# Choctawhatchee Crappie- A good day



## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

I sure can tell I'm well past my prime. Got up at 5:30 with the best of intentions to be on the water somewhere by 7:30. Finally got on the road about 9:30 and headed east still undecided where I would end up...Lake Victor or Pate Lake. Stopped for gas and a bite to eat. Fishing the river was not on my mind. Passed the turn off at Ponce DeLeon to Victor so it looked like Pate. Crossed the river at Caryville. Hmmm.....didn't look all that bad so stopped at the landing on hwy 90. A few rigs were parked and a hunter was just coming in. Had a nice chat and learned a couple of his buddies got a crappie limit day before yesterday in the Carlisle area.

That did it. Turned around and went back to Ponce DeLeon and headed down 81 to Comander's Landing. The dirt road was a mess and when I put the boat in the water at about 11:00 it was coated with red clay and so was some of my gear in the boat. 

Started fishing eddies along the river with minnows. Amazingly it took only 15 - 20 minutes or so to locate them where a slough connected to the rvier. The deadwater was about 6 ft dropping off to 10 to 12 ft swift water. I caught them at about 4 ft. A Humminbird and pure luck found them. 

. First fish was a nice bass and then 14.25 inch crappie both on minnows. WOW That's a big crappie for the Choctaw. By 12:45 I had a limit of 10 inch plus crappie. Decided I would keep nothing less than 10 inches. Ended up catching 1 bass and 43 crappie and kept the limit of 25. Drat! Some of those I had to release were bigger than some I kept. That's the way it goes. They were still biting when I quit. I wanted to go look for another spot...and see if I could find another honey hole. No luck....So just went on a river tour to see how many of the lakes I could get back into. Some were good and some needed some chain saw work. Just road around with no fishing in mind unless I saw them on sonar. 

Fished with two poles, one with jig and one with minnows. Had two poles hook up 4 times going at the same. What a zoo! They were hitting the minnow more rapidly so decided to fish just with one pole and minnows. Caught about a dozen with jigs and rest with minnows. Ran out of bait and switched back to jigs and caught a couple more in the 11-12 range. Had to release them. The action was rapid. Two poles too much to handle at the same time. 

I don't get a day like this very often. 

Had someone been with me we could have took two limits without a doubt.

This is the first time I have ever caught a limit of crappie on the Choctaw so today was special.


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

Dang, you sure know how to put the heat on those crappies. Always enjoy your reports. Keep it up man.


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

Great report FishWalton! You really tore them up today. Dont always have to start early to have a great day. Looks like some fine eating. Nice job.


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## SteveCal (Jun 21, 2014)

I appreciate your updates Fish. I try to glean information from all your writings.

I haven't been on the river yet. But I've got me a 14' Jon Boat fixed up and painted. Got a 6 horse Johnson on it and just a few hours ago traded for a trolling motor. Now for a couple deep cycle batteries. Hopefully I'm about ready for a summer of fishing (and actually catching).

Thank you for sharing your river experiences.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

I'm really happy this was a productive trip for you. You've put in the hard work. I can hear the excitement in your post.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

SteveCal....if this spring is half as good as last spring you will have a heck of a good time on the riverl


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## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

Very nice ! I use to hunt and fish that area growing up. Then the state went and burned down the fish camps along the river , including ours. I caught a lot of crappie there when I would take a break from hunting. Lots of good memories of hunting and fishing with family and friends there. Use to do pretty good in endless and horse shoe lake.


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## billyb (Aug 22, 2012)

By the way you were talking yesterday I thought you were going to Frank Jackson. I think you made the right decision. Nice mess of fish. I bought some crappie tackle this fall and have not even wet a hook. You can't fish and hunt so I have been hunting every chance I get.


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

Wow, that's a big crappie!


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

Great job man!!
Congrats on finding some!!


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## Rjw615 (May 26, 2008)

Awesome job man! You have definitely put in your time to deserve a day like that! Who sells minnows over that way? Planning on going after some channel cats tomorrow over that way with shrimp, might try our hand at some crappie if the catfish don't cooperate. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## SteveCal (Jun 21, 2014)

fishwalton said:


> SteveCal....if this spring is half as good as last spring you will have a heck of a good time on the riverl


Well sir. When spring arrives I'm planning on hitting the water often.

I bank fished rivers and cricks as a kid living on the farm. And some while growing up. But I haven't spent time on the river as some of my friends have. I'm tired of hearing the stories and want that experience. I have decided to enjoy my retirement time. From now on its fishin', huntin' and campin'.


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Great report and a fine mess of crappie. :notworthy:

And yes, I'm jealous.


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## spinfactor (Sep 22, 2013)

Outstanding report. Hopefully spring will bring me my share of crappie. Thanks


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## DMC (Nov 28, 2010)

Nice mess of crappie. The only limits or should I say over limit I've had is rain and cold.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Rjw615 said:


> Awesome job man! You have definitely put in your time to deserve a day like that! Who sells minnows over that way? Planning on going after some channel cats tomorrow over that way with shrimp, might try our hand at some crappie if the catfish don't cooperate.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Only place for minnows and large shiners here is on hwy 83 north of 
DeFuiniak...about 4 miles A & W Bait. If you are in the Freeport area Copelands Gun Shop on 331 a mile or so south of hwy 20 has crappie minnows, etc.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

*Not as good today*

This afternoon a friend from Kansas and I went back to the spot when I got a crappie limit yesterday. The Humminbird found only a few fish as compared to yesterday. We ended up with 7 in the box from a total of about 20 or more


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## SteveCal (Jun 21, 2014)

OK. Dumb question from the rookie. Do Crappie normally stay in schools? Do they roam around by themselves. Are they territorial?


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## mystic fishermen (Sep 4, 2014)

Ohh ya nice


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## DMC (Nov 28, 2010)

SteveCal said:


> OK. Dumb question from the rookie. Do Crappie normally stay in schools? Do they roam around by themselves. Are they territorial?


They stay in a school most of the time but also move around. The clearer the water the more they will spread out because they can see better.


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## fishmagician (Jun 4, 2014)

That a couple of great meal there.


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## basnbud (Jul 20, 2011)

way to slay em !


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

SteveCal said:


> OK. Dumb question from the rookie. Do Crappie normally stay in schools? Do they roam around by themselves. Are they territorial?


To draw a comparison to deer hunting - I straight up think they run & hide! Here today gone tomorrow. Some days you can find them with the fish finder and catch them other days they're there but won't bite. Cold water makes them school up, and when it warms a few degrees they scatter. It's like trying to nail jello to a tree!


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