Locate Crappies Anytime

Fishing strange waters can be lot's of fun. These tips will help you find productive crappie fishing areas. There are many pieces to the puzzle and it's a thrill when you get them all to fit, especially when you out fish the locals.

Rely on crappie's seasonal patterns to help focus your efforts. Look for a congregation of structure, drop offs, points, brush or weed pockets in one area. Such an area often holds large numbers of crappie. It is best to avoid featureless shorelines. Local fishermen can tell you how deep the fish are and the type of structure and cover they prefer. They may even reveal a specific location.

It pays to stock up with many different colors of crappie lures and jigs to cover any conditions. Minnows (if legal), jigs and any combinations are great new-lake baits. Also take along some tiny crankbaits, spoons and small spinners. Slab catching colors include pearl, white or chartreuse for stained waters while various natural color choices work best in clear water.

Traveling out of state? It pays to read the regulations. You will often find a rule or two about the type of hooks allowed and any live bait restrictions. Always check with local sporting goods stores, they have up-to-date Fish & Game changes and people who can help you interpret them.

Next, try to find active fish by focusing on water with the right light level. Clear water fishing is tops during low light periods such as rainy days, dawn or dusk. Crappies is stained water are often very active at midday.

A common situation when fishing a new lake is having to fish from shore or a boat that doesn't have a fish finder. Both of these situations make it difficult to find forage or cover. There's a little known perfect answer to this problem that I'm going to share with you now. It's called the Humminbird Smartcast fish finder. You simply toss the transducer out into the water using an old rod and reel and it sends back the information wireless!! When I find a shoreline that looks like it might have crappie, I throw out the tranducer and slowy retreive it watching the screen until I spot the fish. Mine works great. In fact, the only problem I've ever had is other shore fishermen constantly interrupting me to ask about it.

Keep in mind that all crappies avoid water that is too warm (85 degrees or more), intense sunlight and water with dissolved oxygen of less than four parts per million. If the water is clear, assume the crappie will be spooky. Use a method that maintains plenty of distance between you and the bait, casting a long line, trolling or drifting. If crappie are deep, try vertical fishing. Clear water crappie are sight feeders. It can help to occasionally jiggle your bait but plan a slow presentation.

Dark water crappies are less spooky so you have more methods to choose from under these conditions. The fish will be less apt to chase lures. These fish love cover and are sound feeders. Attract crappie by occasionally scraping the bottom of a log with your lure. Large visible lures fished super slow work best.