How to Sink Crappie Cover

Legendary Nashville crappie guide Harold Morgan knows the haunts and habits of this game fish better than any angler I've fished with. In my many trips with Morgan, I've been constantly amazed at his ability to catch crappie when other anglers on the lake are shooting blanks. Morgan has refined his live bait and lure techniques over decades of crappie fishing, yet insists that without painstaking preparation well before the crappie season begins, even the most sophisticated rigs and presentations cannot produce to their full potential. For Harold, this preparation means sinking crappie cover in his home lakes, Priest and Old Hickory reservoirs. "Most fishermen think dropping a Christmas tree or two in the lake is all it takes to ensure good crappie fishing, but there's much more to it than that," Morgan insists. Here, for the first time, the guide reveals his secrets for sinking cover -- secrets you can use to greatly enhance crappie waters near you! But first, a word of caution: Sinking brush, trees or other types of cover is not legal everywhere. Check state and local regulations first.

Why Sink Cover? Morgan says if you're serious about catching crappie year-round, it's important to sink cover. He lists several reasons why: Aging reservoirs -- "As our reservoirs get older, their submerged wood cover disappears," Morgan said. "Trees and brush rot away, get broken up by wave action and scattered by anglers who hang lures and anchors in it, or wash away in current. No new reservoirs have been constructed in years, so the cover in our aging reservoirs needs replacing."

Baitfish magnet -- "Wood cover draws baitfish. They feed on the algae which coats the wood, and find shelter from predators in the shadows of the cover. More baitfish means more crappie."

Current break -- "In rivers and river-run reservoirs, wood cover provides a current break which can draw in scores of crappie."

Spawning aid -- "Crappie spawn around submerged wood. I've seen females press against the forks of branches to help them lay their eggs." Secret spots -- "By sinking cover and carefully noting its location, you can have your own secret honey holes and catch fish even when other anglers are hauling water."


Which Wood Works In their attempts at luring crappie, some anglers plant stake beds; others sink brushpiles; still others drop Christmas trees. Morgan uses dead trees or large branches for crappie cover. But, according to Morgan, not any trees will do.

"I prefer sections of hardwood trees, plus willow and fruit trees," he says. "These all last a long time in the water -- I'm still fishing some trees today that I sank over 12 years ago." Christmas trees and cedar trees? No way, Morgan insists. "The single biggest mistake I see crappie anglers who are sinking cover make is relying too much on pines and cedars. I believe these trees put out an aroma that can repel fish. Their bushy branches get mired down with silt so the tree gets pressed down flat; this explains why you often can't locate the Christmas tree you sank last winter once spring rolls around. And their branches are so full, fish cannot move freely within the tree, and you stay hung up constantly when fishing them." Never put out any tree or large branch with its leaves still attached, the guide warns. "The leaves stay there for a surprisingly long time, and grab silt like a catcher's mitt."


Morgan's Method Morgan searches for wood on the banks of Priest and Old Hickory when these reservoirs are at their lowest level, usually from December through late February. "Two winters ago we had a massive ice storm, and we're still picking up dead branches and entire trees that were downed. There's usually plenty of dead wood on the ground, so never cut down live trees," Morgan says.


Although it is often necessary to trim a large branch to make it more manageable when dragging it to the water's edge, Morgan always leaves at least a couple of primary limbs attached. "These elevate the trunk off the bottom, so crappie and baitfish have plenty of room to roam about freely underneath. A tree whose trunk is elevated will produce far more fish than one laying flat on the bottom." Morgan uses a bow saw to cut downed wood into a manageable size; they prefer trees and branches from 18 to 22 feet in length. "This is small enough to be easily handled by one or two persons, yet long enough so that when you sink it, you can position your boat parallel to the tree and everyone in the boat can fish the cover," Harold points out. "If you sank a 10-foot. tree, the angler in the back of the boat may not be able to reach it." Once a likely tree or branch is located, Morgan drags it to the water's edge. Next, they cut two 6 ft. sections of stout nylon rope and attach one near the middle and the other at the thickest end. "These lines are used to connect your weight to the tree," Morgan explains. "Nylon rope lasts a long time and holds a knot well. The tag end of each rope section is tied into a loop or 'pigtail'; this makes it easier to attach the weight quickly."

A longer piece of rope is next tied near the end of the trunk; this is attached to a boat cleat. After double-checking all connections, Morgan slowly backs his boat away from shore and drags the tree into the water. Then Smyth pulls the tree closer to the boat and uses the short pigtail ropes to snug the branches close to the side. A plastic tarp or old blanket is used to prevent the limbs from scratching the fiberglass.

With the tree secured alongside the boat, Morgan idles to the spot where he wants to drop the tree; this location has been previously marked with a marker buoy. He attaches a heavy concrete block to one of the pigtail ropes, drops that end of the tree into the water, and repeats this process with the other end.


,Where to Sink Trees

Morgan says knowing the best places to sink cover can ensure great crappie fishing 12 months out of the year. "The first factor you must take into account is the difference between low and full pool at your local reservoir. Priest Lake, for example, is 5 to 7 ft. higher at full pool than during its lowest drawdown point in winter. If I want my tree to be in 15 ft. of water in spring once the lake level rises, then I'll have to sink it in 8 to 10 ft. of water in the winter."


Shallow trees are easy targets for other anglers, Morgan has found. "If I want to fish a tree in 8 ft. of water in spring, this means I have to sink it in only 1 to 3 ft. of water in winter; some of the branches will stick above the surface before the lake fills up, making it easy for my competition to spot." Although most anglers may prefer to fish shallower cover, Morgan has found trees in the 15 to 17 ft. range will produce crappie nearly year-'round, while remaining hidden from other anglers. The guide carefully plans where and how deep he sinks his trees. "I vary my 'drop spots' so I have good year-'round coverage," he says. "I presently have over 300 trees out in Priest Lake alone; some produce in spring, others in fall, still others in summer and winter." Here are some places Morgan recommends as prime spots for sinking cover:

• Deep points -- "These are terrific summer spots; suspending crappie will move onto points when feeding. Avoid sinking the tree on the very tip of the point, for this is a frequent casting target of bass fishermen, who will hang their worms and crankbaits in the branches and quickly break up the cover. Instead, sink it on the deepest side from 15 to 20 ft. deep."

• Creek channel drop-offs -- "Crappie use narrow creek channels like highways when moving around the reservoir. Sink some trees on the high side of the drop-off 10-15 ft. deep, and others with the trunk in the channel itself and the branches angling up to the top of the ledge. Use two cement blocks on the deep end of the cover or it may wash away during floods. Always sink a few trees all the way down into the channel; these will produce in the dead of winter."

• Flats -- "Flats with sand and pebbles on the bottom are good spawning sites, and a well-placed tree in this area will draw a ton of fat spawners. Drop a few trees from 10 to 20 ft. deep near the very edge of the flat, close to a channel drop-off."

• Humps -- "These will pull crappie in during the summer and fall. Bass fishermen usually hammer the top of the hump with their lures, so keep your trees on the deeper sides and ends. This is a good place to angle a tree from deep to shallow water for maximum depth coverage."

• Boat docks -- "A single tree sunk in 15 to 20 ft. of water near your boat dock can produce plenty of crappie spring through fall."


Preparation Pays

Sinking cover is hard work. But as Harold Morgan puts it, "It's like taking out a crappie insurance policy. A few trees in the right places will help guarantee success for years to come."