trouble with cold water crappie

[skeetbum]

Get ahold of Grousefly, or another member that makes weedless heads and get some with a good sized hook, I like a 2, and get some braided line. The coil in mono will sometimes absorb the little things that braid will transmit to you. I used shad bodies of different styles, mostly 3" or 2 1/2" bodies, and find some standing timber or other structure near but not in current. I used 1/4oz heads to keep the jig straight down and full contact. Others will work, I have them as light as 1/32 all with brushguard like a toothbrush bristle. Mark the line at say 20' and figure out how to add or subtract line to that mark so you can return to the depth that worked best.
I fished 50 to 55 fow and the fish were at 30 to 35'. The jig had to be near motionless with a 2" lift of the jig every 15 to 30 seconds and no more. Too much activity and they wouldn't touch it. Calm winds worked best for me. Most of the fish were of size for the box without digging for the measure stick, lots over a pound. Work a depth for about 30 minutes and then raise or lower it 3 or 4' and work that for a while. When you find it you will know. Hit a calm warm day last January with a friend we did this and had over 50 keepers though the boat in just over 3 hours. Good luck and have fun figuring it out.....Skeet

[chaunc]

Give the shallow water stumps and brush piles a try. I'm talking 8 ft deep. Put a 1/32 oz jig head with a fake minnow and crappie nibble about 5 ft deep under a small bobber and fish those spots. I added a very small shot about six inches above the jig. This method is producing very well for me right now in NW PA.

[river scum]

been smoking them on the same ol 2" twister tail as summer. i just run it slower. its cold and ready to freeze here too. also using minnows and floats at the same time.

[Crestliner08]

We have similar water temps up here in MA as well. Winter just refuses to set up this year - not that I'm complaining mind you! I've been pretty successful slow rolling 1/16 oz. jigs with straight tailed plastic trailers. Count down one cast at 6....then 8.....then 10 and so-forth on each consecutive cast. Once you find the depth, vary your retrieve speed and you'll clock 'em eventually. Good Luck and welcome aboard!

[Matt Lad]

Had another unsuccessful outing today. Same story as before. Fish all over the screen, none in the box. Tried every technique suggested and still came up empty. Very discouraged. Think I'll try a different lake next week. It's going to be a tough week at work.

[Zippy]

Blieve it or not this warm water is making it more difficult. Fished today and caught 25 small ones. They were everywhere from suspending in deeper water 5 feet down to up in water 2-3 feet deep. Surface temps were 62 degrees which is nuts for this time of year. I was mostly unsuccessful finding a school of fish other than getting on one loose school of tiny ones as I left.

[NIMROD]

We use 1/8 to 1/4 oz jigs in winter . Most bait fish are larger at this time of year. We look for Shad schools in deep water and the Crappie should be close . Many times almost on the bottom near bait fish . But sometimes they do go shallow even in winter . I like the heavier jig to keep line tight to detect even lightest bites in deep water

Here is a youtube video explaining why to use big baits for Crappie in winter .. .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfAjyca6QN8

[Hanr3]

There is a great thread on Crappie.com related to water temp and crappie action. I don't have it saved as a link, hopefully someone will post the link to the thread.

Remember the basics, crappie are predators and hunt in low light conditions. They are also a food source, and they are prayed upon in low light conditions as well. Makes them skidish at times. Crappie also like an easy meal, find their food source and fish around it. At this time of year, with the unusual temps they could be just about anywhere. However, I would start about half way down a drop off. They will be facing the drop off, actually their nose will be so tight to the drop off you could pull your jig right past them and they wont even see it. Best way to fish them is from the lake side, cast up to the shore and bounce your jig down the drop off, slowly.

You already saw the technique for crappie holding tight to trees.

If the crappie are suspended, pulling cranks or spider rigging are your best options.

Realize, crappie move around the lake as the seasons change. They have preferred waters for spring, different waters for summer, different waters for winter, and they have preferred routes to get from one place to the next.

The only way to learn is to spend time on the water. We ALL went through the same thing. What works for me today may or may not work for you on your body of water.

[Ketchn]

waters here in Texas rarely get that chilly , but one thing i know for certain is i hit alot of different lakes with a huge amount of differences in them . some fish park on the bottom ,some fish suspend ,some run up creeks and it seems to me that for the most part the lakes vary greatly in what where and how when it comes to crappie in the winter . the scenario you are presenting might be suspended open water fish and even though i almost never try to ketch those . you might want to drop live bait about a foot above the suspended marks on multiple rods tandem and drift very slowly thru the marks.
hope you figure em out soon and good luck ......

[NJcrappie]

I fish south jersey often and vertical jigging has been the ticket as of late. Once the jig is down to the desired depth hold it dead still. Less can be more this time of the year. Try minnows too sometimes they make all the difference. More times than not I'm using a double rig and tying a small jig on the top can help as well.