Thread: Winter Crappie in Northern kentucky

The fish I catch here vary in color in relation to the water they are caught in. clear water = fish with darker pronounced colors. Stained water = less color and muddy water = pale colors. Then they are always more colorful in the spring during the spawn.

Welcome aboard. Nice fish. Tony hit the nail on the head .

Tony is right .... and I'd only add one other scenario : Crappie from deep water, from well below the depths of sunlight penetration, will not show much color, either, regardless of water temps. But, they'd have to have been at those depths for awhile. Similar deal to fish from stained to muddy water conditions.

It seems to affect White Crappie more so than Black Crappie, as I've caught Black Crappie from 30ft deep & they still had normal coloration.

It's the lack of light penetration, and not the water temps, that cause the fading of pigmentation. The fish don't need as much "camo" in darker waters

... cp

This one came out of seven foot of muddy water yesterday. It was so muddy I had ya dig a hole just ta get it out

That's kinda what I was trying to express. Its all about sunlight penetration

Cold water fish. Make'm taste good also.

I agree with the light penetration thing but have never understood why a crappie or bass that has spent some time in a closed livewell come out much darker than lighter.