Fall Crappie Tips

09-09-14

Summer Crappie that have been roaming, feeding on schools of shad, return to the fish cribs/brush piles in the Fall. I suspect they make the transition, when the shad (and other Young Of The Year Fish) become too large, for the Crappie to catch and/or eat.

Therefore the Crappie return to the “wood” (Cribs & Brushpiles) in search of their staple food, “Freshwater Shrimp”. Clouds of freshwater shrimp are in & around the wood. Crappie will feed on the shrimp throughout the Fall and also all winter long.

As the water cools down, the Crappie will gradually go deeper and deeper, until, when the lake is frozen they are hugging the lake bottom.

Right now in early Fall, they will be shallow over the tops of the Cribs and brush piles. Many can be caught 2-3 feet down over the wood. As the water cools, fish slightly deeper and deeper as winter approaches.

Now, (today) use a crappie bobber or a slip bobber, #8 hook, Crappie minnow, hooked thru the eyes or lips. Rig your bobber with a little extra weight, so that when the Crappie come up with the bite, you will notice your bobber rise. Set The Hook!!!

In another month, as the Crappie move deeper, vertically use a Swedish Pimple tipped with a minnow.

It should be a Great Fall Bite. We are already hearing of catches of over 50 Crappie a day, mostly the smaller ones now, but you can take it to the bank, the larger ones are right behind. Don’t miss it!!!

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