Wintertime Crappie Fishing Is Hot!

Discovering Crappie in the Winter isn't as impossible as many oldtimers believe. In reality, once you find Crappie in one area, you can pretty much find them in the same type of areas any place on the body of water you are fishing.

Once you have discovered the Crappie pattern for your local body of water, you can pretty much count on finding Crappie in the same areas regardless of where you are on the water. For example, if you find them suspended at 15 feet over 50 feet of water on a submerged river channel with brush, you'll likely find then at other areas of the lake suspended at 15 feet of water over deep brush.

In most lakes at this time of year, Crappie can almost always be found hanging around deep brush on submerged river or creek channels. Vertical bluff-type structure, and manmade brushpiles in deep water are also excellent areas to find Winter Crappie.

A good lake or river map showing the bottom details is a must for Winter Crappie fishing. Search for those brushy areas along submerged breaks. Although Crappie normally hold in deep water during the Winter, there are times you can find them shallow. This will usually occur after a few days of warm weather. Crappie are likely to be only a few feet deep over brush or you may find them on the flats relating to structure.

The right tackle will make you or break you for Crappie fishing in the Winter.

Winter Crappie fishing requires you to downsize your tackle. The same tackle you used back in the Summer and Spring will not be as effective in Winter. Light and Ultralight rods in the 6 to 7 foot range, small minnows or 1/32 ounce jigs and four pound test line are the norm. Crappie become sluggish and finicky in the Winter, and they won't chase bait. In fact, they want the bait right in front of their mouth during most of the Winter.

I like using 6 to 7 foot Light to Ultra Light spinning rods with a stiff back. I prefer graphite over fiberglass rods because Crappie bite softly in the Winter. Graphite rods help you feel these soft bites.

My other Winter Crappie fishing gear includes tiny ice fishings jigs or spoons, jigs in the 1/32 or 1/64 ounce range and 2 to 4 pound test line. I know what you're thinking. But Winter Crappie do not put up much of a fight and you should be able to horse any Crappie from a brush pile with this setup. Sure, you'll lose a few, but you'll catch more by downsizing than you will by using heavy rods, lines and baits.

Makes sure you slow down your presentation. Winter Crappie do not move fast and will not chase your bait like they do in the Summer and Spring. Many times I've held my rod still to entice Crappie in a deep brushpile to bite.

For more information on how to catch Crappie anytime of the year, please visit the links below.