Will the crappie bite reliably in this weather?

[Hightekrednek]

It's just starting to get cold here in N.E. Washington, We got a skiff of snow yesterday, and the thermometer hasn't read higher than 30 all day. It's supposed to get even colder. The lakes are still pretty warm, 40-50 degrees. Will the crappie still be likely to bite in this cold front?

[Jerry Blake]

There's one way to find out - give them the opportunity!

[Billbob]

amen

[LBM]

For me its never a reliable certainty that the crappie will bite but I really like cold weather crappie fishing.

It is a real thrill to catch fish after having driven the boat in circles making large wakes to break the ice up in order to have a area to fish. One would think that all that noise and comotion at breaking the ice would give the fish lock jaw.

The one certainty when the fish won't bite is when the ice is too thick to break with the boat and not thick enough to walk on.

Like Jerry said get out and give it a shot because that cold weather fishing can be a lot of fun.

[Darryl Morris]

You never know till you go --- You cannot fry till you try

[Matt Smith]

Yes, they'll bite. I'd start fishing in shallow water during the early morning hours and work deeper as the day progresses.

[truefisher]

After doing research on crappies specifically both on inland and flowage/river situations over the past 5 years I can tell you with certainty it is not wether they will bite, but rather where are they
Location as in any species search is the key, and depending on the impoundment, crappies can be anywhere, fairly predictable in spring and early fall but with that said, many lakes that have populations of crappie actually segregate and form individual tightly packed schools that roam large areas chasing baitfish or feeding on predictable flats on particular food sources ......this time of the year is when that really takes shape, so if you go to your spring brushpile and they are not there, don't be fooled........get those electronics humming and search for them in the basin ,closest to your area......when you see that "blob" on your screen...drop a gold genz worm on em' with a "wormi" tail, if they are there, you'll find out real quick. The number one thing is to watch a school of crappie that is on the move...and almost predictably they will do that again and again, especially in the winter.......as daylight comes they generally will seek a hard break or basin area and settle down...If you see a "flickering":rolleyes: red bottom on your vex.....in the basin area, you may be eating crappie that evening, as they can be coaxed off the bottom with for instance ,a #10 optic stealth jig tipped with a stoni or a true live emerald shiner... Do not give up, as when you do establish what they are doing and when, you truly can hit the mother load! ..............LOBY

[Hightekrednek]

Thanks guys, maybe I'll give it a shot in a few days; if I can get my research paper ready before then. Wish me luck!