Never give up and check spots that might not look like prime spots.  Recently while fishing in a crappie tournament my fishing partner and I (actually it was all him) caught almost half of our limit off of a tree that was not in a prime spot.  It was near the boat dock and was accessible from shore.  Other similar trees along the shore didn't produce any crappie.  Why that tree produced was beyond us.

When fishing a submerged tree try working around the outside of the tree first, at the top.  Then work your way in closer to the branches and trunk.  A lot of the times the bigger crappie will be holding tighter to the trunk or bigger branches.  Pick the tree apart before moving on.  Drop right down into the thick of things and pull out that slab of a lifetime!

Remember to check your knot position after a few casts or a catch.  Keep the knot positioned at the back of the jig eye to maintain a horizontal presentation.  This little trick will help to increase the number of strikes.

On my favorite lake, to catch crappie in the summer months, i look for cover on the east shoreline early in the morning, if it has shade. I've found the water temperature to be quite a few degrees cooler there. The fish will be in the cooler water around wood or rocks for the greater part of the morning. The water doesn't have to be deep there but it helps if there is deeper water near by. I've caught fish as shallow as 3 to 4 feet over 5 foot water there. A waxworm or a crappie nibble on a 1/16 oz jig, fished under a small bobber will get the job done. Just keep changing jig body colors until you find the one they hit consistantly. When they stop hitting that color, dont leave. Try a different style of jig first. You'll be surprised at the number of fish you'll catch by changing. As the sun climbs higher than the trees and the water warms, move out to the first dropoff and give it a try. If no fish bite, look for a bridge and fish the downwind side of one of the pilings. Hopefully, this side is shaded. If not, give the shaded side a try. I've found the fish to be suspended around the 8 to 12 foot zone. I switch to a heavier jig. An 1/8 oz works good here. I use an ultralite rod and reel spooled with 4 pound test line, and cast and use the countdown method. Don't be surprised to get a few different species here as baitfish love to hang around the concrete pillers and all fish will come to feed on them. Set your drag a little loose and take your time playing the bigger fish. I hope these tips help you catch more fish this summer, as they work very well for me. Chaunc/ Smitty, proud KCA member