Crappie are being caught in deep brush piles in Toledo Bend Lake. From now to mid-July, Toledo Bend’s immense crappie population will move to both natural and man-made structures situated along the main river channel running north to south on Toledo Bend. These fish will be found deep in depths ranging from 12 to 30 feet of water.

“There have been plenty of crappie taken at day and at night under the Pendleton Bridge over the past month even with the rising lake level,” reptorted inland fisheries district 10 biologist manager Villis Dowden with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to Louisiana Sportsman Magazine.

“Bridge pilings No. 8 to No. 12 have always been favorites for anglers as they have the old-style feed pallet tree structures clustered around the bases,” he said. “As the water warms into late June," and early July, "pilings No. 14 to No. 19 always fish better with their placement in slightly deeper water."

Photo courtesty TPWD