They ain't bitin'. McKinney went back two days later and caught his limit. When you find them, you can catch them. But Whitehead says crappie are creatures of habit. The pre-spawn period can be one of the best times to catch scads of trophy-class crappie. They’ll be there too. Winter Crappie . 1. You don’t have to fish deep. Help Crappie.com by becoming a Supporting Member. Register and I will offer you a free Crappie.com decal (plus a lot less ads too). Think deep and look for prime structure adjacent to a channel or drop-off. If you’re having trouble locating crappie, one aspect you might have forgotten is the time of day. 4,657 Posts #5 • 3 mo ago. “During the winter, the less wind there is, the better the fishing I can do,” he said. Believe it or not, you might have more success if you try fishing at night. When you catch a crappie, stay there. It is now that time of the year when crappie and other panfish go into a catatonic state, or, so it seems. Page 1 of 2 1 2 Last. They shut down. You can catch bluegill at other times of the day but these are the times I have found success, especially in winter. Click Here for AD-Free Premium membership options. Lurenet team pick: 6-foot medium light action rod, 1000 size spinning reel, 6- to 8-pound test line. Crappie fishing at Christmas has been one of my more successful efforts over the years. Winter Crappie Fishing Big Water. Winter crappie fishing can be a lot of fun if you know where to look. by Paul Potter, Grand Lake Pro Fishing Guide. Use your SONAR to locate the schools, or even better, large schools of bait-fish. JigsPlastic jigs are classic crappie bait for all seasons. In the summer they like to suspend in the thermocline. The schools are bigger and more tightly compact, so you can sit in one spot and catch fish-after-fish. A prolong period of stable high pressure normally results in good fishing, however, with high pressure (high barometer pressure) crappie will often migrate to deeper water depths. To learn the best times of day to catch bluegill all season, check out this comprehensive guide I wrote. Bobby Garland Baby Shad w/ Bobby Garland 1/16 oz. However, this does not mean that crappies are difficult to catch. The fish are in big schools on the structure. Think Antarctica. The more time you can have that minnow in front of the crappie, the better your chances of catching them.” You can have lots of panfish fun in the winter months. “Water temperatures can get too cold to catch bass, but one thing about crappie: they don’t mind the cold. At least 2 of these rigs would be perfect when you are fishing in shallow water. This can be some of the best crappie fishing of the year, if you prefer to fight fish, and not crowds. It was a raw, cold and windy day, but he caught several nice crappie. (As always, check your local regulations for crappie limits where you fish.) During what most consider a cold month, crappie fishing can be hot. Tight lipped. Starting in early spring, crappie spawning season is the best time of the year to catch the delicious panfish, with the fish moving towards shallower waters as they make their nests and spawn eggs. Where do Crappie go in the Winter and Summer? Lethargic if you know what I mean. If you are using tube jigs, you can simply put the Crappie Nibbles inside the jig. The key to winter crappie is to fish extremely slowly. Crappie Fishing During the Day Day time crappie fishing can be totally different than night time crappie fishing. The cold season makes crappies feed more, but you will hardly find them lurking in the shallow parts of the river or near shallow banks. “You have to keep the bait in front of the crappie most of the time. During the spring spawn they can be found in the shallows. So, obviously, if that guy up north can catch crappie, then they can be caught here all winter. Bring a lightweight or ultra-light spinning combo. Crappie feed heavily in cold water. Consistently taking that many crappies in a day calls for skill and perseverance. Just keep these crappie fishing tips in mind. Now you are probably asking yourself, “How do I find this magical 10% section that holds all the active fish?” That is exactly what we are going to talk about in this article. These five techniques are the very best we’ve ever tried for limit catches. How to Find Crappie Ice Fishing Crappie move a lot through the winter and keeping up with their movement patterns can be as tricky as catching them. My fishing companions reflected the state of the winter chill. There’s nothing you can do about the weather or colder water temperatures in the winter time. Crappie actually are fairly nocturnal during the winter, meaning they’ll be more active at night than in the day. Highland reservoir crappie will congregate in standing timber along steep bluffs or man-made brush piles adjacent to any deep water. A spider rig holds three to five rods and attaches to the bow of the boat. Jump to page: Results 1 to 10 of 19 Thread: Winter fishing in Missouri? During the winter, these prized fish tend to change their activity and movement patterns and to be able to find and fish them, you will need to have an idea of what they have a tendency to do. However, during the middle of the day, they tend to move deeper unless it is in the middle of the winter. It was cold that day. Braving the cold and maybe a slow bite can lead to crappie in the winter. Once you establish a pattern, you need to know where you can run to other places on the lake and find that same type and depth of water. https://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/fishing/how-to-catch-crappie-in-winter Find a good wintertime spot and chances are you can return to it year-after-year. (Photo by Scott Bernarde) These expert tips will produce enough crappie action to keep you warm on the most frigid days on the water. They still have to eat, however, and those anglers who understand the weather, the fish, and the proper presentation can still catch them in good numbers. Winter crappie fishing tips may help you to stand above the other anglers out there that struggle with crappie fishing during the colder months. Staying mobile and using a flasher are the keys to finding crappie throughout winter. Anglers who shoot docks can at times catch good winter crappie around deeper docks that contain brushpiles. January weather can be a little unpredictable at times, but it still can be a good time to catch wintertime slabs. In winter. Use the correct gear. Crappie follow distinct patterns during each season. Leavell McKinney, bundled in ice fishing attire, fished February 26 at Mississinewa Reservoir. In winter crappie fishing, 75% of the job is finding the fish. 1. 1. How to Catch Winter Crappie Slabs. Crappie are patternable in the winter. For lures you can use a large variety of plastics, but I will narrow it down to the best three available. The first thing you will observe about crappies in the winter season is the change in their behavior. CRAPPIE FISHING FROM THE BANK IN WINTER When you catch a crappie, throw out a buoy marker, because if you catch one winter crappie, you can assume other crappie probably are close by. Like other fish and cold-blooded creatures, crappie turn lethargic in the colder months. Crappie are one of the most sought after winter species nation-wide, and with good reason. Post #4074625 ; Post #4078698 ; Post #4074729 ; Post #4074420 ; Post #4076300 ; Thanks: 0. For the slow-moving winter crappie, though, you will want to use smaller jigs with an 1/64th ounce or 1/16ounce jig head. “Where I found crappie in open water in winter in years before, I can usually find them at the same places now. Bass would just shut down, but crappie just kept biting. Winter can be a great time to catch crappie. As the sun rises and falls, crappie are far more likely to be in the shallows. Switch to a lighter line. There are several different methods for crappie fishing before the spring thaw. Ah yes, the depression of winter panfishing. You’ll get a specially curated box of bait mailed to your door every month that you can’t find in stores. This is why when you want to catch a crappie, you can use a minnow as bait. Winter crappie fishing doesn’t have to be difficult. Likes: 11. While catching a few slab crappies is surely worthwhile anytime, collecting enough for a fish fry requires volume. A 6 hook is a good tool to use, and you can even put a cork before you drop in the bait. Tips For Finding and Catching Winter Crappie By Roy Rudolph Here’s a secret many crappie anglers don’t want you to know: Winter is the best time for crappie fishing. On lowland reservoirs, you can find crappie bunched up in brush piles or standing timber at the mouths of big creeks where the fish will be holding at depths of 10 to 20 feet. Sure, it can be cold out there, but if you dress for the weather and keep safety in mind while fishing, you could be enjoying a plate full of fried fish as you watch the Super Bowl. There are a lot more where that one came from. If you fish from shore, consider using a slip-bobber for precise depth control. In cold weather, you can catch crappie by slow-trolling spider rigs in the middle of the lakes. Fish the shallow water that has brush. When the water temperature approaches the mid 50s, crappie will begin their winter phase. Many fishermen, even experienced ones, believe you can not catch crappie anytime except the springtime. Here are some things you will want to know in order to prepare for your crappie ice fishing trip and have a successful experience. 2. Crappie Fishing In Winter. Wintertime crappie fishing can be tough, but crappie caught in the winter months can be the biggest of the year. Go Fishing at Night. Here are our top 3 tips to help you find crappie, jig for crappie, and catch crappie at night. Thread … I can remember some really cold winters where we’d get some ice on the lake (which is rare for the South). Crappie school up so if you find them you can usually catch a lot. If you want an unfair advantage over other anglers and to get your hands on some of the best and hardest to acquire baits and lures on the market, you need to check out Mystery Tackle Box. I discovered by trial and error, and by watching other fishermen, how to catch cold crappie at the end of December. In most situations, a 5 to 7 foot long rod with medium to slow action works well for cold weather crappie fishing. Especially, if you happen to live in one of the northern states. The fishing, in fact, may be even better and more consistent at times during the winter months because the fish are easier to pattern compared to fishing during the weather vagaries of spring. Finding and ice fishing crappie is a favorite among recreational anglers. Some wintertime crappie will be found shallow at times, but most wintertime crappie congregate in deep water around and within thick cover or structure. Crappie will move to those areas after a … “I go back to my past experience,” said Whitehead. Most crappie will relocate into deep water in the winter. Add to that falling water temperature and it’s not a great time to be fishing. This is not a fact. If the water is deep, it should be fine to lose these floats and troll the minnows slowly. Can't catch one for nothin'! At night. 90% of the fish in a lake reside in just 10% of the actual lake. Crappie may prefer one presentation over another, but the opportunity to catch fish remains constant despite the fact that a large percentage of crappie gear is stowed away for much of the year. In the fall, when the water turns over, they go to any stable water they can find.