How do you catch big crappie instead of the little ones?

How do you catch deep crappie?

Finding deep water crappie requires good electronics. You can cover 70-80 feet on each side of the boat, find a depth range of 18-25 feet and set your boat right on top of that spot, and check the imaging for fish. To find these locations, look for creek channels and drops and where they may intersect.

What is the best artificial bait for crappie?

What colors do crappie see best?

In stained water (coffee color or with tannic acid) with bright-light conditions, my four predominate crappie catching colors are: green, chartreuse, lime and orange. Lures that contrast two of these colors, or matching them with brown or white are great. Orange-white is good at times, but all-white is not so good.

What is the best month to catch crappie?

The best time of year to catch crappie is during the spawning season which takes place from February-May. During the spawn, both male and female crappie move from deep locations into shallow and concentrated spawning areas. This makes them very easy to target, as they are actively feeding and defending their nests.

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What time of day are crappie most active?

In the case of crappie, the best time to catch them is during their feeding time, which is most frequently between the hours of midnight and 2 am. Additionally, during dawn and dusk can be good times to catch them, with many of them also feeding during these twilight hours.

What is the best size hook for crappie fishing?

Best Hooks For Crappie Fishing: The best hooks for crappie are sharp, light-wire, and have a long shank. #2, #4, or #6 (biggest to smallest) are the most common hook sizes for crappie fishing.

Do you crappie feed up or down?

Crappie tend to feed upward, so present your baits just above them in the water column, and use that slow fall rate to keep the bait fluttering back into their strike zone. Look for access to deep water to find fall crappie from shore.

How deep are the crappie right now?

You're likely to find the crappie hanging out in waters 6 to 12 feet deep and remember, finding structure is not as important as finding food for the crappie.

How many crappie Should I take out of my pond each year?

This can be good if you are managing for quality fishing. To maintain this balance release all 12 to 15 inch bass and harvest 10 to 12 inch crappie and 6 to 8 inch bluegill. Remove 20 pounds of bass per acre per year, 30 pounds of crappie per acre per year and 40 pounds of bluegill per acre per year.

Where do crappie hide in ponds?

Crappie in ponds tend to hunker down in deeper water with cover. What is this? If you can locate suitable water within easy casting range of the bank, you will find fish here. These drop-off locations will attract baitfish like minnows and shiners because of the cooler water with shade.

Will black crappie take over a pond?

Black crappie are used exclusively for stocking in smaller lakes or ponds, above two acres, as they are less prolific than the white crappie, but still have great reproductive potential. That being said they too need to be harvested somewhat heavily to keep from overpopulating.

What is the best size minnow for crappie fishing?

In most cases, 1 inch long to 2 inch long minnows are best for crappie fishing. Therefore, hooks and sizes from #6 down to #2 work best. The float is then attached to the line 2 feet to 3 feet above the hook. If required, a tiny split shot can be added near the hook to keep the minnow down.

Do white or black crappie get bigger?

Black Crappie tend to grow larger than white crappie overall. They are usually thicker and more dense than White Crappie.

How do you find crappie in a lake?

Anglers often find more fish near the shoreline cypress trees, stickups, weed beds, blowdowns, or cover-button willows. The big crappie tend to be in shallow water near channel edges next to shallow flats or main lake humps. It's usually the cold fronts that drive crappie into deeper water from the shallows.

Can you night fish for crappie?

Crappie are active at night, moving shallower than at other times and actively seeking food. They feed opportunistically on concentrations of forage, which is central why summer night fishing tends to be predictable. Lights shining on the water at night often begin a process that congregates active crappie.