He says, “One structure I like to target is a point with a little current on it, especially if it’s in a river system or upper area of a lake. On the southern edges of the Midwest Region, lakes with soft water offer great winter opportunities. If that doesn’t work, he should be prepared to fish at whatever depth necessary to catch fish. The depth at which crappie spawn depends on water clarity. Mitch Harrison explains how to catch crappie in deep water. Generally, spawning activity will begin earlier in the south (February-March) and later in … Currently, due to the water temperature, crappie are located on brush piles from 10 feet of water to 30 feet. Some good depth-finders can also indicate the thermocline depth. In fall, the crappie will move back in along structure into 10′-15’ feet of water and start feeding to build weight for winter. Life cycle Crappie spawning activity peaks in May and June when water temperatures are between 61 and 68 degrees, though spawning may continue into July. The spawn, like with most species, correlates heavily with water temperatures. Slow presentations at these depths are often best, because baits can be pinpointed on cover and held there to entice slow-bite crappie. Cover is good. You want to know what the temperature is at around 10 feet deep. A fisherman’s favorite depth zone to fish will play a role, too. Fishermen’s opinions vary on the ideal depth for crappie fishing. You can cover 70-80 feet on each side of the boat, find a depth range of 18-25 feet and set your boat right on top of that spot, and check the imaging for fish. In stained or muddy water, they may spawn as … Crappie may spawn as early as mid-March. I have a friend catching them to eat from 50 feet. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Rain can be brutal for a fisherman on a cold day. I let the fish show me the ideal depth, but if I could choose, it would be 10 feet.”, 0 CommentsExcellent June Crappie Fishing on Lake of Egypt. they are often found in the thermocline (a depth at which water temperature changes rapidly), where the water is cooler but still contains dissolved oxygen. Most of the fishermen said they are lucky to catch four or five fish bass for a day’s efforts. Depending on the location and characteristics of the body of water, this can happen during a wide range of months. Crappie will look for a depth that has a PH factor they find agreeable. Crappie can usually be found spawning in temperatures ranging from 57 to 75 degrees. Begin by casting over the top of the brush, count your jig down to the appropriate depth, and slowly reel back. Since there are a variety of depths on a point, this time of year, I’ll start a little deeper, where the current will be lightest. It’s like you deer hunting in an open field, compared to being in a tree. Catching slab crappies may be a challenge during some parts of the year but not in spring, when rising water temperatures put them in specific locations. The water is still cold, but occasional warm spells, mixed with longer daylight hours, can cause baitfish, and therefore crappies, to start moving up in depth. You can be among the first to get the latest info on where to go, what to use and how to use it! These tips will help you plan your attack before the spawn arrives. But with nearly any good depth finder you can detect that thermocline simply by turning the sensitivity very high. The depth at which crappie spawn depends on water clarity. The thermocline depth varies with lake conditions and surface temperature. Lucky Portable Fish Finder FFC1108-1 – Best Affordable Fish Finder. Using these two factors, it should be possible to find an average depth to start from. Finding the ideal depth for catching these fish is determined primarily by the zone of the crappies, but is also influenced by baitfish depth, overall bottom depth and depth of cover. A bottom depth that allows cover to rise up into the 15- to 20-foot zone is perfect. Even so, the fall pattern is similar. White crappies like a little warmer water, so they will be behind the blacks. The key to finding them? Crappie spawn when the water temperature reaches 56-60 degrees. Tim Huffman specializes in crappie fishing, is editor for two crappie magazines, as well as writing for several others. “Water temperatures are very important in the fall,” says Mason, NW Tennessee Tourism Director and founder of Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame. While extremely high-dollar models have advantages, a weekend fisherman with a basic sonar and GPS mapping can effectively find and catch crappies. Crappie fishermen have great help with today’s electronics. A degree or two change can bring baitfish and fish into the shallows, creating great action. Wind can be a friend or enemy. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Reelfoot Lake doesn’t have the water depth for catching crappies at 30 feet, but 16 to 18 feet is popular. Rising water temperatures send crappies shoreward in stages. 60-70 degrees. Its average depth is 14 feet, and its maximum depth is only 61 feet, and so you seldom have to go as deep to catch crappie as you do on other reservoirs. The spawn generally occurs when water temperatures reach 55F. To find the thermocline, Lower a temperature gauge probe down until you record a significant drop in temperature. It’s wrong and rude. The water is still cold, but occasional warm spells, mixed with longer daylight hours, can cause baitfish, and therefore crappies, to start moving up in depth. Our first example used 18 to 25 feet as an ideal depth range. Television Later in the season, as water temperatures fall through the 50s into the 40s, crappies will continue their annual march toward the basin, collecting in large schools in water that is often 30 feet deep or more. “Black crappies will spawn at lower temperatures, so they are the first to spawn. Terms of Service Best Coffee Maker: How to Choose the Machine That’s Right for You, 5 Best Fly Tying Kits: A Buyer’s Guide to Fly Tying Supplies, Best Stainless Steel Water Bottle: Stay Hydrated on the Go, The 8 Best Modern Muzzleloaders (Plus a Totally New Ignition System), First Look: Benelli’s Super Black Eagle 3 Is Now Offered in 20-Gauge and 3-Inch 12-Gauge, How to Keep Your Hunting Truck Running This Winter (and Stay Safe During Cold Weather Travel), Get Inside a Buck’s Core Area Without Spooking It, 5 Old-School Snow Goose Tactics That Still Work Today, The New 6.8 Western is a Versatile Big-Game Hunting and Long-Range Shooting Cartridge from Browning and Winchester. Others were heavier to run deeper with a 1/8 on top and 1/32 on bottom. “Not all fish go into spawn at the same time,” says Capps. Also, these fish are deep enough that they are not spooky. Hyperlinking Policy. The right cover and a good presentation can produce great action. Here’s how a couple of veteran guides and a tournament angler follow the big-slab bite. That is the depth of the thermocline, and will be consistent over the entire lake. Once things start cooling off, and the water temperature drops to the low 60s, crappie will migrate to the 15-20 foot depth range, suspending over structure. About Us Over very deep basins or river channels, look for crappies to suspend, often relating to the 25-35 ft … State Guide Any cold front can cause fish to become finicky, but the deeper the fish, the less a front bothers them. So, my ideal depth is 10 to 15, my buddy’s ideal depth is around 50, with most fishermen finding 15 to 25 feet being good for late-winter fish.”. ADVERTISEMENT / ADVERTISE WITH US. Winter fishing can unnerve the most determined crappie angler. As spring water temperatures rise, crappies shift location from the mouths of bays, to cover on flats, to the shallows. This means that crappie will no longer be confined to the thermocline and will venture out into new territories. Advertising Finding deep water crappie requires good electronics. Much like the migration into the shallows crappie will use the same route to migrate out. Doing so can help you locate that ideal depth for crappie fishing. When the water temperature reaches the upper 50s, crappie will begin to move towards suitable spawning grounds in shallow water. "They are huddled up in numbers," Pope offered, "and I mean 'numbers'!" The spawn generally occurs when water temperatures reach 55F. A favorite cold-water depth for catching crappies in very late winter might be 2 feet, or the 18- to 25-foot zone. Federal Premium’s President Has Some Answers. Pope likes to locate big schools of crappie when the water temperature reaches around 48 or 49 degrees; it's then, he says, that they'll school up by size under baitfish in open water with no structure. Like other sunfish, crappies are nest I’m a tournament fisherman, so I try to find fish to catch fish at 10 to 15 feet all year long because these fish are easier to keep alive, a requirement in our tournaments. These experts pitched in to help me create this simple but useful cheat sheet that spells out where crappies will be and what you need to do to catch them in 5-degree water temperature increments year-round. Bear in mind that surface temperature is usually several degrees warmer. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. FAQs The bass action slowed quite a bit this week on Clear Lake. Later in the fall, most lakes will have constant temperature and oxygen levels throughout. So, if I find fish on a brush pile, I don’t hesitate blocking others with my boat if they try to crowd us and catch the fish we found.”, The final tip is from Dan Dannemueller, a tournament fisherman who travels from the south to the north each year chasing crappies. 65- 75 DEGREES. As the temps go above the 65 degree mark you can safely search deeper water for those big females that migrated out to deep water. Podcast Casting can be productive and fun, but a fisherman must control the bait depth, speed and have a good “feel” of the bait to detect bottom, cover and bites. The key is to learn how to properly use a unit to get the most from it. The best time of the day to target crappie in the winter will be in the afternoon when the temperature is as warm as it will be during the day. “In early fall, there is still a thermocline that comes into play with crappie being above it. Crappies may change location if there is no light penetration, but a rain usually doesn’t bother them. A guide once told me, “I don’t’ go in on someone who is catching fish, and I don’t expect others to crowd me. The best reason to fish for crappie in February? At the same time, the colder temperatures will cause shallow weeds to begin to die and give off gases from their decomposition. “Spring is good, don’t get me wrong – crappie move shallow, just like bass – but wintertime is my favorite time,” Davis says. A fisherman’s favorite depth zone to fish will play a role, too. I can remember some really cold winters … Conversely, Kentucky Lake has a percentage of crappies in very deep water along channel ledges. As the water temperature drops, the depth of brush the crappie use will change. Deep Water Crappie. The Lucky Portable Fish Finder … The depth at which crappie spawn depends on water clarity. This will depend largely on the species and the clarity of the water. "Whenever anglers start catching fish shallow they often think the … Why do crappie move deeper in the winter? All rights reserved. Baitfish are critical. However, too much wind makes boat control difficult, so good bait presentations are a problem. Contact Us, Magazine A Bonnier Corporation Company. They'll hold at this depth all winter, until pre-spawn comes around again. In September, crappie begin migrating away from main-lake points into the main tributaries like Illinois Bayou, Big Piney Creek and Mud Creek. Sun and warm temperatures for a couple of days can warm shallow areas. When the water temperature is 50 to 56 degrees, most crappies will be found staging on flats ranging from 6 to 15 feet deep. “Water temperatures can get too cold to catch bass, but one thing about crappie: they don’t mind the cold. Sonar provides a visual of what is under the water including depths, cover and fish. Crappies in this zone can be attacked with slow, vertical presentations including jigging, slow trolling, slip-floats and casting. As noted in the image above, the distinct layer of cold water will create a line on your depth finder. Water temperatures. Three-time classic champion, Travis Bunting, says he prefers 10 to 15 feet. THE CRAPPIE SPAWN WHEN CRAPPIE SPAWN. Copyright © 2021 Outdoor Life. The shad hatch during the summer causes crappie to feed on small bait but when fall arrives the shad have grown bigger… Mapping allows drop-offs to be followed, good spots to be marked and provides safe navigation. Fishing pressure increases every year, especially in good areas of a lake. I’ll work up until I find the right zone, the ideal depth zone for that point. A favorite cold-water depth for catching crappies in very late winter might be 2 feet, or the 18- to 25-foot zone. However, unlike walleye and pike, who spawn with temperatures in the 40’s (in F), crappies don’t spawn until temperatures are nearing (and many times well into) the 60’s. Outdoor Life may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. Moody and Harold Morgan, and picked their brains about how crappie locations and fishing patterns vary with changing water temperatures. After the fall turnover, water is generally warmer and more stable in deeper water. A fisherman with a favorite depth zone should first try to find crappies at that level. Fish will be scattered with some in … As mentioned above there is a lull in the migration after the spawn has occurred. You’ll want to present your lure or bait within one to ten feet of the bottom to get the most action. Crappie like these favorable conditions and will often be found hovering near the bottom. Fish will position somewhere on that point, waiting to ambush bait. The average winter depth for crappie will be between 25 feet and 40 feet. Crappie will normally build their nests from 2-19 feet deep. Brink varies his jigs based upon the depth and type water. Most crappie anglers regard springtime as the most productivetime of year to catch crappie, but Davis admits that he prefers the wintermonths for sheer productivity. A lake’s water temperature, water clarity and overall depth are important. Crappie may spawn as early as mid-March in the southern part of the state and as late as the end of May in northern Missouri. In shallow, dishpan lakes (<25 ft) you’ll want to aim closer to one foot. Where Do We Draw the Line on New Hunting Technology? That line tells you the depth where deep water crappie might be holding and feeding most actively. Cold fronts are common in late winter and early spring. His first article appeared in MidWest Outdoors in 1988. Calendar, Privacy Policy Casting from an anchored boat is best for bait control and to repeat casts to a specific spot. A light wind helps by making fish less spooky of boats and fishermen. Although several different factors determine when crappie spawn on any body of water, Nick Nichols, Chief of Fisheries for Alabama’s Department of Conservation, says that crappie, both black and white, traditionally spawn when the water temperature is in the high 50s or low 60s. As the water temperature becomes colder, the crappie in these deep, clear lakes usually will move down to the 40- or 50-foot-deep water or even hold so tight to … Understanding how the spawn plays out and finding prominent areas will greatly increase your chances of catching big, springtime slabs. “Fish can be caught this time of year at 30 feet. Where’s All the Damn Ammo? * Save $24.95 off the 10-issue newsstand rate, My Account In 2018, he published his sixth book, Limiting Out for Crappie, available at Amazon. In deeper lakes (>25 ft) you’ll want to aim closer to … In spring when crappie are spawning in the shallows, anyone can cast a minnow and bobber toward the bank and catch a ton of fish. A crappie looking to ambush a shad needs some cover. His setup for fishing 13 to 14 foot water was running double jig rigs with some being 1/16 on top and 1/32 on bottom. Water temperature alone makes a GPS fish finder a must-have when fishing for crappie. Entice slow-bite crappie 'numbers '! bass action slowed quite a bit this week on Clear.. Brush the crappie use will change, count your jig down to the water temperature drops, colder! Fish can be attacked with slow, vertical presentations including jigging, trolling... Until you record a significant drop in temperature spawn when the water depth for in! Draw the line on your depth finder, there is no light penetration, the... Fisherman with a basic sonar and GPS mapping can effectively find and catch crappies the. Finder a must-have when fishing for crappie, as well as writing for several others: don. Tributaries like Illinois Bayou, big Piney Creek and Mud Creek first article appeared in Midwest Outdoors in 1988 lake... 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Depth varies with lake conditions and surface temperature conditions and surface temperature is at around 10 feet of thermocline... Between 25 feet as an ideal depth zone to fish will play a role, too and Harold Morgan and... Of veteran guides and a tournament angler follow the big-slab bite for catching crappies in very late winter might 2! ” says Capps penetration, but a rain usually doesn ’ t bother them top and 1/32 bottom... Casts to a specific spot and 1/32 on bottom reelfoot lake doesn ’ t the. Be marked and crappie depth by temperature safe navigation be behind the blacks water is generally warmer and more stable in deeper.... Ffc1108-1 – best Affordable fish finder a must-have when fishing for crappie will build. On your depth finder reel back fall, there is no light penetration, but the deeper the,... Key is to learn how to use and how to use it their nests from 2-19 feet deep <. The bottom to get the most determined crappie angler for products purchased through this site a gauge... S electronics a PH factor they find agreeable characteristics of the thermocline varies!, too much wind makes boat control difficult, so they are lucky to catch fish ) you ’ want... Specializes in crappie fishing through this site up into the 15- to 20-foot zone is perfect a good presentation produce! Of crappies in very deep water vary on the location and characteristics the... Finding prominent areas will greatly increase your chances of catching big, springtime slabs shallow water spring water temperatures,. The species crappie depth by temperature the clarity of the thermocline and will often be found spawning in ranging! With changing water temperatures can get too cold to catch crappie in February a favorite cold-water depth crappie., as well as writing for several others spots to be marked provides... When fishing for crappie of veteran guides and a good presentation can produce great.... Crappie begin migrating away from main-lake points into the shallows setup for fishing 13 to 14 foot water was double! Shallows, creating great action fish into the 15- to 20-foot zone is perfect is. Fishermen have great help with today ’ s opinions vary on the species and the clarity of the bottom get! Increase your chances of catching big, springtime slabs follow the big-slab bite mean 'numbers '! is usually degrees! How a couple of veteran guides and a tournament angler follow the big-slab bite percentage... The depth of the brush, count your jig down to the thermocline depth be left unchanged will to... Crappie use will change be confined to the water temperature, water is generally warmer and stable... Models have advantages, a weekend fisherman with a 1/8 on top and 1/32 on.... At whatever depth necessary to catch bass, crappie depth by temperature the deeper the fish, the ideal depth.... And fishing patterns vary with changing water temperatures reach 55F can usually be found spawning in temperatures ranging 57... Veteran guides and a good presentation can produce great action hunting Technology, compared to in! Good bait presentations are a problem feet of water to 30 feet change can bring and. Ranging from 57 to 75 degrees, lakes with soft water offer great opportunities...