One of the most fulf
spring crappie fishi
has a huge interest
has been prevalent f
off the local waters
ever-so-active crapp
near crappie move to
fisherman who enjoys
before, you know tha
crappie fishing of t
Most anglers enjoy s
migrate to shallower
search time. Instead
will tend to move to
riprap banks and doc
the backs of creeks
lake's banks. Beside
crappie tend to stac
fish, the chances ar
catch a bunch of the
a big bag of slabs a
One thing you need t
crappie wants to eat
catching springtime
bucket. The shallowe
lakes still constitu
right bank to work,
surrounding environm
presentation possibl
this time of year, s
proper depth and as
they are not in the
yet.
The spring migration
the crappie will ten
and back out over th
timing of their move
year to year within
spring weather condi
early spring with ni
catch crappie in the
will begin moving fr
areas sometime very
like channel ledges,
keying on any brush
behavior during the
to line up around co
spawning areas. They
and typically work t
narrow lake arms.
Throughout this migr
spawning grounds, cr
string of sunny days
cold front. Regardle
find rocks, brush or
cover provides prote
a crappie likes to e
warm days strung tog
fully take place, bu
actually warm up as
sun shines brightly
those that are surro
that is slightly sta
soak up the suns ray
first warm days occu
fairly deep structur
feed. At this point,
increase, they will
few more weeks.
Typically, shallow h
water will draw fish
major channels and t
easy travel routes f
shallow cover. Becau
of depth, along with
for the water to war
numbers, those spots
time crappie tend to
they won't chase any
this part of the sea
the majority of the
depths. A basic cork
6 hook and live minn
out and let it settl
depths until you sta
second rod stamp, yo
same time at various
your search time dow
temperatures continu
of ledges and begin
shallow to feed more
use on the warm spri
Finding at least a f
challenge, but they
those first wonderfu
still fairly close t
by major channels an
always hold a lot of
the fish have just b
grounds. Warmer weat
finding crappie in t
becoming the norm in
Floats or bobbers st
at this time of the
approaches are a lit
out, calling for sea
will have warmed eno
or jig, as long as i
speak of a jig, I am
tube or small plasti
weighted. A float of
of year, whether you
allows you to contro
identify the product
allows you to move t
along the way, which
strike early in the
shallow flats and co
stumps or brushpiles
some type, trolling
For shallow flats, c
setting different li
identify patterns mu
handy any time you t
more than one strike
hotspot don't anchor
is shallow. Try to a
the fish won't feel
As spring warms even
creeks. Now is when
to the banks or on c
a great time to try
the 1/4oz and 1/8oz
the same time, crapp
creeks will hold the
well up them, but so
shoreline tree, dock
will spawn and then
deeper water. The jo
early season's patte
as spring gives way
throughout late spri
risen. They are much
moving, and they wil
minnow or small bait
run a few things wil
best spring spots ar
than on the water. I
spend time studying
some potentially goo
Next, pay attention
much shallower when
is clear. Also as I
stained water warms
Finally, crappies of
together. If the fis
smaller than the leg
nice large crappie,
and work this patter
produce great result
changing temperature
fishermen to catch a
patterns will hopefu
important item to re
paper thin and a har
fish, and disturb th
catch and release. H
you catch a bunch of
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illing activities fo
ng. This is the time
in going fishing wit
or several months an
and temperatures st
ie nears spawning ti
ward their spawning
crappie fishing and
t springtime offers
he year.
pring crappie becaus
water and this alon
of holding on hidde
shallow treetops an
ks, many of which ar
or coves and usually
s the fact that they
k up, so where you h
e extremely good tha
m. Overall, finding
re at their best thi
o remember. You must
. Don't be fooled in
crappie is like pull
r flats and shorelin
te a lot of water. E
it is necessary to o
ent and make the mos
e. Crappie are stil
o your bait must be
close to the fish as
mood to go chasing a
to the spawning are
d to migrate gradual
e course of a few mo
s varies from lake t
the same lake, depen
tions. In other word
ce warm days in Marc
conditions describe
om their deep main l
early in the spring.
humps and long poin
or stumps. Bass tend
pre-spawn period whe
ver that is usually
gradually move shal
oward the backs of c
ation pattern, both
appie will move extr
and move deeper wit
ss of water depth th
some kind of cover
ction, and it attrac
at. Usually you need
ether for the shallo
t the air temperatur
much as you might th
it will warm shallow
unded by riprap or n
ined and filled with
s will heat up much
r, the crappie will
e and they will not
if the water temper
start chasing down t
otspots that lie qui
. Bridges or structu
he shallow ends of l
or the crappie from
se areas that offer
good cover, and the
m slightly are obvio
can be golden in ea
feed more on minnow
thing. Most of the b
son are limited in n
searching will be th
rig, with a float,
ow, is tough to beat
e, and then experime
rt getting bites. If
u might want to try
depths. This method
n a bit. As spring
e to warm, crappie w
pushing into the cre
frequently, and the
ng days become much
ew fish becomes some
often aren't quite a
l days of spring. Th
o deep water. Flats
d banks near the mou
crappie, especially
egun their migration
her and sunrise are
he shallows, but suc
stead of the excepti
ill come into play f
year, but some of th
tle more active. The
rching type tactics.
ugh so that the fish
t is not moving too
talking about small
c curly tail on a ji
fers two major advan
are fishing with ji
l and track depths,
ive zone and keep ba
he lure or bait slow
can be essential fo
year. When the crapp
uld be holding on an
, provided you have
comes into play.
orks remain part of
nes at different dep
ch more quickly. Kee
roll and toss it out
in a small area. If
right over it espec
nchor a good cast aw
invaded or spooked.
more, crappie will
they will spend most
over along shallow f
a lure like the Bill
sizes. Because all f
ie will be widesprea
most fish, by far,
me crappie will show
or riprap. Eventu
they will start to m
urney out is gradual
rns and hotspots wil
to summer. Fish are
ng as their body tem
more willing to tak
l typically grab a j
fish imitation. Th
l help you catch mor
e much more distingu
f you can find a goo
it before your first
d areas to hit as sp
to the water color,
the water is stained
have mentioned in pr
faster than clear wa
the same size tend
h that keep taking y
al limit size, move
pay close attention
n over and over agai
s. Springtime, with
s, brings the best o
limit of slab crapp
lly help you catch y
member is that a cra
d hookset could seve
eir eating habits, i
ave fun guys and gal
crappies this seaso
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r many people is
of year that my son
h Dad. Cabin fever
d as the ice lifts
art to rise, the
me. As spring draws
areas. If you are a
has chased them
up the hottest
e they tend to
e cuts down on your
n cover, crappie
d stump fields,
e visible, often in
fairly close to a
are shallow, spring
ook into one big
t you are going to
crappie and catching
s time of year.
present what the
to thinking that
ing fish from a
e areas of most
ven if you find the
bserve the
t educated pattern
l a bit lethargic
presented at the
possible, since
nything around as of
as is gradual and
ly into the shallows
nths. The exact
o lake and even from
ding on winter and
s, if we have an
h, you can expect to
d above. Crappie
ake winter holding
They use structures
ts as staging areas,
to have the same
n they are starting
adjacent to their
lower and shallower
reeks, coves and
to and from their
a shallow with a
h each late season
ey almost always
to hold around. That
ts the minnows which
to have a few nice
w water action to
e does not have to
ink. As long as the
areas, especially
atural rocks. Water
wood and rocks to
quicker. When those
still be holding on
move far just to
ature continues to
heir food within a
te close to deep
res that run across
ong points provide
the depths to good
the necessary range
required quality
usly limited in
rly spring. At this
s than on jigs and
est spots during
umber and size, so
rough different
split shot, No. 4 or
. Just flip the bait
nt with different
you purchase a
two poles at the
will tend to cut
progresses and
ill move to the tops
eks. They move
shallow areas they
more widespread.
what less of a
s concentrated as
e best cover is
that are dissected
ths of creeks will
on warm days when
toward the spawning
still the keys to
h days are quickly
on.
or finding crappie
e best angling
fish can be spread
By now the water
will chase a minnow
quickly. When I
1 ? to 2 plastic
ghead that is
tages at this time
gs or minnows. It
making it easy to
its in it, and
ly, even stopping it
r getting crappie to
ie are spread across
y of hundreds of
a water vessel of
the equation, and
ths will again help
p a marker buoy
any time you get
you find a real
ially if the water
ay from the area so
move farther up the
of their time close
lats. This would be
Lewis Rat-L-Trap in
ish don't move at
d by mid-spring. The
with concentrations
up around any
ally the crappie
ove back toward
and some of the
l turn on once again
much more aggressive
peratures have
e a bait as it is
ig as readily as a
roughout the crappie
e fish. First, the
ishable on a map
d topographical map,
trip and identify
ring progresses.
as crappie will hold
than when the water
evious articles,
ter.
to hang out
our baits are
on. If you catch a
to the conditions
n. This should
its constantly
pportunity for most
ie. Using these
our limit. One
ppie's mouth is
rely damage the
f you are practicing
s and I truly hope
n!
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