Clearlake Crappie curiosities.....

We are no way very experienced in the pursuit of crappie. They did go from an incidental species to a targeted species with the abounding decline of our preferred targets.

When we started to pay attention, the docks at Konocti were being literally sunk by people catching crappie. We seldom wet a line for them yet. 5 (6-7?) yrs ago we started at Glenhaven and for 3-4 yrs never had to leave the area. During the big flood at Clear lake, we still caught plenty fish. We started snooping around 3 seasons ago and did NOT find fish at Konocti but did elsewhere. Now we are finding very few schools in "0ld" areas or new.

It seems that the fish went from 9"-11" five seasons back and generally increased in size by an inch or so a year to the general 13"-14" to the occasional, though NOT uncommon 16" fish now. Also the areas of occupancy seems to be diminishing, of which some can be due to less water, but.........?

Are we fishing the same fish until the down-cycle (heard they were very cycled in nature) and if so, where are the little (replacement) fish? I see VERY FEW being pestered by anybody.
.....lee s.