HOW TO CATCH CRAPPIE

Few fish in the freshwater world are near as sought after for their table fare as panfish. Crappie is among the most praised panfish to target. Pan fishing is a favorite pastime throughout the nation. While often young anglers first catch; breaking down the techniques and strategies proves how complex it can be to catch crappie. Firstly, panfish describes any fish that typically remains the size of a frying pan. Crappie, bluegill, white bass, and sunfish are often called panfish. (Largemouth bass are in the sunfish family and not usually referred to as panfish). While techniques remain relatively ubiquitous between panfish, we will focus on the intricacies of Crappie fishing here. Although a cane pole and a tin of worms are familiar approaches for panfish, people will be surprised to find professional crappie fishing exists. They have refined the sport into a science of different tactics and techniques.  Finding a submerged tree and hauling panfish in is still viable, but on days where the fish seem not to be biting, here are a few different tactics to catch year-round. Even though there are two different crappies, black and white, the tackle and techniques remain the same. In fact, in most cases, catching black and white crappie together is common.

Where does crappie live?

Crappie is native to the “Midwest” portions of North America, down to Mexico. Introduction of the species had grown crappies foothold in nearly every state in Continental US.

Black Crappie: Tends to be more widespread than White Crappie, up into southern Canada and down to the very south of Florida. Black Crappie is in just about every waterway in the Continental United States. The easiest identifier is the 7-8 spines on their dorsal fins.

White Crappie: Even though the White Crappie range is somewhat smaller than their cousin, Black Crappie, they also are widespread throughout the US. Although not traditionally found in Canada, Idaho, or south Florida, White Crappie extends down into northern Mexico. You can identify by counting at most 6 spines on their dorsal fins.

Habitat

If there is cover, there is crappie. Crappie is a structure-bound schooling fish. Spring is when crappie spawn, often in conjunction with the bass spawn. During this time, crappie congregates in shallower water near vegetation, rocks, tree stumps, and limbs. When the water starts to warm up, look for weeds, docks, and deeper water, which will provide some relief from the warm water. Anglers often create a structure for crappies, such as old Christmas trees or pool noodles attached to a cement bucket.

What to look for on the water

While assumed of as lake fish, rivers provide plenty of opportunities to catch all panfish, especially crappie.

Rivers and streams:

Look for Eddy water and other areas with little to no current. Spots are also good, where a tree has fallen into the river and deep pockets with an underwater cutout or ledge. Although people typically think of crappie as slow-moving water fish, creek mouths that empty into rivers and ponds can also be productive. Crappie fishing sounds relatively straightforward in rivers, and it can be. The significant points to remember are that crappie will rarely challenge the current. Most of the time, structures also provide a break from the river current.

Lakes and Ponds

Strategies on lakes differ with the seasons. Below we will cover different crappie behavior.

Early Spring

During the cooler months, crappie will focus on food. They will be getting ready for the spawn, moving back and forth in transitional areas. (Spots that go from deep to shallow rapidly). During the day, crappie moves up into shallower water around vegetation beds. When temperatures drop again in the evening, they will swim back down into the deeper water. The areas to target are drop-offs, moderate depth, and submerged structures.

Mid Spring

By mid-spring, when all the ice has thawed and water is pushing 65 degrees, we’re in the heart of crappie season. The spawn is in full effect, and crappie will move into shallower waters. Male crappie will stay shallow, protecting the egg beds, and become very defensive. Sight casting crappie in the shallows is very exciting during this time. Look for: brush piles, docks, weed patches, and rocks. 

Summertime 

When the water has warmed up and the spawn is over, crappie will move back into deeper water and start to hunt for food again. The pattern is similar to the early spring movement, except crappie will begin moving as the water cools down. Most commonly fished in the evenings and early mornings, also look to fish drop off and transitional areas.

Winter

Once winter sets in, fishing becomes difficult. Under the ice, crappie will begin the winter pushed down in deep water, then move shallower throughout winter. A sure bet to finding the fish under the ice is transitional areas and multiple poking holes working up the water column. If the lake does not get iced over in the winter, look to fish on deep water ledges and cliffs between 10-20ft of water.

Weather

Believe it or not, weather plays a significant factor in catching crappie. When the sun is out in full force – fish right in the middle of a heavy structure; if it is a cloudy day, look at any submerged cover and fish closer to the top of the water column. If you are fishing with jigs, a simple rule is to remember darker colors for dirty water and lighter colors for clean water.  Panfish prefer clean water. If the water is muddy or dirty, try to find deeper pockets of water. Fish will tend to congregate in search of clean water, especially right after rain. 

Tackle

One of the reasons panfishing is so popular is the ease of entry into the sport. Here are the fundamental tackle needs.

• Light spinning rod

We like to use a 6ft rod, light power, rated for 1/16 – 1/2 oz weight and 4-6lb mono.

• Equivalent light spinning reel

A reel capable of holding 100 yards of a 4lb test line is sufficient.

• some jigs

‘Jigs’ are small jig heads with a spinner attached. Jigs, used in conjunction with plastics, can be enticing. Weights are typically between 1/16 – 1/8 oz.

• Artificial baits

Plastic grubs or small minnow imitation plastics are very effective. Tube Jigs are also a great lure.

• Split shot weights

Lightweight split shits, often “removable.” A variety between 1/25th oz and ¼ oz is sufficient.

• Bobber or float

Old-school red and white clip-on bobbers, but this is a personal preference.

• A package of light wire hooks

#2 – #8 light wire hooks. Aberdeen in gold is the most popular choice.

Bonus Tackle 

• Crappie nibbles

Small dough-like bait. Tip hooks with it, stuff tube jigs, or fish it on a small treble hook similar to catfish or trout fishing.

• Spider Jig

They are often considered a more advanced technique. Suppose you are having trouble getting a crappie bite and cannot figure out how to get a bite. In that case, Spider jigs are a great way to experiment with different colors and baits quickly.

Bait

If live bait is your thing, minnows! Minnows are the kings of live bait to catch crappie. Hook the minnow through the lips or right behind the head. Although crappie rarely encounters worms in their natural habitat, worms are frequently swept into the water after heavy rains. We shy away from using worms, not because crappie does not eat them, but because we find that we are weeding through bluegill and perch most of the time. Anything that imitates a grub or minnow works when using artificial or lures. Crappie tends to be picky on colors, so keep a variety handy. If fishing with Jigs from the bank, cast towards structure, do a “retrieve and pause” technique. Reel for a couple of seconds, then let the jig sink for a couple of seconds.

Landing Your Fish

Panfish have very thin, paper-like mouths. A TV-style hook set is not required and will probably result in ripping the hook right out of the fish’s mouth. With how violently crappie attacks their bait, the hook will set itself. Lift the rod tip and keep steady pressure on the fish when getting a bite. Conversely, if the line goes slack during the fight, reel quickly to catch back up. Slacklines give the fish a chance to “spit” your hook (throw it out of their mouth with headshakes). Do not jerk the rod; reel quickly. Once the crappie is at the bank or boat side, the excitement and adrenaline will have you wanting to pull the fish up by the fishing line. DON’T! As we mentioned earlier, crappie mouths are very fragile, and I have seen many fish lost this way. Get a good net, and secure your catch. Now that your catch is in the net; it is time to celebrate. Congratulations, you just caught a crappie!

Table Fare

Arguably, one of the best freshwater fish to eat. They are delicious fish. Eating crappie is not what you would imagine eating fish tastes like with a firm white fillet. I will argue for any non-fish eater to try crappie. More often than not, they become a fan. A clean fillet, deep-fried in beer batter, is a favorite in our household. Due to crappies’ ability to breed like rabbits and push out native species where introduced, retaining crappie for dinner is generally a non-issue. Just make sure to follow the local laws.