fat crappie lower lagoon banks. 2/3/18

slept all day, decided try for the evening bite. thought water would be warmer but the lower to me felt colder then the upper did last week. i need to find my rc car engine temp gauge so i can just shoot the water with the laser and see what it is. tried the beach point for about a hour working it slow only took out dropshot and plastics. couldnt get anything dragging around 20-25foot deep max back to shore. there is a small point near the ramp on the right so i hit that towards end. still in only around 20 foot of water or less and got this crappie. the fish was acting strange after release... not sure if it survived or not or bird got it or whatevers. i dont really fish to eat it and dont kill it and leave it so i felt kinda bad after so i just left. i shoulda prob kept hitting area when you find one crappie there usually is more. but ya anyways cya.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWi19BYXV4s

I've caught fish from 40-50 foot depths that do that, can't take the quick pressure change, but in only 20 FOW that should not happen. Also most of the crappie I've caught and seen caught usually come up to the surface when you are bringing them in. Your fish looked like it stayed down all the way in. If that fish was sick, you would not think it would be hungry and take your bait.. Who knows...

When Fishing deep water
Stuff, sack it or fizz it—-


Cm

i know i was tripped out. the fish took off when i put it back in water fast and went down to recover he popped up like 30 seconds later. i didnt have trebles with me just took out drop shot gear, or iw ould have treble snagged him out. but i was able to cast and get it close to me again as i go down to grab it he go down again and pop up again 30 seconds later...ive also done the channel island overnight and fished 300 feet deep for rock fish and i do understand why fish would do this if caught deep but also they do it when they are super tired.. but how he swam off though is what trips me out usually if a fish is gonna turn upside down they dont have the energy to swim off or if caght from deep effects the air bladder. . ya i only got him in prob 15 foot of water im only casting like 40-50 yards out with my light and ultra light set up and with up to 1/2 oz weights max for drop shotting and only getting maybe a 20 count at the laggon if that i have caught 5-6 pound largemouth on light line and had to tire it out to get it in and they still never do this so ya who knows. because usually ill revive it till it bite down on finger and swim off. it does remind me of the bladder effect though of a deep fish since in ocean they tend to do that if you have to release a small one caught it just sits at top trying to swim. but those are deep fish not 20 foot of water or less. i caught it like halfway reeled in from initial cast. i reel it up in 45 sec with 4 pound line and light drag idk.. still trips me out some.
well water is still cold and every fish i do manage to catch when its cold like this is not like a regular catch at all its more of just dragging the fish up with literally 0 fight against you. i think it just has to do with the winter though and how sluggish they are during these months before the spring.