Strangely, two of the best crappie days I've ever had came in the spring the day after a front. Temp. in the 40s and high blue skies.
I've always heard that some of the best times to go fishing is before a cold front comes through. I can attest to that notion. The bite seems to be better before a cold front moves through. Afterwards, well, the bite is not as aggressive. Not saying you don't catch fish, because i have, good size ones, just not in the quantity that i would get before a cold front moves through.
I usually found this logically applicable during the summer and fall (more so Summer). Going into my first prespawn fishing season, i figured i would be able to apply this term of the thinking with such a warm and early spring. However the results have not panned out as well as i may have hoped.
My best catch came right after a cold front moved through and we cleared out after 2 - 3 days of clouds and rain. While most of my fishing trips this month have been planned before a major cooldown or cold front comes through. I find that the quantity you catch is much better after the frontal passage, rather than before.
My only guess is that it must be a prespawn thing for them to actively feed after a cold front pushes through rather than before. Has anyone else noticed this? Or am I just grabbing at straws?
Strangely, two of the best crappie days I've ever had came in the spring the day after a front. Temp. in the 40s and high blue skies.
I havent kept up with it that much. Pre-spawn fish are gonna gorge themselves. As long as it isnt too cold for me I'm gonna fish.
It just goes to show that no ONE factor is the "be all" magic bullet. All of the prevailing factors need to be taken into account and factored into the total equation.
One thing is for sure, though .... you ain't gonna catch'em if'n ya don't GO !!
... cp
Well, i have talked to quite a few local anglers and many of them have had some unusual difficulties filling up their coolers with fish this spring. Many of them believe it was the warm winter we had and lack of hard freeze that kept the lakes frozen for a long period of time.
It was early this year for us . Usually it's mid to late February but it was late January to the first week of feb. If we have a cold front come down its usually the second day of sunlight after the front passes . I guess the sunlight warms that shallow water up pretty fast . But I talked to a commercial cat fisherman the other day and he was telling me that he had a few nets in shallow canals in December that were slam full of crappie . So I'm guessing those fish were moving into there spawning grounds earlier this year . He did make sure he told me he released them all . Whether or not he did idk ?
I think the temperatures have a lot to do with it. I have a neighbor whom says he will not go fishing when the barometric pressure is falling ,only when its rising or stable and not the lowest. Though temperature is very important. I believe if it were falling but the barometric pressure was rising the bite would be good if everything else was normal "as hasn't been raining straight for 3 days".
Fin
I am a believer in that you never know for sure if the crappie are biting or not unless you go fishing. That is the only true test.
As one guy's email always says, "The two best times to go fishing is when it is raining and when it ain't!
Fish everyday you can reguardless of weather, never know how well thewy will bite. one thing for certain, you can't catch em if you don't go. I try to fish every day reguardless, tough conditions and slow bite can make you a better overall fisherman.
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