| Yes! You can catch crappie in the winter. Every | | | | these shores because of longer exposure to the |
| crappie fisherman knows about the spring bite. | | | | sun. Creek mouths are other key spots to try in |
| Come spring, your favorite lake will be crowded | | | | the winter. Crappie will stack up in creek mouths |
| with anglers looking to replenish their fillet supply. | | | | on natural and man made lakes. Once a likely spot |
| Fish in the winter and you will likely have the lake | | | | is found, use your depth finder to look for bait |
| or river to yourself. Crappies are just as willing to | | | | fish and crappie. If you're not using a depth finder, |
| bite in the winter as they are in the spring, | | | | rig a slip bobber set up to float a minnow about |
| summer, or fall. You just need to know where to | | | | 30 feet down. |
| look for them. | | | | Now that you've found a spot to fish, you need |
| In the north and central states crappie migrate | | | | to get some bait or lures down to the fish. |
| towards deep water when the big chill of winter | | | | Crappie love minnows and this is always a good |
| sets in. Start out looking for them in water that is | | | | choice for bait. The thing to remember this time |
| 30 to 40 feet deep. The best spots are where | | | | of year is to go slow! Put out several rods with |
| deep water is close to shore. Don't look for the | | | | slip bobber rigs set at different depths. Try using |
| typical crappie structure. Look for deep water | | | | a 1/16th ounce tube jig on one of the slip bobber |
| close to shore first. If there is structure in the | | | | rigs. Just let it sit as if you are fishing a minnow. |
| form of a rock piles or a downed trees, count | | | | Crappie will bite it. Remember, slow is good! Don't |
| that as a plus. In the winter, crappie will hold in | | | | anchor the boat unless the wind is blowing you |
| deep water that is close to shore even if there | | | | around too much. A slow drift is good. |
| isn't a brush pile or rock pile present. The north | | | | You should be able to put a lot of crappie in the |
| and northwest shores seem to produce best. This | | | | boat using these tactics. Remember! Slow is good. |
| is because the water is usually a little warmer on | | | | |