Fall Crappies

[FishyScent]

I was thinking about getting out on a east metro this week in search of some crappies. I don't have much fall fishing experence for crappies and I was wondering if I might get some advice a to where the fish are located this time of year and later into the fall and what type of bait and such works best. Any info would be great?

Fishy

[Matt Johnson]

I would focus on areas where you can still find green weeds. Crappies will hold to the weedy areas as long as there's oxygen and forage. Right now the fish are holding out in the deeper water along weed edges. They will eventually slide up as the lakes turnover, then you can expect a period of "wandering nomads" where they just seem to cruise over deep water, higher in the water column. The turnover will mess with the fish for a short period, giving it a real lingo feel, but things will stabilize and fall back to normal once things settle down.

So, right now I would still focus on the weedy areas on the deep edges. You'll want to hit those areas until the weeds die. The deeper weeds will hold for a while.

I would also look to deeper rocks if available. Always seems that deep rocks hold crappies in the fall. And the same feeding movements will apply to the rocky areas. When the evening rolls in, expect the crappies to slide up onto the rocks, and during the day they will hold off the rocks.

I also like to look to mainlake structure during the fall. Humps and sunken islands will typically hold a few fish. While right now we might be more accustom to shoreline structure and weed lines, I'll find myself focusing more on mainlake structure after the turnover.

The fall can provide some of the best crappie fishing in my opinion. They are no longer heavily focused on cruising the open, deeper basins like they were during the summer months. Instead now they are looking to feed and if you get a school wired it can provide constant action.

[Tyler Holm]

One of my favorite situations for fall crappies… Fishing under or next to a bridge from a man-made rocky dike/road. The fishing should get better as evening approaches. Work the heck out of the bridge pylons varying the depth. Hit all sides you can cast too. Work both the shaded parts as well as the sunny side. Shaded fish might be higher in the water column and closer to shore and maybe more abundant.

I’d start with plastics under a float. Personally, I would use a 1/32oz jig fitted with an Exude Micro Shad under a small float. If you can’t find any consistent/schooled fish, you might try a method that allows you to cover more water. I’d look to a 1/16oz jig with a 2” Twister tail(add a crappie minnow if you wish, but its not usually necessary), or a high action/flashing/vibrating lure like a Tadpole spin.

Medium sized hair jigs and fuzzy grubs have done well for me in the past as well under these conditions. Don't be afraid to fish into the darkness for an hour or so.