How to Catch Early Summertime Crappie by Brad Wiegmann

It’s apparent that Mother Nature seems to be toying with anglers this year. Torrential thundershowers have blanketed most of the South filling rivers and reservoirs with muddy water while a late snow storm has driven water temperatures below normal. The effects are challenging even for seasoned crappie fishing guides like Todd Huckabee.



“Where I am fishing crappie are moving from the spawning areas to summertime locations. Crappie are basically in the in-between stage and that makes it hard to catch them. You can catch them anywhere and everywhere,” explained Huckabee.

Huckabee noted that many anglers were still trying to catch crappie shallow like they did during the spawn, but that wasn’t going to happen since crappie have moved off the bank. “Don’t get caught up with thinking you have to be fishing brush or timber during this time. Crappie may be out in open areas away from any cover during this time before they move out to the main channel,” revealed Huckabee.

During the spawn anglers often caught number of crappie in small areas, but right now that rarely happens. “The crappie tend to spread out. Normally, I will catch three or four in a bunch, but that’s all,” pointed out Huckabee.

This spring has been a late one with water temperatures below normal. It has postponed where crappie would typically be located, but that will soon change as warmer temperatures will become the norm. Once warmer temperatures return crappie will complete the migration to summertime habitat.

Huckabee noted that crappie could be out to summertime habitat within the next two to three weeks on the reservoirs anglers are fishing on. Summer crappie fishing Huckabee noted revolves around fishing docks and timber.



Rainfall is also affecting the crappie fishing this year. Every day it seems to rain. The results have been muddy water and current in most rivers and reservoirs in the South.

Interestingly bridges are one area that Huckabee, a guide on Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma, likes to fish when there is current. “Bridges are bottleneck areas that results in the current being stronger and crappie will move into predictable areas making them easier to catch. Anglers should focus on eddies around bridge piles because that’s where the crappie will be located,” divulged Huckabee.

Right now, Huckabee is focusing on fishing in 10 foot deep or less of water. The muddy water has crappie shallower than normal. “I am just basically slow trolling in 5- to 10-feet of water and following that contour as I move around,” explained Huckabee.

Speed is important when slow trolling to get strikes from crappie. Huckabee likes the angle of the line from his fishing pole to the water to be 25- to 30-degrees. He noted that going too fast or slow will move the lure out of the strike zone.

He likes to use a double rig when slow trolling for crappie. “The top jig will weigh 1/8-ounce Lindy jig while the bottom jig is ¼-ounce Lindy jig. I will rig them with 2-inch YUM F2 Beaver Tail or YUM F2 Wooly Bee in either black/chartreuse or black/pink color patterns. I space the two jigs about 14-inches apart when slow trolling,” said Huckabee.

Interestingly, Huckabee uses heavier line than probably most crappie anglers would use when slow trolling for crappie. He likes to use 10- or 12-pound Silver Thread AN40 which is a copolymer fishing line. Huckabee’s choice of rod is his 11-foot Pullin Todd Huckabee Signature Series rod with a baitcasting reel.



It’s an easy set up and rig for crappie fishing, but why the baitcasting reel? It’s not for wrenching power or holding large amounts of fishing line. “The reel just holds the line. That’s all when fishing this technique,” revealed Huckabee.

Slow trolling during this period can be extremely productive, but crappie anglers need to be aware that they are not going to catch numbers of crappie in one spot. The key to catching them is moving and covering lots of water utilizing the slow trolling method of fishing.