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Four Successful Crappie
Catching Techniques |
Where To Find Winter
Crappie
Pre-spawn crappie are more difficult to
catch during January and mid- February than during late February through
late March. January and February crappie generally suspend in creek
channels which are filled with very cold water. These fish are suspended
and they are not in really deep water nor are they shallow. These cold
water crappie lie near drop-offs and occasionally move in and feed near
the stumps and brush. I have found that the schools are loose. They
aren't tight schools until they actually move in on stumps or brush."
Suspended crappie will generally be at this certain depth most of the
day in a number of key locations on the lake.
Look For Pre-Spawn Crappie
In Brush Piles
Look for these fish in brush piles that
are covered with 8-15 foot of water. I like to vertical fish these fish
like during the pre-spawn period. I will move the jig a little bit more
and hold it in place for only a few seconds. In other words, swim the
jig, hold a few seconds, and swim the jig again. Never drop your anchor
into a brush pile full of crappie unless you want to stop the crappie
from hitting your jig.
Summer Crappie Can Be Found
In A Comfort Zone
In the summer time during July and
August, you can locate crappie in a comfort zone or thermocline. It
seems that if those fish are presented a lure vertically they can see
the lure because of their large eyes. try putting your lure at nine
feet, since the majority of the time these schools are relating to some
kind of structure on the point or creek bend. If they are deeper than
nine feet, then I will use an ultra-light outfit with a small spoon.
Dropping that spoon all the way to the bottom and without any cranking
motion on your reel, then lift and drop the spoon back to the bottom. If
their is a crappie in a striking mode, then you are going to catch it.
Line Size Critical To
Catching Cold Water Crappie
Line diameter plays a very important role
in the ability of anglers to catch crappie, especially during a cold
weather. If the water is clear, I will use 4-pound test line, however,
if the water is murkier, I will switch to 6-pound test.
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