When asked what are the best times to catch crappie, most anglers are going to immediately reply with "Spring!". That is because after spring most crappie anglers simply pack their jigs away until next year. For the few that stick with it year round the results can be very rewarding. Year round anglers will often tell you their biggest crappie are caught in the winter. So what is the best time to catch crappie?

Whether you are longlining, tightlining, spider-rigging, nightstalking, or just throwing a jig or minnow; crappie can be caught year round. If you want to catch crappie in large numbers, your best bet is to fish in the spring. During this time, when the water temp reaches anywhere from 58 to 68 degrees, the fish gather in schools and move into the shallows to spawn. Fishing shallow brush, weed beds, blowdowns, and any other shallow structure during this time will produce quantities of crappie. When the heat of summer arrives, the fish will scatter and move to deeper water. These fish can still be caught day or night as long as you fish deeper structure such as brushpiles, submerged timber, bridge pilings, and channel ledges. Fishing at night around bridges ,with lights to attract baitfish, increase an anglers chances of catching crappie during this time.

When the leaves begin to turn and our spirit rises just like it does in the spring, crappie get a new sense of life and will once again form schools. They will feed heavily on shad and often visit the shallows for a short time. Crappie can once again be caught in large numbers during this time. An angler will be rewarded by fishing spring-like patterns when the water temp has dropped under 68 degrees. As the cold of winter sets in, the fish will return to deeper water. Good electronics and a good map are invaluable tools when searching for fish in deeper water. Seeking out any type of deep structure may produce your biggest crappie of the year.

I fish for crappie year round. If I were asked "What is the best time for a beginner to catch crappie?" I would immediately reply with "Spring!" For anyone with experience, I'd say throw on a jacket and get out there during the fall or winter. When all the pleasure boaters have called it quits for the year, being out on the water can be most relaxing.

Learn more about this author, Jeremie Owens.
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