# Dead River 10-29-14



## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Location: off the Choctawhatchee River
Went to 7 Runs this morning. Launched about 7:30 . Found two spots loaded with crappie but could not get them to bite, Caught one 11 inch. . I knew they were there but nothing worked. Jigs nor minnows would work….So on down to Danniels Slough for longlining.. Not a bite. About 11:00 slight rain started so went to landing. Got there and rain stopped. Guy camping was at ramp so we talked a while. Gave him the one crappie I had. It was about noon and I had maybe a couple dozen minnows so decided to go back to the crappie spot for a short while and try something different.

This time I tried tight line technique.. Fished at 12 to 16 ft in 18 to 20 ft water, tight line, no cork, using minnows. Sonar showed fish in between 12 and 16 ft. . Didn’t take any crickets, only had minnows. Dropped the line to bottom then reeled in a couple of turns. Caught 15 crappie and kept 10 or 11. One big one, just shy of14 ½ inches and 2 or 3 other nice ones.. Aanchored the boat on both ends over the crappie I could see on sonar. It all worked. The bite lasted about 45 minute. Getting hot and I was tired so quit at 1:30. Had I tight lined early in the day I could probably have taken a limit of nice ones. Will try again Friday Water temp was 68 and went to 70…..surface temp. Needs to be cooler


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Ain't it nice to crack the code every now and then? Good job on solving the puzzle and saving your trip. The reward is some fine eating.


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

Awesome report, I got to get out there and try it soon on yellow I know a couple spots that might hold a few crappies. I just get eat up with deer hunting this time of year...


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

jcoss15 said:


> Awesome report, I got to get out there and try it soon on yellow I know a couple spots that might hold a few crappies. I just get eat up with deer hunting this time of year...


Yes! You need to go hunting. Deer season is way to short to waste fishing!!
Awesome catch. Slight variations in presentations seem to be a fact of crappie fishing. - that and staying hung!

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

That's a big ole crappie you have there. Nice catch


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## jpwalnuthill (Feb 12, 2010)

Nice mess of Fish there. Hope the wind eases up a little this weekend so I can get back after them too.


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## Desert Eagle (Apr 25, 2012)

Very interesting report and a very nice mess of Crappie. Nice slab in the photo foreground.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Try'n Hard said:


> Yes! You need to go hunting. Deer season is way to short to waste fishing!!
> Awesome catch. Slight variations in presentations seem to be a fact of crappie fishing. - that and staying hung!
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner



I'm not much of a hunter these days but years ago I lived and breathed hunting. Today I fish but will keep my shotgun in the boat in case a bushy tail gets careless.


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

fishwalton said:


> I'm not much of hunter these days but years ago I lived and breathed hunting. Today I fish but will keep my shotgun in the boat in case a bushy tail gets careless.


Same here. Loved it. Place in Bama burned all my time and discretionary income and hunting ended. Fine by me - kinda. Biggest problem is the deer all over me in camden. Big ones! I see them every time I go. Probably only a matter of time before I take it back up. Enjoying fishing now

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## fishmagician (Jun 4, 2014)

Nice bunch of fish. I use to take my boys crappie fishing years ago on a frozen lake in Colorado. We never found any big ones, but my boys ate everyone we caught as I cooked 'em. I had a beer and a cold sandwich.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Time to get out the light weight Long Johns. It get's chilly sitting in a boat. Crappie weather is in the air. Hunting season is just around the corner. Headed back to Dead River this morning to see if the crappie spot I found last week still has a few fish. Then we will scout some woods for acorn trees where bushy tails hang out . Saturday my regular fishing buddy and I will be in the woods for a few hours then later in the day back to drowning minnows. After Saturday I won't see much of him until it's time to hang up his gun. He will be chasing deer and I plan to do some serious river crappie fishing this winter. Will probably throw in a few trips for specks and reds.


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

Let us know how you do!


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Sort of dragged around a little this morning but finally got to the Dead River ramp about 0745 new time. Crappie were in the same area as last week but not as numerous. 
We had to really work at it. The bite was slow but managed to put 11 in the box with largest a 12 incher. Also one warmouth. Water temp was 58 but rose to 60. All caught on minnows. Long line produced nothing. Incidentally, very disappointed with quality of bait from the A & W Bait Shop on hwy 83. They have downgraded the size to tiny and some so small it's hard to put a hook in them without killing them. I didn't notice this until we opened the bait bucket to start fishing. Not happy 
The primary purpose of trip was to scout nearby woods for hunting bushy tails. Found a good area with acorns and activity sign all around. Partner saw two squirrels. Hogs and deer in the area too. Buddy found an old logging road not far off the lake which will make easy walking Saturday morning. 
Hope to get down there again later in the week if we don't go see about specks and reds. Tomorrow my buddy taking his brother to the ICW at Point Washington. His report will influence our next trip.

Didn't make any fish pictures but took a bunch of the what the area looks like. Will edit this post later this evening and set up a photobucket slideshow. .



Remember - EAT - SLEEP - GO fishing


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

*Photos of Dead River Landing*

Here are a few photos made yesterday of a crappie trip to Dead River Landing I like unusual cypress roots. The campground is free but no water or power is provided. 
As reported yesterday we got 11 crappie. Water temp was 58 to 60. 

http://s1207.photobucket.com/user/fishwalton/slideshow/Dead%20River%20-%20Scenic%20-%20110314

The river is getting low so the 7 Runs Creek at the ramp is getting shallow but a river boat can still be launched and access into the Dead River Lakes is still possible.


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

Dang! - not a fish in any pictures but still made me want to get out there! That's a beautiful place. I've been in the "art" business for 30 yrs & you've got the eye for it. 
Maybe you need to start a second career?


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Try'n Hard said:


> Dang! - not a fish in any pictures but still made me want to get out there! That's a beautiful place. I've been in the "art" business for 30 yrs & you've got the eye for it.
> Maybe you need to start a second career?


If you are familiar with the work of Clyde Butcher I was thinking yesterday as I made the photos that I would like to see some of his black and white photos made right there at Dead River. I'm just a random photo shooter but now and then one turns out pretty good.


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