Springtime Crappies - Morning, afternoon, or evenings??

[BLACKJACK]

Logic says that if you're looking for warmer water that afternoon or evening crappie fishing would be best but have any of you had much luck early in the morning? Like at sunrise or shortly afterwards?? I want to get out Sat but I have an afternoon commitment so was thinking of launching the boat at sunrise. What do you think? Was also thinking that might help avoid the crowds....

Or what time of the day have you had the best luck?

[OnAFly]

Fish this early look for warm water. The warmest water would be in the afternoon just after peek temps. They would be the most condensed then by the warm water pocket.

Really, any time is a good time to get out If you get out real early, just try to water adjacent to the warm water pockets before trying the warm water pockets. They might be sitting a little deeper waiting for the shallows to warm.

[Jim Uran]

There is still fishable water out there. look off the main lake humps, or where you found the fish before the ice went out. Toss a slip float out, or a jig/plastic or minnow combo and count it down about half way and reel it in.

Don't get too caught up in the shallow water fishing, like Onafly said, when they are in you'll catch them but most of the time they are just out from the shallows in deeper water.

[Cicada]

Water from an incoming creek might be a little warmer for the early morning effort until the sun has a chance to warm the shallows. Like Leech said, you could start at the last place you caught ice crappies and draw a line to the shallows they will soon inhabit. They should be somewhere along that line.

[MidCoast]

I like night fishing. That's when the big crappies come out and play from my experience.

[rattleL]

all good tips on here. I look to the next break or suspended out in the deeper water adjacent to the shallows. Fan casting small jigs can turn them up in the early morning hours.

[NELS-BELLS]

Don't get too caught up in the shallow water fishing, like Onafly said, when they are in you'll catch them but most of the time they are just out from the shallows in deeper water.

Very true! And I would like to ad that I have found them at this time of the year within the top 4' of the surface in 20' of water and deeper.

Nels

[pushbutton]

I like night fishing. That's when the big crappies come out and play from my experience.

all my 2lb plus fish were caught after dark......while the numbers are not there, the quality certainly is!