Catching Winter Crappie

For most fishermen who have a penchant for catch crappie, wintertime crappie catching is perceived to be an absolutely impossible task. Many fishermen even believe that Crappie catching is completely unheard of at all during the colder months of the year, but this simply is not true! Crappie fish do have to feed during the winter months just like they have to feed throughout the rest of the year. Fish are not like bears, in that they do not hibernate, but rather are active and eating all throughout the year.

The nice thing about fishing for Crappie in the winter is once you figure out the pattern for a given body of water, the Crappie will generally hold that same pattern for a few days or even weeks in a row. A storm front or other changes in the weather may shut them down for a couple of days, but generally they will come right back in just as hungry as ever. In most lakes during this period of time, Crappie can nearly always be found hanging around deep brush, especially along submerged rivers and creek channels. If you are looking for other excellent sources for winter Crappie fishing, consider vertical bluff structures and manmade piles of brush.

Winter Crappie are definitely going to spend most of their time hanging around brush situated around deeper drop offs, but this is not always true. If the weather is warmer than normal for a couple of days, the Crappie will usually move up closer to the surface by a couple of feet. During these periods of time, you may find more Crappie moving along shallow flats instead of their deep water hangouts.

Using the right tackle is vital when seeking winter crappie fishing spots. Do not use the same tackle for winter crappie that you use during the spring or summer months. Instead, you are going to want to think light when it comes to crappie fishing during the winter months. Small baits are ideal, and you can do a lot with four pound test line, and 6 or 7 foot ultra light rods. A recommended rod is a light graphite spinning rod, especially with four pound test line. These will help you locate deep water crappie in the winter, especially when you use small tube jigs or minnows as bait.

It is important not to overdo your jigging when fishing during winter months. Crappie fish are not going to chase your offering down, so try to move as little as possible, making it easy for them instead. One successful tactic that comes highly recommended is to do absolutely nothing with your jig. Hold it motionless, and you should get a bite fairly quickly. You should always keep the rod still if you want to attract crappie out of their hiding places.

Why sit at home waiting for the crappie to spawn in the spring and summer, when the winter season offers a fun and challenging fishing experience as well? There is plenty of reliable crappie fishing to be had right now, you only have to muster up the motivation to find it.

Photo Credit: 1

Originally posted 2009-01-27 05:43:53. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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