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Secrets About Winter Crappie Fishing

January 26, 2023

Secrets About Winter Crappie Fishing

The harsh winds, cold temperature is enough to numb the body and everyone wants to enjoy winter in a cozy room, but winter offers some thrilling opportunities for the anglers. Crappie fishing in winter is a wholesome experience full of winter angling adventures.

Crappie being the feisty fighter is active throughout the year even in colder months. Crappie fishing in winter will help you to master your fishing skills with artificial lures alongside of a delicious dinner. Today's blog is about some secrets which will help you to catch a big crappie even on a colder day. 

Pc: Pixabay

Winter Crappie Fishing Secrets:

Looking for crappie in winters is not a rocket science, all you need to know when, where and how you can approach this freshwater fish.

When To Fish Winter Crappie:

Go for crappie fishing during light changing hours such as dusk or late evening hours, these hours when light is changing it triggers the fish, and they want to be feed. While doing ice fishing for crappie, nighttime with safety measures and proper skill will be the best.

Fishing Gear For Winter Crappie Fishing:

Winter crappie means to slow down, or light down every thing. The right tackle will help you to catch a good fish in winters and the right tackle mean the light tackle. A light -medium spinning reel is the best suitable for winter crappie fishing.

A light line with a bait of about 1/16 to 1/8-ounce is the best combo, use artificial fishing lures in yellow, white and pink. Vertical jigs are mostly preferred for winter crappie fishing. As in winter, crappie tend to conserve energy, so slowing down is the key to a good catch.

An angler should not only be concerned about catching, but most important is how he handled his catch. I suggest you to set your hook lightly to avoid rupturing the delicate lips of the freshwater crappie.

The Spots to look for Crappie in Winters:

Pc: Unsplash

The deep water with some structures is the perfect hideout for crappies in winters, 10 to 15 ft. depth is ideal to cast your line to catch winter crappie. To count your day as successful fishing crappie day, you should look the fish in the following spots,

  • Docks/ Boathouse
  • Creeks
  • Ledges
  • Bridges

Docks/Boathouse:

Boathouse provide a good cover for the winter crappie, fishing a deep water dock is a key for winter crappie fishing. You can check river channels, drop-off, sloping points and bluff-ends.

Pc: Pexels

Creeks:

Creek mouths are considered as the safe and comfort zone for the crappie and many other fishes as these spots have perfect temperature and food abundance. In most reservoirs, the depth of 20 feet at the creek mouth is suitable to look for a crappie. The feeder creeks are ideal spots, and spider rigging is the perfect way to target the female crappies. 

Pc: Pixabay

Ledges:

The deep ledges are the perfect spots to look crappie, specially on a sunny day in winters. Crappie mostly seek cover in brush piles, the thickest side of the brush next to ledge off must hold a good amount of crappie. Other ledges can be found at intersections of river channels and creeks, and along the bluffs and drop-offs. Ledges holds the prime importance in finding good crappie, specially in winters.

Bridges:

Bridge pillars attract the pan fish as their concrete structures warm up and maintain the temperature of the surrounding water suitable for crappie, the crappie along with optimum temperature availability also loves to forage near bridge pillars.

Winter Crappie Fishing Destinations:

For the anglers who want to explore the charms of winter crappie fishing, here are a few hotspot destinations for you,

  • Lake O’ the Pines, Texas
  • Arkabutla, Mississippi
  • Neosho River, Oklahoma
  • Pickwick Lake, Alabama

Enjoy your pan fishing in winter and share your fishing journey with us.


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