Best time of day?

[Moose07]

What typically is the best time of day to fish crappie from the bank? I know you can catch them anytime but what time gives you the best odds? Does the time change during spring,summer,fall and winter? Thanks!

[Moose07]

Anyone?

[CrappiePappy]

Lots & lots of variables to consider to make any kind of plausible answer to that question.

For me, though ... sunup til around 11AM (Spring & early Summer) on a shaded bank has been when I've caught Crappie close in to the bank. There has been a few times in Winter where those same hours produced, but those times were fishing over large downed trees that stuck out into ~25fow.
I haven't been out in mid to late Summer or the Fall period much in recent years, but when I have been (in the past) the fish of any size have been out in deep water & well away from the banks. That being said, I didn't really fish along the bank in those periods, so I'm not sure they'd have been there or not.
Mind you, though, I'm fishing out of a boat in most of these scenarios ... just fishing along the bank (casting or trolling). The Winter experience mentioned was "from" the bank, as I had no boat at that time.

[Moose07]

Thank you for the reply! I have realized that fishing from the bank outside of the spawn can be difficult where I fish since I really can't far enough to the deeper water. There's a lot more to fishing then just throwing a bait in the water lol

[gabowman]

Around all the lakes around here where I live they are C.O.E. lakes which means you can walk around the lakes and fish. If you get you a good Topo map you can find places within walking distance where creek channels runs very near banks which means deeper water not far off shore. Worth a try if fishing on foot.

[Ketchn]

if they are creek run winter fish , first light for about 2 hours for sure .....
same thing in lots of other bank spots as well year round .....
they tend to get shy and or leave when the sun gets up ....
BUT .....some shade might make all the difference too ....
midday in the deep dark shade can be super productive
late afternoon has them on the move most of the time and they tend to possibly bite really well ....
for a just a tiny window as the move on to wherever they are going to hunt in the dark

[Ketchn]

Thank you for the reply! I have realized that fishing from the bank outside of the spawn can be difficult where I fish since I really can't far enough to the deeper water. There's a lot more to fishing then just throwing a bait in the water lol

as stated , deeper water close to the bank is a huge advantage in most cases

[NIMROD]

Not all lakes and rivers the same. Too many variables like season , water levels and location .

[Spoonminnow]

There's a lot more to fishing then just throwing a bait in the water

Couldn't have said it better along with this:

Not all lakes and rivers the same. Too many variables like season , water levels and location

.

Examples:
One lake I've given up on for the year due to daily high winds of over 20 mph, has many flats that extend far from any shore. Finding the edges and drops require a boat. In shallow water, dying pads make for some good fall fishing on those flats for bass, perch, crappie, sunfish and bass. The best time to fish this lake: whenever you want to or feel comfortable once the air temp goes from 29 degrees up to 65 in the sun. Fish are cold blooded and bite lures regardless of the time of day or water temperature which right now is in the 50's,

The lake I also did done well on this year is a different story: high hills for wind protection; paths around the lake; deep water off many steep banks; narrow flats and humps parallel to shore within a casting distance from shore or to it. The biggest mistake the anglers from shore make is not moving when fish aren't caught - no different than me finding and catching fish from a rowboat. You gotta go to the fish; they aren't coming to you. Plus, fish aren't in large schools like in pre-spawn, and though double or triple catches can be made in a spot, single fish spread out many feet from each other is the norm where I've been fishing.

Another thing - at least in the n.e. lakes I've been fish from Oct 1 until the present, are the lures I use. Lures that use steady retrieves such as crankbaits, Beetle Spins and spoons, generally come up short because fish need to be teased long enough to strike, and in colder water that entails using light lures or live bait under a float that can be twitched long enough in a seasonal strike zone not far from their heads. In two days, I caught over 50 fish/ 4 different species on one Crappie Magnet rigged on a 1/24 oz ball head jig attached to 8# test braid. The retrieve was a combination of rod tip twitches, pauses and slight turns of the reel handle at the depth I found fish.

Note to Moose07: light lures cast way out from shore and worked slowly towards you would help in your search for fish grouped in deeper water from where you're standing. A float would allow an even greater casting distance to deeper water using light lures or live bait.

Note: deep water may only be 4-6' or 12'. But recently I've found that fish were milling around in water 4-6' closer to and also out from shore in the same area.

I launch the boat usually by 11am when the sun is warmest (most comfortable) and catch fish all day long sporadically before the sun gets too low. The above tips help me locate and catch fish in different areas of the lake and in different depths from a boat. No guarantee any of it will help where or how you fish.

Sorry for the long-winded dissertation but that's just who I am (except for the long-winded part ).

[cglarsen]

I was told by an expert fisherman that crappie are like vampires with regards to light. They are nocturnal hunters primarily and prefer low-light conditions. During the day they will seek the depth where sunlight penetration stops and their food source is nearby.