries but once you catch the first fish, chances are the rest will be in the same vicinity.

Fish a minnow at one depth and the jig at another until you can pinpoint where the most bites/catches come from. There may be lulls in activity but stay put as you may be experiencing passing schools. Each wave that passes by will put 1 to 10 fish in the boat followed by another slow period.

Of course, if you have land access to these creeks/rivers, walking in and fishing is highly recommended.

Be careful, dress for the weather and bring along plenty of tackle, these areas are often thick with brush and hang ups are common.

Good Luck and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.