Crappie Fishing Tips

Whether you are new to Crappie fishing, or an avid fisherman, it never hurts to other opinions and tips from both professional and amateur fisherman alike. Some fisherman have a habit of finding one certain style of fishing, and sticking to it. While doing what makes you most comfortable may allow you to fish without any surprises, many times that style of fishing may now work in all situations and conditions. By trying different things, you may find that you increase your catch.

Fishing for Crappie in Winter

During the winter, water temperatures can drop below 40 degrees. When the water is this cold, look for schooling crappie in deeper areas from 18 to 30 feet. Most areas water stay below this temperature from late November to early march. Concentrate on sharp bends or points and work both directions with a slow presentation until you find the right depth and color combination. Professional fisherman prefer to start with darker colors of red, green, or orange in combinations with yellow or chartreuse tails. Pre-tie your rigs and setup. By having the rigs already tied we can spend more time fishing, and much less time changing baits. It also beats attempting to tie new bait on when the temperature is low and your fingers are numb.

Fishing for Crappie in Fall

Fall is literally the hardest time to fish for Crappie. During the fall, crappie may seem to disappear completely. The truth is they do not disappear, they just change the area in which they frequent. One day the crappie may be found in shallow water around submerged weeds, and may be schooling in 30 foot open waters the next. The trick is attracting the more illusive Crappie to your bait. This can be accomplished several ways.

1) Fish slower. Give the Crappie more time to see the bait.
2) Use bright colored baits. Orange/chartreuse, yellow/chartreuse, and green/chartreuse Crappie Pro jig bodies are favorites among professional fisherman.
3) If you are using artificial bait, use bait scents. tip out jigs with a piece of minnow or Berkley Crappie Nibbles.
4) Allow for more bait movement. While moving the bait requires more time and energy, it attracts the Crappie by giving the illusion of live bait.

Fishing for Crappie in Spring

Fishing for Crappie during the spring may be the easiest, because most Crappie are spawning during this time. The male Black Crappie construct a large nest by fanning out small depressions around the bottom of brush, various vegetation, rocks, or submerged boulders, in water anywhere from 1 to 5 feet deep. The female Black Crappie then come in and lay eggs in the nest. Concentrate on these types of areas, and keep an open mind.