It's Black, It's a slab, It's a....CRAPPIE!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest]

Hey guys,

You know what I have found to work good after ice out for big Crappies on my favorite lakes is to go where they are in July. These areas are typically about 8-12 feet deep on the weed edges in inside turns.

Quite a few folks like to head to the old reed beds right away, and that can be good. However, when the water is a crisp 42 degrees, them dump-Eyes are still a little bit deeper.

What do you guys do for the first week after ice out for the Crappies? I like to stay a little deeper.

Thanks,

PCG

[Guest]

Shouldn't hit the reeds until the temp hits 50, 50 degrees is the magic temp that puts crappie into the spawn. Prior to the temps hitting 50 you will find them adjacent to their spawning area in deep water.

[Guest]

Crappies will use the reed beds for feeding well before the spawn, however, they don't stay there, and may only be present for a few hours during twighlight hours.

I have caught slab Crappies when the water temp was 45 degrees and it was snowing out, however the bite was periodic and didn't last more then an hour.

PCG

[Guest]

I like to drift over underwater humps when fishing for spring crappies. Depths of 7-12 feet are best. I like areas were the bottom fluctuates and grass is present. the best areas are those that are close to spawning bays. Just outside the bays in deeper water. Find the edge and you will find the crappies. A lot of these areas are near points and can be easily spotted using a lake map.
If you have any dams near you then that is another good bet. I like to head to the overflow and find spots were brush has piled up. Right after ice out os the best time. A plain hook tipped with a small crappie minnow suspended a few feet below a bobber works well. Get as close to the brush as possible.
Good Fishing, Matt.

[Guest]

Well as soon as the ice is off the bays I hit the deep water adjacent those warm shallow bays. When the water warms up enough in the bays I fish them. If you get a cold front or strong wind, then fish will temporarily vacate the warm muddy bays and suspend over the nearest deep water. After the bays warm enough and the fish move out I start fishing the traditional spawning areas. The lakes I fish the spawn takes place over an extended period of time so I focus on the areas where the fish are spawning but don't give up on the others. Eventually the spots that were not hot will be. There are a lot of variables involved in timing the crappies spawn, so when they are not spawning on one part of the lake they may be on another. That is my spring game plan, same every year, always has been!ScottS

[SportFishin']

Well my favorite tactic has been to get on the water of my favorite metro lake early AM till Noon. A day or two after the Ice busts up but the main lake still has Ice floating on it & fish the west side of the bay right against the ice near a 10' flat & adjacent to deep water in the main basin of the bay, set anchor in about 10'-15' rig up with a plain hook or a green glo ice jig cast out to the deeper water (20'or so) fishing down about 10' with a crappie minnow. I have found limits of Slabbers just stacked down there using this tactic. This bite only last for a couple of days though.

Then after that window is gone it is off to the smaller bays that run into some black bottomed swampy areas to find where the Crappie's are pre-staging for thier spawn. Once they are staged in these areas I will return when water temps are nearing the prefered temps for spawn & fish from late evening into the early am. On these nights I have found that the bigger females prefer to spawn real late in the night. So the lost sleep is well worth it the next day.

But remember when fishing the spawn to practice selective harvest & let some of the Big Girls go & get some lovin and pass on thier genes for the next future year class of spawners.

Can't wait for the open water & Bent rods!

SportFishin'

[This message has been edited by SportFishin' (edited 03-19-2002).]