Page 5 - Crappie NOW - December 2018

HOT ACTION IN COOL WATER

“Millers Ferry Lake is one of the best
crappie fishing destinations in southern
Alabama,” proclaimed Dave Armstrong,
an Alabama Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources biologist. “The
lake generally produces good numbers
per angler trip. In surveys we’ve done,
about 15 percent of the crappie we collect
are 12 inches long or longer with some in
the 15- to 16-inch range.”
The long and skinny impoundment
retains much of its riverine characteristics.
Many creek mouths, brush piles, standing
timber, drop-offs, fallen trees, stump fields
and more than 500 shoreline miles provide
outstanding crappie habitat throughout
the lake.

Anglers might not even feel the
strike, just a little heaviness on

the line.

“Millers Ferry is a good crappie lake,”
advised Joe Dunn of Dunn’s Sports (334-
636-0850) in Thomasville, AL. “We catch
some 1.5- to 2-pound crappie just about
every time we go. Occasionally people
catch some 3-pounders.”
With any capricious river system,
fishing success depends upon water
levels and conditions. Generally, rivers
reach their lowest and clearest levels in
the fall and stay that way until the spring
floods arrive. With stable water, comes
excellent fishing. Anglers frequently catch
the biggest crappie during the coldest
months. Joe Dunn shows how his rigs a double
“Starting in October and all the way rig for crappie with two jigs, each tipped
until late February, crappie stay in the with a minnow for fishing on Millers Ferry
main river channel,” Dunn detailed. Reservoir near Millers Ferry, AL.
“During cooler weather, the better fishing
typically occurs along the rock walls and
ledges from the Millers Ferry Marina to When temperatures drop, crappie
Mill Creek. The Rock Wall by Alligator commonly congregate in deeper holes
Slough in the Cotton House area is always and stay there until the spring. Anglers
a good place to fish.” who find a hot winter honey hole might pull
large fish from it for weeks. Some holes in

5 Crappie NOW December 2018