Winter fish may go down to 30 feet or deeper on many lakes, but these depths can pose problems both with locating and catching crappie. When water temps begin to drop crappie will head back out to deeper water to spend the winter. RichHunt. Try these tips to load up on winter slabs. Summary. The word get out quick, and people recognize when the bite turns on through fishing reports and social media. I tie a 1/4- … Crappies don’t go to the depths of 80 ft; they stay about 30-40 feet deep. Fall is one of the best times to fish for crappie in the Northeast, second only to spring. If they can catch Crappie beneath the ice, then us Southern Anglers surely can catch Winter Crappie.Here's how to do it. All the more reasons to brave the cold and get out on the water! The October crappie bite can be excellent, especially for big crappie. In the colder months, they go far deeper down than in the warmer seasons, often at least 20 to 30 feet down. When baitfish go deep in colder months, crappie follow them. In cold water, crappie will not chase a fast-moving lure like they will during the warmer months. Again, be willing to experiment with the different approaches we’ve discussed, and the fish will tell you what they want. Light lines and small lures and bait will work much better than heavier gear. We will inform you about how crappies behave in winter and what you can do to find and hunt them. During the winter months, I’ve caught crappie as deep as 58 feet in this lake. The best depth to find crappies is anywhere between two and six feet deep underwater. During the depth of winter, crappie move to deep water since the temperatures get warmer the deeper they go. In winter, as the water temperature approaches the 50s, crappie will hold in 12-20 feet of water near structure until the Pre Spawn season. McDaniel put us in a 17-foot deep area, with fish visible on the depthfinder at 9 to 11 feet. Where to Fish For Winter Crappie? In the winter months, white crappie will be concentrated around some type of structure, while the black crappie will hang out somewhat deeper in the creek channels. “Although crappie like cooler water temperatures and migrate to deeper habitat in the winter time high pressure conditions will often drive them down even farther. Crappie feed quite a lot in winter, and continue to move around, but their eating habits vary somewhat, as do their movement destinations. The depth for finding crappies during the season is usually anything between 20 and 25 feet deep near areas of stumps and bush. The more time you can have that minnow in front of the crappie, the better your chances of catching them.” For a winter crappie rig, think small and slow. Key Location: Check main-lake river channels for crappies holding tight to bottom cover in 30 to 60 feet of water. As the water begins to cool, crappie are on the move. Jigging for Crappie Ice Fishing . To keep it as simple as possible crappie move to deep water because the food moved out there. Lindale guide Clay Gann has long been a proponent of winter crappie fishing. In most states south of the Mason-Dixie line except for Florida with it’s shallow water reservoirs, crappie will typically be 20- to 25-feet deep near or suspending off the bottom. Once crappie goes deep, you will often find them near ledges in the deeper water where the sides and top of the ledge have vegetation growth. Fishing can be good if a fisherman is prepared and able to handle the cold weather. Locating crappie in deep water is the same either season, but how to catch deep water crappie varies drastically, but that’s for another article. I look for crappie on the old river and creek channels. Primary Pattern: Vertical presentations rule in the dead of winter. Locate an area that you believe will hold minnows. Most crappie anglers know that crappie move to deep water during summer and again in the winter. When autumn arrives, crappie snap out of their summer doldrums and gorge on baitfish in preparation for a long, cold winter.The fish migrate from their deep summer haunts to the dining areas of the shallow flats.. “To catch these crappie, I use a bottom bumping rig. They are cold-water fish, so water temperatures in the 40- to 50-degree range aren’t a problem. While crappie tend to be scattered during summer you will find them congregating in groups during the winter. Mimic plankton with a tungsten jig and soft plastic to catch crappies and keep the pod active. Leaves turning colors and air temperatures dropping signal the start of the crappie fall feeding festival. When asked for his best cold water crappie fishing advice, Capt. Scott Turnage and JR Oldham shows the simplicity of the Garmin Echo 550c to locate and catch crappie during the transition of seasons on Stockton Lake in MO With unusual temperature changes during the winter that last for a day or two, the crappie may scatter, rather than holding in tight groups. In order to catch crappie in the winter, you need to know how to catch crappie in the winter. Follow Fall Crappie to Deep Water. Winter crappie are a delight when you know how to find them. If you go into a small shallow lake, where you might look for weeds, whereas if you are fishing crappie in a big deep lake that might be more of a bass and bite and you are looking properties in the deeper water. As a tournament crappie fisherman also, Gann previously spent the winter months chasing big fish primarily on Lake O’ the Pines. Crappies are basically light, yet you don’t want to cast too far as this would make it tougher to catch your game. Live baits on long fish lines are the only way that crappies can be caught during winter. Post-spawn crappie will normally suspend in 10′-20′ feet of water, but bear in mind that the clearer the water, the deeper they will suspend. The fish are in big schools on the structure. Finding and ice fishing crappie is a favorite among recreational anglers. The deepest spots of a lake are the spots you will be finding a good school of crappies. Get out and get with it!” Earlier in the winter, crappie do stay more towards the bottom because the water as warmer and there is plenty of oxygen still there to support them. However, as the season goes on, they need to go to shallower water to find the same levels of oxygen. “During the winter, the less wind there is, the better the fishing I can do,” he said. Overview: Crappies will be deep and sluggish now, but they’re still catchable with the right presentation. Palestine is a good winter lake. Deep brush can be key. Jigging for Crappie is the most popular way to catch them through the ice. During the winter months, crappie typically hold together in pods of 3-10 fish and feed on plankton. Here are some things you will want to know in order to prepare for your crappie ice fishing trip and have a … There are several different methods for crappie fishing before the spring thaw. It has a good deep-water bite. The lake level varies year to year so some years the deeper trees are accessible, some years they are not. How deep do crappie go in the winter? Today we use side imaging to find winter crappie. They often group up, they don't move much and they are somewhat predictable. I’m just an average guy, that loves Fishing. Next, go light and go deep when fishing for winter crappie. “You have to keep the bait in front of the crappie most of the time. Lure Sound Hacks Fish straight down, They may not viciously strike at a 2-1/2″ minnow in winter, but they will happily nibble a 1″ jig (minnows don’t move a lot in cold water, but jigs do…). You can find them as deep as 40 feet or more in winter. In fall, the crappie will move back in along structure into 10′-15’ feet of water and start feeding to build weight for winter. Now, as for your spinning reel, do not go beyond the 2500 series. Cold water crappie are typically deep. These are definitely different from what you do in other seasons. He anchored up and we proceeded to catch 150 crappie (released), including a … It looks like you can go out there and walk from boat to boat to boat it’s such a good winter bite. Crappie Action in Dead of Winter. Now he is more likely to be after limits on Lake Fork, but still hoping someone in the boat snags a big one. by Tim Huffman. The fish are in big schools on the structure. Water varies from 25 to over 60 feet deep in the area I fish, and I ride the lip of the channel looking for an old tree that comes within 12 feet of the surface. They will stay there to feed on shad and other baitfish throughout the winter. Crappie fishing in the winter can be very productive and its one of my favorite times to chase crappie. Many Crappie Fishermen believe that you can't catch Crappie in the Winter.That just isn't so! The more time you can have that minnow in front of the crappie, the better your chances of catching them.” Just take a look at ice fishermen. However, structure like ledges and creek channels that dump into the main river channel will hold large schools of crappie. There are plenty of fish between 15- and 25-feet deep, and they’re much easier to catch. They routinely learn how to catch Crappie beneath the ice. Minnows can be hard to find in winter, especially if lakes and ponds or frozen over, but may still be found in some shallow areas near deep water and in places where green vegetation survives through the winter. When dealing with suspended fish, there are a few things to consider. While they are not quite as active as they are in the spring or fall and you have to adjust your techniques to fit their metabolism, there are several ways to maximize your efforts … The fish feed hard and can be very aggressive. You can find crappie in deep water (20 to 40 feet) in the winter, but they will move into shallower water during a string of warm days. Crappie don’t hibernate or become totally dormant in cold water. Crappie action isn’t dead just because the temperatures are frigid. Crappie Fishing Regulations. Be sure you’re not in a deep channeled area. Pitts he laughed and said, “The best advice is to not let the weather keep you in the house. “During the winter, the less wind there is, the better the fishing I can do,” he said. How to find winter crappie is no secret. As it warms, you can use bigger lures and a faster retrieve. 2. Also, crappie do not … The key to catching crappie in the winter is to use a very slow retrieve. 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. Here are 10 tips you need to know to help you catch more crappie … “(Lake) Fork is also a good winter lake. “You have to keep the bait in front of the crappie most of the time. Because as the weather affects the smaller species more, they react more vividly. You may even go for the 1000 or the 1500 as these are even better.