where do crappies and sunny hangout in the spring?

[Tyler23]

this will be my first year being able to go fishing on my own. ive been fishing with my uncle for as long as i can remember but i was to young to really understand why we were in certain places. i really like pan fishing though. anyway i can remember trolling the shore looking for sunnies spahing? but where do these two speics like to hangout in the spring and early summer? im kinda new to doing this on my own so any help work be great!

[redbandit]

Shortly after ice out the sunnies and crappies will be found in shallower bays preferably on the north side of the lake where the water warms faster. Another spot would be on larger creek inlets and outlets. If you can find a culvert or small bridge close to the lake that the creek flows in or out of. Try fishing the downstream side where the water eddies back around towards the culvert or bridge and the upstream side if it eddies before the water dumps through the culvert. Dig out a county map, find where the road crosses the creek closest to the lake and give it a shot. Typically a flu flu fished with light line and tipped with a waxie or gulp under a nice float will produce great results. Keep in mind that the fish do stack up this time of year and tend to be fairly aggressive. Inturn making it one of my favorite times of year and favorite fish to catch. With that being said, just use your head on the overharvesting and if you find a gem be careful who you tell or it won't be a gem anymore. One more thing. All the early spring spots can change from day to day. Water too cold and they are'nt there yet water too warm and they move out. You could start looking as early as a week after ice out.

[Scott M]

Great information redbandit. I've found that the fish move shallower and shallower as the ice cover diminishes. I think thats why a lot of the great late ice bites are sight fishing in shallow water. Those areas will warm first and that's where the food starts to wake up first. When you think of about sunlight exposure, the north side of the lake will warm first. Black or dark bottoms will also heat up first.

Follow them in, and eventually they will back off and stage as waters hit spawning temperatures. Crappies first followed by bluegills. Watch when the vegetation comes up because this is also another great place to be looking for panfish. Generally you won't see a lot of weed growth until mid-May at the earliest.

Trial and error will teach you a great deal as well.

[Blainebob]

Well said guys, I also have caught a fair share of early spring crappies near culverts,brush, and right up next to dock poles.

[blackdog1101]

I've got a couple spots that are shallower areas with black bottoms next to deeper wintering holes. The fish will come up to the shallow water in the daytime, and then go back in the hole at night.

[fisherman-andy]

Crappies will be stack in certain areas, specifically warmer shallow water. For smaller lakes it's best to cover areas quickly tossing small jigs or panfish spinners. You will find that small lakes and pond you may only find Crappies in very specific spots and no other spot on the lake. Crappies can be more spread out in larger lakes. Sunnies can be found just about anywhere with structure. For Rivers try structure, breaks, wingdams, shallow water slip bobbing with minnow and back waters.

[Tyler23]

well i will be fishing on a lake forsure. what should i look for on my depth finder? when i went after sunnies in the spring i just looked where they were grouped up near shore? or like a over hanging tree. be as far as crappies i dont know what to look for on the depth finder???

[redbandit]

well i will be fishing on a lake forsure. what should i look for on my depth finder? when i went after sunnies in the spring i just looked where they were grouped up near shore? or like a over hanging tree. be as far as crappies i dont know what to look for on the depth finder???

Tell us about the type of lake your fishing (basin or lots of contour). Size, depth, bottom content and structure (bays, creeks, points and flats).

A generalization would be to keep it shallow. Sight fish them in shallow (5' or less). If the water is to dingy to sight fish find a muddy bottom bay or flat on the north end.

[Tyler23]

umm.. not sure about all the structure and what not. i will being doing most of my fishing on lake washington near st.peter, and madison lake by mankato. if you dont mind pulling a map of these two lakes and telling me what you think that would be great!

[MinnesotaMongo]

Tyler, you will find the exact scenerios they describe on a lake map of Madison and Washington. This is where the fun begins - not in spot on the spot location - but putting it together. You can do this! You will catch fish...

[riverrat56]

Both of those lakes usually have solid action for crappies and gills beginning in early May. On Madison, a good was to find some crappies is to slowly, <2 mph troll a #5 Shad Rap or #4 Salmo Hornet in 7-9'. You will usually pick off a few fish that are hanging out in those depths, if you get most than one in quick order stop and start casting jigs.