warm weather = no fish

[Seth G.]

Anyone know how suspended crappie react to warmer weather? I caught fish at 12 - 15 feet near the dam in sub-freezing weather for the last 2 wks. It had warmed up and there gone!!! I dont have a boat so who knows where they went. Any ideas?
Seth

[bama647]

from my experience thay havent gone far. probably went to some nearby shallower water if you can find it. im getting some good action in 6 to 10ft water right now. do you know how much the water has warmed up in that area? last weekend we were still around 43f but that is up a couple degrees from weeks past. im realizing more and more how key those few degrees in water temp will move them

[NIMROD]

Sometimes Crappie move vertically when it warms. They may still be in the same water depth just suspended higher.:D

[crappiefarmer]

I know that when the water is in the low 50 degree range you can catch them in 6 to 10 feet of water. Once the temps get down in the mid 40s and below they will move deeper but most of the time deep water is too deep in my area. Sounds like you fish water that has depth similar to what I fish. Fish 4 to 8 feet depth of water in the summer in more open areas where wind can generate oxygen in water. CF

[Seth G.]

Found them. Same spot just deeper. GO FIGURE. Maby thats why I like fishing for them.
Seth

[grizmck]

Seth, are you cast and count down or using a slip cork, jig or minnow? Jim

[SpeckWick]

Did the warm up come with bright skies? They may have dropped down due to more sunlight penetration or a cold front. If there is wood cover that stiks out of the water, you might want to try shallow when the sun is beating on it. Even in cold water, crappie sometimes move in and hang next to the wood or rocks where the sun is warming it and in turn the water around it. I've caught crappie in 45 degree water as shallow as 3-4 feet against sun drenched wood when we were catching them in 12 plus feet the day before.

[Seth G.]

Seth, are you cast and count down or using a slip cork, jig or minnow? Jim

Im using a slip cork when I can. If the wind is high and the water is choppy, I cast for them.
Seth

[Seth G.]

Sorry, Im using jigs, cheaper than the 3.25 a dozen crap.
Seth

[Seth G.]

Did the warm up come with bright skies? They may have dropped down due to more sunlight penetration or a cold front. If there is wood cover that stiks out of the water, you might want to try shallow when the sun is beating on it. Even in cold water, crappie sometimes move in and hang next to the wood or rocks where the sun is warming it and in turn the water around it. I've caught crappie in 45 degree water as shallow as 3-4 feet against sun drenched wood when we were catching them in 12 plus feet the day before.

Im not sure what happened. A cold frount came through and everyone was catching them. We caught 40 thursday in 2 hrs. When we came back Friday there were 8 trucks parked at my spot. Everyone had fish. When the frount came on through, they turned off again.

Seth