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CURRENT MOON
Incredibly, there are areas of the United States where you can find excellent crappie fishing year round and other areas where, if you are adventurous enough to participate in ice fishing, you can find some of the largest crappie available. However, it is best to define crappie fishing season for various areas of the nation before venturing out to the lakes for an uneventful excursion.
In most places, the "official" start of crappie fishing season is March 1st. However, because there are locations across the nation where large crappie can be found at Christmas or in the middle of summer, many avid fishermen will go out for a catch at any time of year. The reason that crappie fishing season is considered to begin in March is that crappie begin to spawn at this time of year. Therefore, the high point of the year to find great quantities of large slabs is from the beginning of March to the end of April. The pre-spawn cycle where crappie are traveling to shallower waters for the laying of eggs begins in March, and the spawning takes place in mid-April, and this cycle provides the greatest access to schools of crappie where you'll find two pound specimens to be plentiful. In other words, when the waters begin to warm, crappie fishing season begins with the laying and fertilization of eggs.
However, because the spawning cycle and the production of crappie has become a bit of a scientific phenomenon, allowing for the finding of large fish throughout the year in many of the lakes across the nation that don't freeze in the winter, the official crappie fishing season has basically be extended or unofficially removed in most areas. Having special tools allows for greater success in these off peak times, including depth finders and drills for ice fishing in colder areas. Having strong poles and tough fishing line allows you to troll at greater depths for larger fish and to pull your lures through heavy areas of brush and cover in which crappie like to hide.
Crappie fishing season is best when waters are at temperatures of 65 degrees or above. Waters in the south stay close to this level year round, with several lakes never dropping below 50 degrees, meaning that fish are still fairly active. It's best to search in deeper waters if you are looking for crappie outside of the "official" crappie season, especially if you venture out in February during pre-spawning, as this is where the water will stay the warmest and crappie will be most content. However, during the height of the crappie fishing season, you should fish off the banks and piers or in the shallows because the crappie will prefer to take cover here while spawning.
Dan Eggertsen is a fishing researcher and enthusiast who is commited to providing the best crappie fishing information possible. Get more information on crappie fishing season here: http://www.askcrappiefishing.com
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The day I caught my first fish was a day the fish weren't biting. At least that's what my Uncle Jake said and Uncle Jake knew everything there was to know about fishing. In my 12 year old mind; he was the Crappie King of Mississippi!
Uncle Jake lived about 40 miles from Tupelo and fishing was his passion. Some folks with no appreciation of the art of leisure living called him lazy, but even back then I knew he had to be a shrewd business man. How else would he have been able to have others do the work for him while he went fishing? In fact, from my vantage point as a kid, he fished far more than he worked, but still maintained a beautiful farm with cows, pigs and horses! He was my hero!
Most of the men in my dad's family were go-getters and worked from first light to well past dark. No mandatory overtime here. They were farmers and worked in the fields from daylight to dark. Not Uncle Jake! He was an early riser and more likely than not he would eat breakfast, feed the cows, throw his boat in the back of his old truck and head to the lake. One year, just after school was out for the summer, my parents let me spend a week with Uncle Jake and my cousins.
Now Uncle Jake had a reputation for knowing where every crappie, bluegill and catfish in his part of northern Mississippi lived and what they would want for dinner on any particular day. These fish were his specialty and fishing for them was more than just a sport to him; it was a competition with himself and everyone else!
We reached Grenada Lake early that morning when the mist was still on the lake and the sound of loons could be heard in the distance. We lifted the flat aluminum boat out of the truck and carried it to the water. Uncle Jake attached the 7 horsepower outboard motor he'd had in the truck. Except for a few things we'd brought for lunch all we had to carry to the boat was a bait bucket. It held a hundred or so minnows that Uncle Jake had dipped out of his own bait tank that he had made out of an old concrete watering trough that the cows weren't using any more.
We pushed out into the water and Uncle Jake pushed the throttle of the little motor wide open and we went skimming across the surface of that huge lake as if there were demons chasing us! Grenada Lake at that time was only about 15 years old. Woods and fields that had been there over a decade before, now were covered with water. Tree tops poked through the surface of the water and logs posed navigational hazards to all those who wandered into the part of the lake that we intended to fish!
These obstacles didn't slow down Uncle Jake. Once we bounced over the top of a log and broke the shear pin on the propeller. No problem! He simply reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out another pin, pulled the motor up and with a pair of wire pliers, took out the broken pin and inserted the new one. He started the motor and once again we were rocketing across the lake.
In a short while Uncle Jake shut down the engine and unwound two long cane poles. He showed me how to grab a minnow and how to put him on the hook. We were ready to start fishing!
Quietly now, we changed positions in the boat, with me at the bow. He eased the boat into a large tree top sticking up out of the water. He showed me how to lower my minnow close to one of the branches and watch the bobber for a bite. Immediately it was jerked under water! I jerked back and on the end of my line was a beautiful silver and black fish. A crappie!
Uncle Jake was happy for me as he put my fish on the stringer. I baited up again and lowered my minnow into the tree top. Ziinnnng! The bobber went under the surface again. This time the fighting was a little more intense because the crappie was quite a bit bigger. Uncle Jake added my fish to the other one on the stringer.
Unfortunately he hadn't even had a bite on his end of the boat. By this time he was muttering to himself as I baited my hook and lowered the minnow into the water. I brought up a third fish and I heard my uncle muttering something about the fish not biting today.
As I brought up my fourth large crappie, I heard the motor start. Uncle Jake hit the throttle hard and yelled at me over the noise. "They're not biting here. We're going somewhere else. Uncle Jake didn't like coming in second best!
Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking, fishing and leisure living. Bob is also the author and owner of this article. Visit his sites at: http://www.redfishbob.com http://www.bluemarlinbob.com
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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.
Dan Eggertsen is a fishing researcher and enthusiast who is commited to providing the best crappie fishing information possible. Get more information on crappie fishing tips here: http://www.askcrappiefishing.com
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While schools of crappie tend to congregate in shallow lake areas, river crappie fishing can also produce a great catch if you know what you're doing. By following several tips, river crappie fishing, especially in the spring during spawning season, can offer a world of success, both in size and quantity of crappie caught. What should you do if you prefer to river crappie fishing to lakes? Here are some tips to finding the most and biggest slabs available.
First of all, when river crappie fishing, remember that this breed of fish don't typically challenge the main flow of the river like larger, heavier fish. Instead, they will use eddies, slack water, and heavy cover to help them break the current and work their way upstream. These will be the best areas of the river in which to fish. Also, spawning occurs outside the current in areas that warm to between 66 and 70 degrees more quickly. Especially search through vertical cover that grows up from the river bottom above the surface, as this is a great place for crappie to stop and be held.
If you are in a slower moving river, crappie fishing is best in areas of brush and stumps, as these are the best holding areas for fish passing through. The actual nomadic movement of the pre-spawning season begins as the waters warm to about 62 degrees and becomes a bit muddy because silty water provides a quicker swim than clear waters.
One excellent way that you can take advantage of river crappie fishing is to search the tailwaters below the river dams. After moving up river, crappie will congregate in such areas and remain still for a while, offering an excellent opportunity for a huge turnout. The best rigs to take advantage of such waters are usually arranged from a combination of a jig and a minnow, using a leadhead that is heavy enough to get down into the current. Look in areas of heavy cover and structures that break the current, such as lock walls or sandbar edges.
Realize that, when river crappie fishing, you are not likely to have a hard bite. Soft strikes are common, especially among pre-spawn crappie, and you frequently will notice only that your line goes slack or that something doesn't feel right. Often, you may wonder if you've only snagged on a leaf or stick, but be prepared to reel in anyway, as this is quite probably a catch. Make note of how deep that sinker was as you bring in the line, since it is also quite likely there is an entire small school of crappie here.
Dan Eggertsen is a fishing researcher and enthusiast who is commited to providing the best crappie fishing information possible. Get more information on river crappie fishing here: http://www.askcrappiefishing.com
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Crappie, known scientifically as Pomoxis Rafinesque, are members of the sunfish family. Crappie are only found in freshwater. However, do not let this fool you, Crappie can be found in large lakes, ponds, rivers, and pretty much any other body of water were cover is available. Crappie actually come in two species, though most fisherman do not take the time to decipher the difference.
Crappie actually come in two species, the black Crappie and the white Crappie. While there is little difference in the way they are caught or taste, knowing the difference may help you in various future situations.
You will be able to tell the difference of the black and white crappie by noticing the color or dorsal fins. Black crappie have seven or eight dorsal fins, and irregular spotting patterns. White crappie have six dorsal fins, and their spotting patterns are usually arranged in vertical patterns.
Black Crappie flourish in cool, slow moving waters. They can typically be found in large lakes and rivers. White Crappie prefer warmer water, and are not as fussy about whether or not the water is clear or slow moving.
Daily Feeding Patterns
Crappie have very diversified diets. An adult crappie will feed on insects, microscopic crustaceans, and young fish. The young fish they feed on are also the fish that, as adults, will also feed on crappie.
Crappie tend to be much less active during the day. They keep primarily to cover such as submerged objects, wooded areas, and weed beds. At dusk and night, crappie are more active, feeding in more open, deeper waters.
Crappie is a Popular Game Fish
Crappie are often considered to be one of the most popular game fish. Perhaps this is because the nature of the crappie, which allows pretty much anyone to fish for crappie, no matter their age or disability.
Another reason Crappie are so popular is the great taste of Crappie. Crappie meat is a flaky, white mean that can be cooked a number of ways. Once a Crappie is caught and filleted, the fillets can be baked, battered, friend, or broiled. At fishing camps, a Crappie can be thrown on the fire whole, cooked, and then peeled. Once the meat is cooked, it is easy to remove the skin and bones.
The most popular way of cooking Crappie, especially in the south, is battering and frying. Pre-made fish batters are available at your local market or grocery store. If you are feeling a little creative, or are in the mood for something a little different, you may want to consider making your own batter. Even if you have never done this before, you will find it is much easier then it sounds. Many traditional batter recipes are available online or in cookbooks. Use these traditional recipes as a backbone, while adding you own flare. Feel free to experiment with different things. Who knows, you may even create a batter that will be considered a "traditional" batter in the future.
Dan Eggertsen is a fishing researcher and enthusiast who is commited to providing the best crappie fishing information possible. Get more information on crappie fishing here: http://www.askcrappiefishing.com
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