How To Catch Crappie in Winter
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!
The nice thing about Winter Crappie is that they tend to hold the same pattern for days, sometimes weeks, on end. Unless of course they’re disturbed by a Winter storm front or days of constant weather changes. Even then, once the weather settles, they generally go right back to their same old patterns.
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!
A good lake or river map showing the bottom details is a must for Winter Crappie fishing. Search for those brushy areas along submerged breaks. Although Crappie normally hold in deep water during the Winter, there are times you can find them shallow. This will usually occur after a few days of warm weather. Crappie are likely to be only a few feet deep over brush or you may find them on the flats relating to structure.
The right tackle will make you or break you for Crappie fishing in the Winter.
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.
I like using 6 to 7 foot Light to Ultra Light spinning rods with a stiff back. I prefer graphite over fiberglass rods because Crappie bite softly in the Winter. Graphite rods help you feel these soft bites.
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.
Cold Crappie won’t chase down bait during the Winter. This means you must put your offering in front of their nose and leave it there. In fact, many times I’ve had more success by not imparting any motion with my jig. Make it easy for the Crappie to eat your bait. This isn’t rocket science, so don’t get all technical with your presentation. Just hold it in front of them, they’ll bite it!
If you’d like to learn more about catching Winter Crappie, just follow the links below.
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