Spring crappie fishing is one of the best times of the year to go fishing. These fish are easier to catch and travel in a school which makes them fun to fish for. There are eight tips that I use when I fish for crappie that will greatly increase your chances of success. They are:
Use Live Minnow
Minnows are crappies food of choice. To rig these just put the hook right through their lip. They will allow them to swim freely and drive those fish crazy.
Fish Shallow Areas
Crappies come into the shallower areas during the spring to spawn. Because of that this is where you are going to find most of them during the spring months.
Locate a School
Once you catch one immediately throw your lure right back in the same spot. These fish travel in schools. Therefore if you catch one you will probably catch more.
Many crappie fishermen hang up their rods during the cold winter months, winterize their boats and sit back patiently waiting for spring. On the other hand, a lot of successful fishermen continue to fish for crappie all winter long, and for good reason: finding crappie in the winter can be easier than it is in the spring and summer.
Catching crappies through the ice can a be tough venture at times. Here's ten crappie ice fishing tips that will help put the odds in your favor.
1. Wintertime crappies most often relate to sharp drop offs, suspend in deep water flats, and submerged wood in deep water. It is not uncommon to find crappies suspended in 35′ of water if available. Because these fish can be anywhere from five feet all the way to the bottom a fish finder such as a Vexilar is a must.
2. When catching a crappie remember that crappies are a schooling fish so once you catch one, more fish are likely in the area. So take your time and try a few different jigs or bait and vary the depth of your presentation if you don't have a flasher.
3. Crappies rarely approach bait in a downward approach, meaning your better off presenting your bait above the fish versus below. I have witnessed this countless times when watching crappies approach my jig on my Vexilar FL-8.
Crappies are relatively easy to locate and catch and they have a very good flavor when cooked. Crappie are often found in large numbers around piers and brush. These loose aggregations are not really schools of fish but they can appear to come and go as they are fished out of a small area.
Crappies are found in vegetated areas of backwaters in streams, rivers, ponds and reservoirs. They prefer cool, clear waters. They predominantly feed on small fish, but may also consume mussels, snails, crayfish, aquatic insects.
As water temperatures approach 60 degrees Fahrenheit in late February to early May, male black crappie build their nests on top of sand, gravel or mud in shallow water. Females will deposit large amounts of eggs per spawn - 3,000 to 15,000 eggs! Large females can lay up to 150,000 eggs. The male guards the fertilized eggs until they hatch and the fry leave the nest.
Poor spawns from 2005-2007 impacted the numbers of young white crappie in Kentucky Lake, resulting in spotty fishing for white crappie over the last several years.
The crappie population in the lake also morphed from mainly white crappie to predominately black crappie due to aging of the lake. The water flows clearer than it once did and more sunlight reaches the depths, generating more aquatic vegetation. Clearer water and more vegetation favor the black crappie and their numbers increased dramatically in the last decade in Kentucky Lake.
The poor white crappie spawns and population changes left some Kentucky Lake crappie anglers scratching their heads in frustration the past several years. If current trends are any guide, crappie anglers on the lake won’t have time to scratch anything because they will be reeling in too many crappie.
Seasonal movements of black crappies are similar to other warmwater fish species. In early spring, when water temperatures begin to rise, many fish will move from the deep areas of a lake to shallow vegetated areas where spawning will occur. In early fall, crappies will again begin to move, this time feeding on available forage in preparation for winter.
Crappies are one of the few warmwater species that can actually be caught in greater numbers in the colder months between October and April, with November and March being the two best months.
Crappies move into shallower depths during autumn and closely associate with shoreline structures. They may be found in close proximity to weed lines, rocky points, flooded stream channels, or a variety of other habitats. Cooler water temperatures stimulate more aggressive feeding behavior.
Angling for Crappie is popular throughout much of North America. Crappie can be caught with most kinds of fishing tackle from cane poles to ultralight spinning tackle to fly rods. Crappies have a soft, fleshy mouth, and they are frequently referred to as "papermouths." Because of the soft membrane near the jaw, anglers should be very careful when setting the hook and handling crappie. Setting the hook with too much force will only tear the mouth and result in lost fish.
Because of their diverse diets, crappie may be caught in many ways, including casting light jigs, trolling with minnows or artificial lures, using small spinnerbaits, or using bobbers. Crappie can be caught year round, but the best time is during the spring spawning season when the fish are in shallow water and relatively easy to locate. Crappie often congregate in groups; if one is caught, more are usually present.
Crappie fishing can be frustrating and fruitless unless you know how to fish with the right lures. Using live bait is usually the best way to fish for Crappies but jigs can also be very successful.
When fishing for spring crappie, they will normally bite very light. You need to be able to feel the bite to catch fish. Use lighter line, like mono in 2lb to 6lb test. The reel can be an ultra light spinning reel or an open face baitcast reel. A simple spincast reel can also work, as well as a cane pole. A graphite rod with a cork handle can be very sensitive to feel the Crappie's light bite or nibble. Keep in mind that Crappie have a very sensitive lip that can tear easily if you set the hook to aggressively.
One of the most anticipated angling opportunities in Kansas is the spring crappie spawning period, usually from late April through May. The cool spring of 2011 may have delayed this year’s run, but warmer weather is in the forecast, and crappie are on the move. Reports from many reservoirs have crappie staging in water 15 to 20 feet deep, but once the water warms, anglers can expect to catch crappie as they move close to shore, where they spawn near brush piles and rocky shoreline along dams. This concentrates the fish and makes great fishing for boaters and shore anglers.
