Crappie Fishing Tips

The summer is gone and in a month, the winter will be intimidating us. How about some winter crappie fishing tips for you? If you are a dedicated angler, then you know how to wait out the lull before the fish takes the bait. But, cooped in a house for all the winter months, without listening to the water lapping on the shore or its mid-stream gurgle and feeling the ebb of alertness, that shovels you into the action to land the baited fish, is difficult. Isn't it, even in front of a warmth exuding fireplace? If you feel the same as I do,these tips for fishing up crappies will put everything right for you.

Both, the black and white crappie belong to the sunfish family. Crappie is a freshwater fish. It is known to be sensitive to sunlight and is the first to spawn than the other members of the sunfish family. They feed on plankton, small fish and gizzard and threadfin shads. They also feast on mollusks, insects, minnows and crustaceans. Their feeding time is dusk and at night. However, their prime feed time is at dawn. They lose appetite when water temperature is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tips for Crappie Fishing
The million dollar spring crappie fishing tip, for the budding anglers, is that the right time to catch crappie is in spring and fall months, especially the spring. Crappie evacuate their deep water winter shelters, when the water temperature reaches 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit. They swim through channels towards the shallower creeks and bays, when temperature of water reaches 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are new to fishing, here are some fishing tips and tricks from the experienced anglers that may help you. These spring pointers will be useful for the beginners.

• You can fish for the crappie by drawing hooks, baited with minnows, through the water.
• You can even catch them by casting your bait in waters around isolated stumps and brush. Small pockets of waters are also good places to cast for crappie.
• Take care to retrieve your baits slowly. This may increase your chances of baiting them.
• When water temperature is 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit range, you can fish for the males by casting cork baited with a minnow in shallow waters.
• For the female crappie fish, cast your bait around the shadowy deep water structures.

The summer heat can not only drive us indoors but it can also banish crappie fish to deep waters. The summer tips to fish up a crappie is to look for it in the shadow of bridges or in shades of trees, piers and docks. If there are weed beds near deep waters, cast your bait especially at the dawn or dusk.

With the advent of fall, the water temperature starts dropping and in preparation of the winter, the crappie fish will go on a feeding binge. At this time the crappie fish will be staging in the creeks or secondary creeks and bays. You can fish for them by casting jigs in the tributaries.

When the water temperature drops to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, you will witness the crappie retreat to the deep waters of the main water body, such as lake. If you are going to follow your natural urge to take out your fishing gear and go sport fishing during winter, then, try outguessing the crappie fish. The following are some extra tips and tricks.

• The northernmost parts of lakes and water-bodies warms first and it is where you should look for crappie fish. They flock in the warmer waters, because it is where they find their food.
• You might also cast in the murky water than clear water. It absorbs heat faster. Layout of the lake will also help or spoil your fishing.
• During the winter, search for crappie fish in the deep waters. A depth finder can help you locate the crappie fish.
• You may not be lucky, whilst casting your bait in deep water structure in winter.
• At this time of year, the crappie fish may be hunting for the bait fish about midway to the bottom
• Cast your bait for crappie with suitable fishing tackle. Opt for strength, whilst choosing from different fishing line types and a sturdy rod.

To summarize the tips, the crappie loves shadowy waters and structures, in short, areas with plenty of cover. You can try vertical jigging in such places, where there are rock piles, tree stumps, fallen trees. Cast your bait to different levels in these areas and always retrieve it slowly. Don't let the failure discourage you. It only means the crappies are not at that level. Once you catch one crappie fish, stick to that level to catch the next and the next.