Night Crappies

[jphersh22]

I have a hard time getting in enough fishing time for my appetite and with a day job and two little kids I was thinking I could try squeezing in a couple hours crappie fishing here and there at night during the week. I have some ponds nearby with good sized crappies in them but I was wondering if I could get some pointers. I probably can't get away until 9:00 PM or so, so I'll miss the first couple hours after dusk, but wondered if later can be good too? Am I best to concentrate on full moon nights? Does that matter? Lures? Bait? Any other pointers would be appreciated.

[CNY Tim]

Some of my best catches have come with a full moon. My stuation is the same when I go I go. As far as jigs go., a Custom Jigs and Spins size 10 green glow rat finkee tipped with spikes has been very good for me. Another favorite of mine are the bobber fry that can be purchased here through Tackle City. These jigs I tip with a small CJ&S finesse plastic glow tail and if they are agressive I tip them with nothing but I do use smelly jelly baitfish scent just a small touch on the tip of the tail just to give it scent. Hit em with a flash of some sort. Most of the crappies I fish are in 13' of water outside the weed edges and between the edge of a channel and the weed edge. During the day I will pull back deeper in the channel. Try to find a point that sticks out adjacent to a channel with good cabbage weeds, good luck...

[Matt Johnson]

Night fishing can provide some of the best action for crappies during the winter. Catching slabs at midnight or even two in the morning isn't uncommon at all. I would use glow jigs. Drop a deadstick or bobber rig down with a plain hook and a lively minnow on one line and then jig a red glow horizontal jig packed with maggots on another. Set the deadstick about 5-7 feet off bottom and then work the rest of the water column with the jigging rod. Pay attention to where the fish come in at and adjust the deadstick accordingly. You want the deadstick to be in the strike zone so when those fish come through you don't have to reel up or down with the jigging rod to intercept them. Often times that will turn those fish away even though they seem aggressive, it just doesn't look natural, most of the crappies prey will dart away from them when they show up, not get closer . However, the prey will descend on top of the crappies, as if they are freefalling, but they don't usually dart up to the crappies. Plankton and zooplankton might float up, but very, very slowly. The crappies will hone in on the minnow swimming aimlessly throughout the water column and they will snatch it up for an easy snack.

Often times its best not to move a lot during the late night bite. The crappies are usually on the move and will just keep rotating positions and circling through. They will come on in waves and you have a good chance of missing the school if you are moving, unless you know the pattern that the school is swimming in, then you can punch holes and follow the fish. But, I've had pretty good success in the past by just punching a couple holes in a small area and sticking to those.

Night fishing for crappies can be very rewarding and worth while, I wouldn't frown or feel bad if the only time you can get out after some fish is after dark. There are still a lot of fish to be had

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Seabass77]

I've had many great nights fishing crappies till late, but not always. Some days they shut off at dusk, some days they bite just for a couple of hours after the sun hits the tree tops.

My experience has been that night time crappie fishing is best as the season goes on, earlier in the year, I actually seem to do better in the day. There are however, other things to look for.

Warm fronts - a consistent warm front can bring great fishing at night, even with high pressure. Fish the 2nd and 3rd day of 3 day front for best action.

Dropping pressure - Consistently a producer for me, fishing right before a front moves in or when you know there is going to be a change in weather can produce excellent results.

For baits, it's hard to say anything is better than something else, consistently. I've had great luck on all the tradional panfish baits. The only thing I can say consistantly is when I am on a wax worm or eurolarve bite, glow jigs always seem to out produce at night. But, a plain hook and crappie minnow has put a lot of fish on the ice for me over the years in the evening. I won't leave home without custom baits shrimpo's, demons, Lindy's genz worm and pounders (they don't make pounders anymore but I bought 30 on clearance when I found out they were going to stop production, if you find some, buy em), plain hooks and slip floats. I also have a wide variety of other jigs to try and experiment with.

I would say give it a shot, you'll have less crowds and usually the wind dies at night.

Good Luck

[M.T. Bucket]

There have been a number of times I've hit on crappies between 8PM and midnight, however I would say it's been quite a bit less consistant than at dusk--but better than midday. I'll agree with Seabass that late night fishing is best during a warm front--two of the best late nights I've had were when there was a heavy, wet snow falling.

Maybe it's just a coincidence, but I think the crappies I've caught late were larger than those at dusk. I've also found them a little further from the bottom and more difficult to coax. In the few records I've kept, the best late night ice fishing action I've had happened when the moon was just past full (is that waning? )

Go for it!

[Captain B.R.K]

Great information here guys on the night bite for crappies. Glad someone asked this question, I'm in the same dilemia during the week. Want to get out but was wondering if it were worth it. I'll definately give it a shot and see what happens.

[psegriz]

Like it's been said b4 "the best time to go fishing is when you can."

I do alot of night times chasin crappie. Most of the stuff has been pretty much said. Bring the vex, night time crappie fishin is what first made me get one a number of yrs. back. I have seen fish all up and down the thing and for what ever reason only ones at a certain depth will bite. A vex in my opinion is the most important thing to have. I seem to catch most of the crappies on the dead stick with a live minnow once I figure out at what depth they are bitting.

[CrappieJohn]

There are lots of external factors here that will add up to a good night bite, but keep in mind that some waters simply will not show a productive period much after dark. When looking for night fish be sure to check more than a puddle or two, have a few lakes in mind and work them all to determine which has the best out-put for night hitting fish.