Echo slam

[MrShane]

Once again...a food chain thing.  In  lakes like Pineview, Jordanelle, Rockport and Echo the primary forage base for the predators is young of the year perch.  As late fall  water temps drop, the zooplankton upon which young perch feed migrate to deeper water...even living in the mud during the day and swarming in the dark hours.  The perch follow the zooplankton and the predators follow the perchlets.

By nature, crappies are schooling fish.  But you will find singles, doubles or small groups...especially in lakes with only small crappie populations.

I have caught only 2 crappies from Echo...both isolated singles...surprises.  But I have reliable reports of small schools being found...either near flooded brush during spawn time, or around the docks later in the year.

I can add that there is (or was) a small crappie population in Deer Creek also because I caught one there last year while targeting walleye. Maybe it was the only one but it was definitely a black crappie - the only one that I have ever caught from DC and I fish there quite a bit.

Last year got one good 12” Crappie at DC while bb’ing.
About five years prior a buddy and I got a good dozen or so below RR tracks at upper end.