One Hot Mutha' Trucker

[united jigsticker]

It seems like the winters are getting warmer, with less precipitation that most of us refer to as snow.

The summers are growing hotter, and it seems the only fitting apparent phrase is "Times they are a' changin'."

So what does this have to do with Crappies and Sunfish?

I recall a "normal" summer in central Minnesota, when the day time highs were 77 degrees, and the evenings on the water required jeans and a long sleeved shirt.

Summers when water temperatures peaked at 74 degrees, and large Crappies roamed over deep water, suspending and making themselves ever so apparent on the electronics.

Now, it seems, the water temps are 87 degrees, and the Crappies are not so evident on the graph, as they are hanging near weed edges closely, not so visible as they would be in open water.

The feed should be on, as the warmest water condones the highest metabolism, and appropriatly, fishing has been good.

But one strong cold front, and the Crappies world will change as they know it.

A good booming thunderstorm, some heavy hail to rapidly decrease the water temp in addition the the days following 68 degree winds, and the fish will relocate.

A couple days of stability, and the fish will be back on the bite.

But they will be different.

They will be off break lines adjacent to there shallower counter location, suspending perhaps as high as 8-10 feet from the lakes bottom.

They may be even more aggressive then before, hitting a free-falling jig floating down slowly above them, twitching the line, and sending the signal to the angler to "set the hook".

The progressions of summer always bring change, and to some, it's a much welcomed difference in a great state of variety we call Minnesota.

When the weather changes, and the fish follow suit, the angler must adjust for the hand they're dealt.

So when the hot weather ends, and normality returns to Minnesota, crank up the electronics, zig-zag the breaks, and have yourself some fun on one of Minnesotas most common species, the Crappie.

[Matt Johnson]

Another good piece of writing Jeff!

I've found that to be the case with the crappies as well, where they're mostly relationg to the weeds and along those edges. Sometimes suspended over the adjacent deeper water, but more often than not holding closer to the weeds...