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The problem is that many fisherman think of only in terms of Spring
fishing. Crappie are much like any other schooling fish and many of the same tactics that work on Bass, Walleye and White
Bass work when Crappie fishing.
These fishing tips are here to help you extend your fishing season to the point
you can catch fish year round.
My favorite times other than the spawn are the Fall and Winter months. Sometimes
if the day heats up after a morning duck hunt, I'll head out into the lake and find a school of Crappie hanging above
a submerged creek bank or over submerged timber.
Most times of the year, I'll find the fish out in the lake
in 12 to 18 feet of water. I have caught them as deep as 25 feet during really cold or really hot spells. But day in and day
out, 8 to 18 feet is where I'll find Crappie.
When I'm after deep water fish holding over structure, I'll
use a 6 lb test line on a 7 foot light action spinning rod. This can have some obvious drawbacks if you hook into a big Striper
or Catfish. Been there, done that!
If the fish are holding over a deep water break, I may go as light as a 6 foot
graphite rod and 4lb test line. But beware! There are big bass and catfish lurking below!
If the water is a little
murky or muddy, I like using a combination of bright and dark jigs. Like a two toned lure with a blaze orange head and black
or brown body. Sometimes I'll also add some sound to my baits by using a spinner blade or shot. Don't get to loud
with your sound, Crappie are spooky fish.
During early Summer mornings, I use a spider rig to find Crappie that
aren't schooled up. Once the Sun get's up and the heat turns on, I use my fish locator to find schools of Crappie
along deep water channels or over suspended timber.
Another good tactic to find scattered fish is suspending a
jig from a slip float rig. Set out several rods, I like to use 6 or more, and drift along the lake until you start picking
up fish.
Catchng these tasty fish isn't hard. You just have to change tactics and get out of spawn mode. Just
remember, Crappie have to eat year round. You just need to be there when they get hungry and give them what they want to eat!
Year round Crappie fishing can be a blast. Challenging at times, yes. Is it worth it? When there's ice on the
window sill and sleet is pelting the window and you're sitting at the Kitchen table downing some fresh caught golden brown
filets...yeah it's worth it!
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