I am going to Cumberland this weekend, taking my wife and two kids (3 and 7). I will be going out in mornings by myself, looking for striper jumps or a topwater smallmouth bite. I am taking the family out midday and would love to provide them a chance of catching something.

I have no idea how to crappie fish other than what I read over the years. Should I bother buying some minnows and looking for structure off the bank? Would I have a better chance on the main lake or way up in the creeks? Must everyone in the boat be still and quite to catch fish directly below the boat?

Another option might be to buy some shiners and let them cast onto points for kentucky. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any help. Oh yea, one other problem. I lost my transducer last month on a rogue log, so I'm fishing "blind".