In part one of this series, we discussed the importance of water temperatureas it applies to the spring panfish spawn. To refresh your memory, or getyou up to speed if you missed that column, the magic temperatures at whichpanfish spawn is:
Crappie – 62°-65°
Sunfish – 68°-70°
When you find those water temps in areas with the right bottom content, puton the polaroids⦠start looking… and start catching! Too help you turnlocated crappies into a sizzling dinner, I’ll break down some surefire tipsand tactics for more springtime action.
For crappies, as the water temperature hits 62° and above, I like to firstcheck out spots that have historically produced fish. Under Minn Kota power,I’ll scope out known spawning grounds and visually look for crappies. Often,particularly in the early stage of the spawn, I’ll see only smaller malesgoing about the business of fanning nests.
If you encounter this, you’re halfway home. The bigger females won’t be toofar away. More than likely, you’ll find them staging down in thick cabbageor other submerged vegetation near the first break into deeper water. Andthey’ll be very aggressive.
Personally, I like to attack these “staging” fish with a simple FIXED bobberrig. Why a fixed bobber instead of a slip bobber? Because for whateverreason, the fish seem to strike more aggressively when the bait comes in ona “pendulum” path under the bobber vs. the horizontal drop you get with aslip bobber.
There are multiple lures that will work well for you. I recommend smallstandard jigs, teardrop-style ice jigs or even a #6 hook under a smallsplitshot â all fished on 4-pound test monofilament line. For bait, youcan’t beat tipping your jig or hook with a crappie minnow or waxworm. Manytimes, live bait is unnecessary and you’ll slay them on tubes, grub-bodyjigs or even small jigging spoons hanging under your bobber. As with allfishing, experiment with different lures, colors, etc. and discover whatflips their switch.
Another deadly tactic is to present these crappies with a fly. Top producersare Woolly Buggers, Muddler Minnows and small beaded nymphs. These patternsdescend very slowly and naturally, which can make a big difference during alight bite. If you’re not a fly fisherman, you can tie these flies behind aweighted bobber and still take advantage of their effectiveness.
In addition to the deeper weedbeds adjacent to the spawning grounds, alsoscope out neighboring boat docks. Docks provide three essentials for bigfemales: cover, forage and warm water (critical for egg ripening). When youfind fish under a dock, pitch your bobber rig right underneath it. Usinglight line and good spinning tackle, you can also skip little tubes in thereand have a ton of fun fighting the slabs out of the dock poles.
When the big females do move into the actual bed areas, sight fishingbecomes the name of the game. Look for crappies on or near the bottom, orscooting away from the boat as you approach. If they spook from the bed,hang tight. They’ll be back. Crappies beds are quite small (much smallerthan a sunfish bed) and often found within the confines of lilly pad roots,downed trees, in reeds, rice or other cover. So you’re not looking foractual beds, but for those sometimes hard-to-see fish relating to the beds.It becomes a learned skill, and a good pair of polarized sunglasses is amust.
After you’ve located crappies on their beds, the trick is to get your baitright in there with them. They won’t want to rise too far or stray too wideto chase a bait, because their duty is to guard the nest. When they seizethe bait, it’s more of a protective act. They want to pick up the intruderand get it away from their eggs.
As you pitch lures to these vigilant fish, you’ll learn that the timing ofyour hookset is critical. When you see the bait disappear, give her thehookset. If you’re too late, the fish can spit the bait outside the bedbefore you can get a hook into it. Also, if a particular bedded femaleflares on a bait but just won’t seem to take it, stay persistent. Change upcolors, lure size, presentation, etc. and eventually she’ll cooperate.
As responsible anglers, we are also conservationists. So I would be remissif I didn’t add one more thing. Spawning crappies, and all fish for thatmatter, are incredibly vulnerable while they’re creating the futureoccupants of our lakes and rivers. They’re easily seen, often congregatedand typically easy to catch. So if you’re getting a limit for dinner, bekind. Put the big monsters back; they have the genetic “stuff” to benefitthe fishery for all time. Keep the “eaters” for the frying pan. And when youhave a legal limit of crappies in the box, leave the rest alone so they canmake more crappies.
Good Fishing!
Babe Winkelman is a nationally-known outdoorsman who has taught people tofish and hunt for more than 25 years. Watch the award-winning “Good Fishing”and “Outdoor Secrets” television shows on Versus (formerly OLN), Fox SportsNet, WILD TV, WFN and many local networks.By: Babe Winkelman / Babe Winkelman Productions
