The
best time
of year to catch crappie is during the spawning season which takes place from February-May During the spawn, both male and female crappie move from
deep locations
into shallow and concentrated spawning areas. This makes them very easy to target, as they are actively feeding and defending their nests.
What is the
best color
for crappie?
Orange-white is good at times, but all-white is not so good. In stained water, low light, all-brown, brown-orange, black-lime and all-black have been consistent performers for my best crappie action. In stained water with a heavy algae bloom, the best colors are chartreuse and orange.
What time of day is best for crappie fishing?
The best time to fish for crappie is at early dawn and dusk But during the colder months it can be at the warmest time of day in the afternoon. Crappie generally feed most actively in low light, so this leaves the night as another great time to catch them as well if you have the opportunity.
What bait is best for crappie fishing?
Minnows, worms, insects —just about anything can catch a crappie’s attention. You don’t have to worry about the color of the bait, and you’re only throwing them what they would be eating anyway. Minnows are hands-down the favorite used by most, and some even tip a jig with a live minnow for a double-whammy.
How deep are crappie right now?
You’re likely to find the crappie hanging out in waters 6 to 12
feet deep
and remember, finding structure is not as important as finding food for the crappie.
What test line is best for crappie fishing?
Gamma line makes the top choice for several of the B’n’M crappie pros. “The number of bites you’ll get using 6 over 8 is incredible,” said Driscoll. “Yea, you’re gonna lose more jigs that way, but you’re also gonna catch more fish because you’ll get more bites.”.
What is the best crappie jig?
- Pony-shaped jighead with chin spinner.
- Willowleaf or Indiana blade.
- Weight: 1/32, 1/16, ⅛, and ¼ ounces.
- Must-have colors: white, black, and chartreuse.
What is crappie favorite food?
As adults, a large portion of a crappie’s diet is fish. Crappie will feed on very young bass, perch, and bluegills along with small shiners, shad, and suckers. Perhaps the favorite food source of adult crappie are fathead minnows.
How deep do you fish for crappie?
Crappie like to spawn in areas of shallow water, usually around 2-to-4 feet deep , with cover such as brush, flooded timber or weeds, and with easy access to deeper water.
How do you find crappie in a lake?
Anglers often find more fish near the shoreline cypress trees, stickups, weed beds, blowdowns, or cover-button willows. The big crappie tend to be in shallow water near channel edges next to shallow flats or main lake humps It’s usually the cold fronts that drive crappie into deeper water from the shallows.
What size hooks for crappie?
The Best Hook Sizes for Crappie Crappie have large mouths relative their size, and we’ll often fish #2 and #4 hooks , moving up to a #1 for really big minnows. While you might fish #6 and #7 for bluegill, these smaller hooks can more easily tear themselves free from a crappie’s mouth, just by virtue of their tiny gap.
Can you catch crappie in the middle of the day?
Can you catch crappie during the day? Crappie will bite at any time of the day but during the middle part of the day, crappie will be tucked in very tight to cover or far under docks and will become sluggish in the hotter water You can still get them to bite but you need to put the bait right on them.
How old is a 14
inch crappie
?
At fourteen inches, the typical black crappie weighs 1.7 pounds and will be 14.3 years old A 14-inch white crappie will be 1.4 pounds and 9.1 years old.
At what water temperature do crappie start biting?
According to Rister, crappies begin spawning when the water hits 57 degrees.
What is the best size jig for crappie?
A 1/16-ounce jighead is the middle of the road for crappie fishing and the most popular weight. Anglers who fish deeper commonly use 3/16- and 1/8-heads, sometimes going as heavy as ¼ ounce.
How well can crappie see?
Just like people, they have both rods and cones in their eyes, so they are able to see contrasting whites and blacks in low light , but also recognize color when enough light is available.
How do you attract crappie at night?
Jigs and minnows are the best crappie baits, day and night But at times it pays to vary the menu for discriminating nighttime diners. If crappie are feeding on shad attracted to your lights, shad may outproduce minnows.
Are crappie bottom feeders?
Crappie fish are not bottom feeders They are an upland game fish that can be caught on a variety of artificial lures, ….
How deep does a crappie pond need to be?
Before introducing crappie, be sure your pond will be clear most of the time. This means you should be able to see a light-colored object in 18 to 24 inches of water, except for a few days following heavy rainfall and runoff. Crappie are sight feeders and will not do well in muddy water.
How do you catch big crappie instead of the little ones?
- Fish Open Water, Too. Cold-water crappies often hold on deep cover and structure, making them difficult to pinpoint
- Toss Giant Jigs
- Try Bass-Size Lures
- Tap the Tailwaters
- Fish the Storms.
What is the best size minnow for crappie fishing?
In most cases, 1 inch long to 2 inch long minnows are best for crappie fishing. Therefore, hooks and sizes from #6 down to #2 work best. The float is then attached to the line 2 feet to 3 feet above the hook. If required, a tiny split shot can be added near the hook to keep the minnow down.
Will crappie bite worms?
Anglers can catch crappie on worms and nightcrawlers but crappie prefer other live bait like minnows, shiners, suckers, and yellow perch much more than worms. If you choose to fish with worms, you will be battling bluegills and yellow perch all day long as these fish will more aggressively go after worms.
Where do crappies go after rain?
So when you do find muddy water after a rain, get right into the thickest or most sturdy part of whatever cover you’re fishing Crappie are likely to be deep in brush piles, right against pilings, etc. And they won’t move for much, so you need to get your lure as close as possible to get bites.
Do you need a leader for crappie?
If you are someone who believes crappies might be spooked by a high-vis line, then you may want to go with clear monofilament, fluorocarbon or braid with a fluorocarbon leader.
Can crappie see Hi Vis line?
With this information, we can draw the conclusion that either one of two things is certain: Crappie cannot see or don’t mind the Hi-Vis line , or the increased benefit of detecting strikes outperforms the decrease in strikes from fish shying away from the bait.
Will crappie bite spinners?
Now, spinners are a regular part of my own crappie fishing arsenal. I especially like using them during the pre-spawn and spawning periods when male crappie are migrating from deep to shallow water. These fish are very aggressive and will attack almost anything that’s flashy at that time.
What is the biggest crappie on record?
The black crappie would weigh an astonishing 5 lbs 7.68 oz , making it not only the new Tennessee state record (previously held since 1985) but the world record.
How many years does a crappie live?
The maximum length reported for a black crappie is 19.3 inches (49.0 cm) total length (TL) and the maximum published weight is just under 6 pounds (2.72 kg). This species is known to live at least 15 years.
How big can crappie get?
The common length for black crappie is 10.8 inches and the maximum reported length for a black crappie is 19.3 inches.
References
What Is The Best Time Of Year To Catch Crappie? (Seasons Explained!)