Do crappie ever surface or school up like bass?

[crappieandbassman123]

Do crappie ever surface or school up like bass? Do your techniques differ?

[floatntiny]

I have been crappie fishing for about 45 yrs & I seen this one time in my life at Barren River Lake. During october when the lake was in winter draw down a big school of minnows (shad?) were close to the surface over a stump row and crappie was coming to the surface after them. We thru a jig about 6" under a bobber & caught several. They didn't jump like bass or stripe but swirled just under the surface where you could see them.

[Rees Guide]

Have seen em eat May Flies in the late spring around buck bushes on Grenada, fish for em with a very short line on a jig pole.

[crappieandbassman123]

What makes them do it? Does water temperature have anything to do with it?

[crappieandbassman123]

I have been crappie fishing for about 45 yrs & I seen this one time in my life at Barren River Lake. During october when the lake was in winter draw down a big school of minnows (shad?) were close to the surface over a stump row and crappie was coming to the surface after them. We thru a jig about 6" under a bobber & caught several. They didn't jump like bass or stripe but swirled just under the surface where you could see them.

How big were the crappie surfacing? White or Black Crappie?

[bee]

I see them on the surface all the time. Lilly pads and crappie just like blueberrys and milk. Go together great.

[Slabs Inc]

Yup I've seen it too. I've seen flatheads do it also. ?????????? Nothing I would go looking for, but yes they do.

[KDAVID1]

Seen em do it on Sardis like floatntiny described a few weeks ago. Minners everywhere and every now and then you'd see a crappie swirl up on em.
Also seen it on butla when fishing in 1ft of water.

[gabowman]

I've seen crappie hitting shad here and there on the surface. Seen a friend catching crappie longlining open water using 1/48th and 1/64th jigs when longlining in 20' of water while I'm using weighted 1/16ths (same as 1/8th jigs) during those times too.

[floatntiny]

I don't really remember if they were black or white crappie! I just know we caught several keepers like 1 every cast for a good while and they were almost all keepers the best I remember so out of Barren River lake size limit is 9" and crappie there over 12" are few and far between.