By Charlie McCullough, Coastal Angler Magazine
Water levels are high right now in the St Johns River and the current is fast moving. Fish have many places to hide. Spawning season started in late September, currently large females will congregate the St Johns River, and can be found in 6-12 feet of water (in the lakes) as males prep the beds. Crappie will be the early target species for Derby anglers, American and Hickory shad show up around Christmas. Bass will begin their fattening up during pre-spawn with male buck bass found in shallow water before the full moon. Big female bass will be nearby in deeper water next to the males. Blue channel catfish will be found in deep holes on the downstream side of river bends.
November generally yields the winning crappie in the Derby. It is a little early to find them on the channel edges along river bends: deep river bends don’t typically produce big fish until after the second cold front. In Lake Monroe and Lake Harney, you’ll find folks drifting minnows under a bobber on windy days, same for Jesup. During the full and new moon phases the lily pads near deep water will be the place to find slabs. For the folks trolling, speed matters. Longline works best in the 1.0 to 2.0 mph range, a little slower for spider rigging .5 to 1.2 mph. Jig colors and depth are also a big factor. Set your baits at different depths and change colors until you find what the fish prefer.
Plano has released their simple tray tackle box again, just in time for the holidays. The 2-tray model is perfect for holding crappie lures: you can fit all your soft plastic colors plus weighted jigs and more. Crappie jigs that work great in the Derby: 2″ curly tails in all colors, Roadrunner lures, mylar jigs, and ice jigs. Colors: Pink, green, chartreuse, red/white, black, blue/white, yellow, orange, purple, and combinations thereof. Always tip your jig with a live minnow.
And don’t forget to sign up for the 17th Annual Shad and Crappie Derby! Visit coastalanglermag.com/orlando/shad-crappie-derby/ for complete information.
