Although black and white crappies differ slightly in appearance, they have many common characteristics. Both have a large number of gill rakers, which they use to strain plankton from the water. They also eat small fish, mollusks, insects, minnows and crustaceans. They also feed on gizzard and threadfin shad. They feed most heavily at dawn, dusk and at night all year round, but feed less often when water temps dips below 50 degrees. Crappie belongs to the sunfish family, although they are more sensitive to sunlight and spawn earlier than any other member of the sunfish family.
Crappie are fairly active year round, but the hottest times to catch them are in the spring and fall months. In the spring, they are so easy to catch, seems that they are suicidal during this time. Crappie generally start their movement out of their deep water winter haunts when the water temperatures start warming towards the 45-50 degree range. They will congregate around the entrances of creek channels until the water temps reaches around the 50-55 degree range. Then you can expect them to begin migrating towards the shallower secondary creeks and bays, using the channels as "highways". At this point, I try trolling minnows or casting a Road Runner with a grub to isolated stumps, brush and small pockets, and retrieving them back very slowly. When water reaches in the 55-60 degree range, the males should be in shallow water looking and fanning out spawning beds,while the females stage out in the closest deeper water structures.Crappie feed more aggressively and baitfish are more active as spawning nears. Try dropping a minnow under a cork into the spawning bed for males. Use a cast and slow retrieve your bait for the deeper females.
As a general rule, surface temperatures in the 62-65 degree range are almost perfect for shallow, spawning crappie. During the pre-spawn period, they usually nest when the water temperature reaches 62-65 degrees. Most black crappies migrate to spawn in very shallow water, but white crappies tends to spawn in water up to 10 feet or deeper. The males are first to arrive to "fan" away debris and build the nest when the water starts warming to about 55 degrees, along shoreline cover such as fallen trees, brush piles and docks. When its time to spawn, the females move in, deposit the eggs, then slowly moves out to recuperate in slightly deeper water. The males then stay to protect the nest. The eggs hatch in 3-5 days, depending on the water temperature. Your best bet now is to drop a live minnow under a cork. The males then leaves the nest when the newly-hatched fish gets to be a 1/2 inch long. Any bad weather or cold front can set the whole process back a few days, or when the weather stabilizes. When water warms to the 70-75 degree range, the females will leave theirnest and move to nearby deep structures where they staged before the spawning. Use any jig, minnows, or a Roadrunner jig to cast & retrieve very SLOWLY. By the time water reaches 75 degrees, the males will be joining the females and migrate through the channels the same way they came in back out to the deep cooler water for the summer.
Summer and Winter present the greatest challenges for crappie anglers. Once the spawn ends and the water temperature warms, crappie will move and often suspend in deeper water, where the water temps are cooler. They will move to shallows to feed at dawn and dusk. However, I have found crappie in shallower water during the dog days of summer. They can be found in shades such as under bridges, trees, docks, and in weed beds provided that deeper water is nearby.
When the water starts to cool in the fall, they go on a feeding binge to fatten up for the winter. Most crappies will stage halfway up the tributaries near to the pre-spawn locations. Casting jigs is an effective and fun way to catch crappies now. My favorite at this time of year is the same as I use for pre-spawn, or a Culprit Tassel Tail and Swim Fin grub tipped with a Grubco wax worm.
When water temps fall in the mid-40's range, they will migrate back to deep water in the main lake.
Keep in mind that these water temperature ranges are arbitrary, depending on the locations of the water you fish. For example, crappies spawn when water is in the 62-65 degree range, which can be as early as January in the Deep South or as late as June in the North.
Keep in mind that these water temperature ranges are arbitrary, depending on the locations of the water you fish. For example, crappies spawn when water is in the 62-65 degree range, which can be as early as January in the Deep South or as late as June in the North.
The biggest key to catching crappie is, ALWAYS REMEMBER.... crappie are fish that love structures, so key in on areas with prominent cover. Concentrate on cover such as brush piles, stumps, fallen trees, rock piles, humps, or any other submerged cover. Vertical jigging is a great way to fish these structures. A 1/32 oz. or 1/16 oz. jig tipped with a wax worm dropped in a brush pile and twitched will produce many fish, as well as a minnow dangling on a Tru-Turn BloodRed hook under a bobber. Along fallen trees and stumps, try retrieving a Roadrunner slowly and hold on! Adjust your bobber or vary your retrieves until you established at what depth the crappie is holding at. Once you catch fish, continue to fish at that depth.
Once you understand the crappies' behavior and habits, chances are you can catch them anytime, anywhere.
Once you understand the crappies' behavior and habits, chances are you can catch them anytime, anywhere.
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