I’ve been fishing for years but have never been that great of a fisherman, though that is likely due to me preferring the solitude over the actual catching of the fish. It’s also likely due to me using nearly anything but bait to catch a fish. I’ve caught Whitefish on Lake Michigan with the head of a G.I. Joe action figure, Sunfish with Trail Mix, and once caught a nice sized bass with a homemade jig using a can tab as the spinner…but now that I am down here in Tennessee I’ve been fishing for the actual fish so I’ve taken to doing a little research on the best methods to catch Cyndi’s favorite meal… crappie! The article below is just some of what I’ve learned, and stay tuned as more articles on the subject are on the way.
The basics of Crappie Fishing
General Information:
There are two types of Crappie that are found throughout the northern hemisphere (from southern Canada to norther Mexico). These two types are the Black (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) and the White (Pomoxis annularis) Crappie both of which are a part of the Sunfish family (Centrarchidae). To tell the difference between the two there are a few tips to keep in mind. The blacks tend to prefer colder waters and tend to be darker in shade then their white crappie cousins and have an irregular pattern of spots on their bodies. White crappie are of a lighter color and have a defined vertical pattern of spots. Though the best way to tell the difference between the two is to count the number the number of dorsal fin spines; black crappie have eight and the white have five or six. However they can cross breed so finding a mix is not all that uncommon.
Both types can be found anywhere there is a lake, pond, stream or river and are considered a panfish rather a game fish but are still heavily stocked throughout the regions they can be found. In Tennessee the record black crappie weighed in at 4 lbs. 4 oz. and was caught in Browns Lake. The record holding white crappie was 5 lbs. 1 oz. and was caught in Dickson County.
The crappie’s main diet is made up of minnows, insects and small crustaceans. The younger crappie will mainly eat the small crustaceans and insects while the larger adults feed mainly on small fish. Studies have been done on both the white and black adult crappies showing that the black will feed a more on insects in the spring and then switch to small fish (minnows) through the rest of the year. The adult white’s primary preference is minnows throughout the year. The diet should be kept in mind when trying to figure out which bait is best to use when fishing for Crappie in your area.
Choosing your bait:
Clear water:
When fishing in clear water you want to use more realistic looking bait as the fish will be able to see them and matching your bait to what they eat will increase your chances of them trying to eat it.
Dirty water:
When fishing in darker waters you will do better with brightly colored bait as it is easier for the fish to see. Neons, glitters, and brighter primary colors will all do better then the duller more realistically looking baits.
Lures:
Maribou Jigs are the little fuzy ones that generally have some type of feather for a tail and are good for fishing over bridges or using a bobber.
Curly-tail Grubs are the colored little plastic buggers with wavy tails and are good for jigging or reeling in steadily as they will produce a lot of action when in motion.
Spinners are the ones that look like they have the eating part of a spoon attached that will spin when reeled in. These are likely the most versatile of the lures as they could surprise you in what they will catch. There are several different types of spinners and each has it’s own personality and fish preferences. If you are planning on using them it may be best to do a bit more research.
Weather:
Cloudy days call for darker colors and sunny days call for brighter colors.
Choosing your Location:
Temperature can play a huge roll in how many fish you will be catching and can be a key factor in picking your location to fish. Generally speaking though, if the temperature is below 45 degrees the crappie will be tighter lipped though once it hits that magic 50-60 temp you’ll find that the action is about to begin, especially in mid spring when the spawning season is in full tilt. In this range males will be heading to the shallower waters under cover (fallen trees, rock piles, sunken pirate ships, stumps, etc) around this time. If you are only catching smaller fish at this time I suggest moving to where the bottom drops out, which is where you are more then likely to find the females hiding. These tips hold well in the fall as well, though without the feeding frenzy that goes in hand with breeding season. When the temps reach up above the 70s however most people give up fishing for crappie, but one can still catch them, it just takes more time and a deeper line.
If you own the lake or pond you plan on fishing for crappie I suggest dumping your old Christmas tree off shore someplace. Other things to drop into the water that can provide cover would be wooden pallets, old tires, brush, bushes and limbs, or other things that can provide cover. I caught one of the largest fish I ever got while floating over a submerged picnic table! However I must warn you that dumping such things into a body of water in most places would be considered littering and if you are caught doing the crime expect to do the time as such activities are not generally covered by a fishing license.
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