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Crappie are just like us, they have inherited instincts and
they never change. They still swim around in schools, eating the same as their ancestors did years ago. So some
things just do not change. Knowing just a few of these basic instincts that drive crappies habits will give you a huge
advantage over other fishermen.
Fishing Habits
Crappies are not bottom feeders,
and they are not top feeders either. They are more like middle feeders. Crappies are predators, and their instinct is
to school and hunt in packs. They school where there is cover and structure. Their instinct to hide in cove allows
them to hide from their prey and strike without being seen. This method also allows them to hide from larger predators.
Intelligence
You have to remember that crappie are not stupid. If they
can see you, they know the meal you have waiting for them will cost them your life. Try to be as invisible as possible
when you are fishing. If crappie see enough of the brothers and sisters getting pulled of the water by your big
red lure, they will eventually figure out it is not something they want eat. Don't be afraid to switch baits if the
crappie bite begins to slow.
Weather Conditions
Barometric pressure is not exactly a crappie instinct, but it does affect crappie and it is a good indicator when deciding
what and how to present your bait.
Barometric tells you how heavy the air is over your location. The
lower the reading, the heavier the air. Two things cause heavy air: Moisture and temperature. So, the colder
(and more moist) the air is, the more it weighs.
Crappie have to deal with the weight of the air on the
top of the weight of the water. Heavy weight makes him move slower and also him more sluggish.
Keep
track of the barometric pressure and where you find the crappie, and how you catch them. You'll notice how things
change depending on the barometric pressure.
You can make adjustments depending on the conditions.
Fish will move slower when its cold and so should your presentation.
You can also make adjustments
when they're moving faster. The nice thing about live bait is that it's self-adjusting.
Well Folks, I hope the information on crappie instincts will help you catch your limit! GOOD LUCK & GOOD FISHING!
**NOTE**
Received an e-mail from a retired Chemist, regarding on what causes "heavy
air": Moist air is lighter than dry air. Dry air is 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, and one % other gases. Rounding to
80% N2 and 20% O2 gives:
N2 mol.wt. 28
O2 mol.wt. 32
so the close average mol.wt. is about 28.8.
Water has a mol.wt of 18, so adding water vapor to air reduces the average mol.wt.
Reference:
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wdensity.htm
"...Humidity and air density
Most people who haven't studied physics or chemistry
find it hard to believe that humid air is lighter, or less dense, than dry air. How can the air become lighter if we add water
vapor to it?
Scientists have known this for a long time. The first was Isaac Newton, who stated that humid air is less
dense than dry air in 1717 in his book, Optics. But, other scientists didn't generally understand this until later in
that century...."
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