Boating Fishing - The Bass Experience 

How To Catch Crappie In The Wintertime

Author: Billy Bob Desroleaux III

For most anglers, catching Crappie in the Winter is near impossible. Some falsely believe that Crappie can not be caught at all during the colder months. This just isn\'t so! Crappie have to feed during the Winter just like they do any other time of year. They\'re fish, not Bears. They don\'t hibernate!

Also, once you find the pattern on a given body of water, Winter Crappie will normally hold that same pattern for many days, sometimes weeks. Of course, a storm front may shut them down for a day or so, but generally they\'ll come right back, hungry as ever!

Start your search for Winter Crappie along deep channels that have a lot of brush. Don\'t be surprised if you find the deep brush but the Crappie are suspended near the surface. This happens quite a bit during the Winter, especially on those warmer than normal days. Also be on the look out for man-made brush piles in deep water. These are Crappie magnets. You might even want to consider sinking a few yourself!

It\'s true that Winter Crappie spend most of their time hanging around brush located along deep drop offs. But not always. Several days of warmer than normal weather can cause Crappie to move up to within a foot or so of the surface. It may also cause them to leave their deep water hangouts and move across shallow flats.

Make sure you use the right tackle for Winter Crappie fishing.

Winter Crappie fishing requires you to downsize your tackle. The same tackle you used back in the Summer and Spring will not be as effective in Winter. Light and Ultralight rods in the 6 to 7 foot range, small minnows or 1/32 ounce jigs and four pound test line are the norm. Crappie become sluggish and finicky in the Winter, and they won\'t chase bait. In fact, they want the bait right in front of their mouth during most of the Winter.

My favorite rod for Winter Crappie fishing is a 6 or 7 foot light to ultralight spinning rod with a good back, four pound ultra thin line and small tube jigs or ice fishing jigs in the 1/32 ounce range. Crappie prefer smaller baits in the Winter, even the slabs do! Make sure your rod is Graphite, you\'ll need it to feel the soft bites of Crappie at this time of year.

My other Winter Crappie fishing gear includes tiny ice fishings jigs or spoons, jigs in the 1/32 or 1/64 ounce range and 2 to 4 pound test line. I know what you\'re thinking. But Winter Crappie do not put up much of a fight and you should be able to horse any Crappie from a brush pile with this setup. Sure, you\'ll lose a few, but you\'ll catch more by downsizing than you will by using heavy rods, lines and baits.

Makes sure you slow down your presentation. Winter Crappie do not move fast and will not chase your bait like they do in the Summer and Spring. Many times I\'ve held my rod still to entice Crappie in a deep brushpile to bite.

If you\'d like to learn more about catching Winter Crappie, just follow the links below.

Crappie fishing can be a whole lot of source of entertainment during the Winter. Visit these hyperlinks for more Crappie fishing tips and informative articles and straight-talk on Crappie fishing.

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