How to catch crappie

jamesmyers14

Eight Pointer
I been wanting to get into crappie fishing and have never really done it. I will be fishing falls and have a 14ft boat with 15hp. Really hoping to get some tips on what works around here. From the research I have done they should be about to spawn. Thank you. Here's the boat no rod holders.
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Helium

Old Mossy Horns
Crappie are very easy to catch once you find them but must be the right place at right time. In other words, they are like any other fish in that water temps, food, survival (structure)n and spawning are what drive them

When starting out on a new lake I recommend extremely slow trolling with jigs this time of year. Crappie are currently in pre-spawn and are staging in large schools on point, in river channels (with structure), on boat docks, and mouths of coves. They almost always suspend mid way in the water column (20' water fish would be 10-15 deep).

With this current warm streak expect fish to move up to 4-8' of water in the evening on banks with brush etc. I always find them on banks by April 1st and sometimes earlier.

Anyone can catch them when their spawning BUT its during the cold winter months that make or break a true crappie fisherman.

Tons more info I could share BUT as already stated by others "INVEST IN A FISH FINDER"
 

Helium

Old Mossy Horns
Crappie are very easy to catch once you find them but must be the right place at right time. In other words, they are like any other fish in that water temps, food, survival (structure)n and spawning are what drive them

When starting out on a new lake I recommend extremely slow trolling with jigs this time of year. Crappie are currently in pre-spawn and are staging in large schools on point, in river channels (with structure), on boat docks, and mouths of coves. They almost always suspend mid way in the water column (20' water fish would be 10-15 deep).

With this current warm streak expect fish to move up to 4-8' of water in the evening on banks with brush etc. I always find them on banks by April 1st and sometimes earlier.

Anyone can catch them when their spawning BUT its during the cold winter months that make or break a true crappie fisherman.

Tons more info I could share BUT as already stated by others "INVEST IN A FISH FINDER"

Once you locate 1 crappie this time of year there should be many more close by. Note where, when, and why that Crappie was there....kind of like learning to deer hunt. Go where the fish want to be which will vary from time to time. The spawn is just like the RUT ...minus the grunting. lol
 

jamesmyers14

Eight Pointer
Crappie are very easy to catch once you find them but must be the right place at right time. In other words, they are like any other fish in that water temps, food, survival (structure)n and spawning are what drive them

When starting out on a new lake I recommend extremely slow trolling with jigs this time of year. Crappie are currently in pre-spawn and are staging in large schools on point, in river channels (with structure), on boat docks, and mouths of coves. They almost always suspend mid way in the water column (20' water fish would be 10-15 deep).

With this current warm streak expect fish to move up to 4-8' of water in the evening on banks with brush etc. I always find them on banks by April 1st and sometimes earlier.

Anyone can catch them when their spawning BUT its during the cold winter months that make or break a true crappie fisherman.

Tons more info I could share BUT as already stated by others "INVEST IN A FISH FINDER"

I'm completely new to crappie fishing and have 2 rods I can use for crappie so what are my options as far as rigs / lures


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quackNcluck

Six Pointer
First step is buy yourself a depthfinder then start with the basics, learn to fish with live bait. Several different minnow rigs available, the rest of the learning process is time spent on the water
 

Crappie_Hunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I use 16 rods, 14ft. long with an auto pilot trolling motor, and side imaging depth finder. But you can catch them with a cane pole and a minnow too. Anybody can catch fish now, throw out a jig, start at the mouth of a creek and troll your way towards the back, you'll catch em. Helium is right, catching them in the winter months is harder. Should be easy pickings for everybody for the next few weeks.
 

jamesmyers14

Eight Pointer
I use 16 rods, 14ft. long with an auto pilot trolling motor, and side imaging depth finder. But you can catch them with a cane pole and a minnow too. Anybody can catch fish now, throw out a jig, start at the mouth of a creek and troll your way towards the back, you'll catch em. Helium is right, catching them in the winter months is harder. Should be easy pickings for everybody for the next few weeks.

16 rods... Please show a pic how this works haha


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Crappie_Hunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Just youtube spider rigging. There are a couple different variations, but the basic principle is reaching the fish before your trolling motor does and fishing a deliberate presentation at a specific depth. This method catches fish year around, but trolling out of the back of the boat has its advantages as well. Mostly that you can cover more water as you are moving faster.
 

darkthirty

Old Mossy Horns
I think all suggestions are good but not necessarily needed this time of year. Just find structure along the bank and fish it with a minnow and a cork or small jigs. Get various colors. Some days different colors work better than others. Fish TIGHT to the structure. Beaver hutches are usually awesome spots too. Carry plenty of hooks and gear. If you don't lose a few, you weren't fishing close enough to the structure.
Other times of the year can be different but I done quite a bit of electrofishing during every month and although a lot of crappie do move out deeper after the spawn, I firmly believe just based on what I've seen, that a lot of crappie fishermen drive past full limits of adult fish on their way out to fish traditional post spawn places. By that I mean, fish stay on structure in shallow water year round. I've broke ice with the boat and rolled up a ton of crappie in <4' of water.
I'm not saying none of the above posts are wrong. They know where they are based on their experiences just like I know where they are based on my own. I'm just saying, you can catch plenty of crappie with a boat, two rods a few jigs and a couple dozen crappie minnows.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
You see that big tree on the bank at the 2 o'clock position. in your pic? fish jigs or minnows around that kinda of stuff from now until mid may. Do not sit at any of them long unless you make contact( catching fish). you may fish ten to find the fish on one.

when you do find one, note the steepness of the bank, the type tree (bushy or just trunk), anything that is distinctive about that tree. Then fish others that are similar when you see them Rudimentary pattern fishing.

also any isolated wood away from the bank may be gold, like a log in the middle of a pocket.

this is not the best way (but with no bottom machine, it may be) given todays modern technology but it is the way that we caught them for decades before all the sophistication of today.

Good Luck.

falls is a great place. It used to be crazy what was caught in the Eno river in the spring. You might use that ramp sometime and check it out.

darkthirty has it pegged, i was typing and did not see his thoughts but i am echoing them.
 
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Boojum

Ten Pointer
Depthfinders are good to have, but certainly not necessary for catching springtime crappie. I have caught thousands of them just easing around the bank casting and winding small jigs or fishing them under a float. They will hold on brush, wood, rocks, or sometimes, just on a bare bank.
 
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sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I'm completely new to crappie fishing and have 2 rods I can use for crappie so what are my options as far as rigs / lures

You can always catch them on minnows, but there's no need to in the spring - you should be able to catch them on jigs faster and without the hassle.

1/16 or 1/32 oz head with jig bodies work well if you put them in the right spot. Some are better than others, but if you find the right spot, you'll catch them. When you do find a honey hole, mark it on your phone. Fishing brush is simply a matter of building on inventory of known honey holes and then figuring out which ones they are using at the time.
 

Crappie_Hunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Hawkeye, it took over 12lbs. to win a tournament on Jordan Saturday (7 fish)! The big ones are chomping for sure!!
 

Crappie man

Six Pointer
Since you are just getting started keep it simple.All you need right now is a spinning reel outfit sized for crappie ,6 lb line and 1/32 jighead or roadrunner with curly tail and just work the bank just like you were bass fishing a spinnerbait .No need to be looking for them on the fish finder they are shallow.I also never fish a jig without a crappie nibble.Cork with minnow if you want to get even more simple.
 
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MoBucks

Old Mossy Horns
I think all suggestions are good but not necessarily needed this time of year. Just find structure along the bank and fish it with a minnow and a cork or small jigs. Get various colors. Some days different colors work better than others. Fish TIGHT to the structure. Beaver hutches are usually awesome spots too. Carry plenty of hooks and gear. If you don't lose a few, you weren't fishing close enough to the structure.
Other times of the year can be different but I done quite a bit of electrofishing during every month and although a lot of crappie do move out deeper after the spawn, I firmly believe just based on what I've seen, that a lot of crappie fishermen drive past full limits of adult fish on their way out to fish traditional post spawn places. By that I mean, fish stay on structure in shallow water year round. I've broke ice with the boat and rolled up a ton of crappie in <4' of water.
I'm not saying none of the above posts are wrong. They know where they are based on their experiences just like I know where they are based on my own. I'm just saying, you can catch plenty of crappie with a boat, two rods a few jigs and a couple dozen crappie minnows.
Need to borrow you "electric fishing pole" :)

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nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
We flat tore them up today. 10/12 ft of water suspended on structure. Biggest crappie I ever saw was put in the boat today.
Just saw two different posts with pics where two different parties wore them out on HR today. Many were 13-16". And they were approx the same depth as you stated.

I was just a few miles up river from them this weekend and actually caught a couple on worms when I was catching catfish bait but I was only in 5-6' of water so they may be in prespawn.
 

Crash

Guest
Really hoping to get some tips on what works around here.
Just look for the large group of boats with 20 rods hanging off the sides. I would start there.

oh and live minnows work pretty good!
 
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fowlhntr

Six Pointer
Crappie are really starting to pile up on the flats in the backs of the major creek arms now. Water temps have soared with all this warm weather over the last 2 weeks. Caught great numbers of fish in 3-6 feet of water yesterday. If you like to catch crappie now is the time to get on the water.
 
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