Cold Front Crappie

[Crestliner08]

How do you perceive that strong fronts affect your crappie fishing? We had one come through on Saturday night. Got up Sunday and the breeze was cold and stiff. Air temps in low 50's. Water temp was 58 degrees. Fishing from shore, I tried several of my reliable producing spots for the fall; stream inlets, points and steep drop offs. Nada!

So, I went to the shallow side of the pond that the wind was blowing into (about 10 - 15 mph). Difficult to cast out for sure! Immediately though, I started to catch some decent crappie on Baby Shads. Didn't do great - only caught 7 of average size and maybe 3 or 4 dinks, but at least I was catching some. However, this section has never produced for me on "normal" days of steady weather, or ever for that matter. So, my question is how do crappie respond to cold fronts, or is it just the wind that dictate their position and/or feeding? Thanks for your feedback.

[Crappie 1]

Were fairly new to the Crappie fishing. But when I fished Walleye all the time, it was always best to go to the side of the lake that the wind was blowing into. It stirs up the food on that side. My .02 is that I think fronts affect most fish..

[Cmj]

I am no expert but it has been my observation that fronts definitely effect Crappie, especially cold fronts. But more importantly, they effect bait fish. During the summer months, the shallow water heats up and has a low oxygen content. When the water cools, those shallow areas become oxygenated and the shad move in to feed. The crappie arent far behind. The wind mainly effects Crappie when it creates "current" in otherwise still water. They will wait in the breaks and ambush baitfish swimming in the "current." Just my opinion.


(C.J.)

[NIMROD]

Here on Nimrod which is basically a shallow flood control reservior a cold front can put them on bottom next to cover. In hot weather the oxygen content can get quite low and bait along with Crappie suspend in shallower depths . The deeper water tends to hold too little oxygen in real hot times. I see trotliners ever summer frustrated about catfish die'n on weighted trotlines. One draw back to fall cooling is that cooler water sinks mixing it up and fish can scattered all depths .Scattered fish are tougher to catch as you well know. But as winter approaches they tend to pull in creeks and river channels . Scattered and suspended fish are great for spider riggers but tough on verticle jiggers most of the time. Even more so on cloudy days with little sunshine.

[Eager Beaver]

When the wind kicks up on my lake I go to the Dam and fish there. The wind will push the bait fish into the banks and the Crappie are there for a free meal. When we have a cold front move through the strike zone gets smaller and the Crappie are as eager to chase a bait down. I go to verticle jigging and use a red RR with a stinger bait on the back. EB