Thread: fall crappie

I use jigs year round here in KY, can't afford minnows. Usually fish 8'-14' until water temp gets in low 40's.

Originally Posted by newblade

What do you do different in the fall vs the rest of the year, do you use minnows? Where do you look for the fish at?

in the Fall, is to fish a little shallower than I would during the warmer months. At least, on the lakes I fish during the Fall.

Fall Crappie are going to be following the baitfish, or setting up in ambush spots to intercept them. Cooler surface temps will bring the baitfish closer to the surface, and keep them there thru the course of the day. Cooler water temps are also preferred by the Crappie, as well as being an indication of leaner feeding times to come. The Fall Feeding Frenzy is the Crappie's survival tactic. It insures that they will have sufficient nutrition to sustain them thru the Winter, & feed their eggs & milt production. Baitfish are moving from the main lake depths/areas, back into the backs of creeks/bays ... so the Crappie stage in intercept spots, so as to catch them on their way in and out.

I have noticed, though, that Black Crappie are more likely to follow the baitfish farther back into creeks/bays, and be closer to the surface than White Crappie. White Crappie seem to prefer to stay on the channel ledges, and deeper in the water, rather than follow the baitfish shallow.

I've used both - minnows & jigs ... but, mostly it depends on what method of presentation I've successfully used, in the past, at whatever lake I'm fishing.

... cp