fall crappie

[danielal25]

What does the water temp have to get to before they start to bite good?

[drill instructor]

i would think that a drop of about 10 degrees will kick them off pretty good.
Atleast that what happen here in GA

[Wiskers]

I personally like between 65 & 55 degrees. To me that seems to be when they are the most active here on Ky. Lake.

[danielal25]

well the water i'm fishing is right at 73 to 75 so I guess its still a little bit warm then.

[Wiskers]

well the water i'm fishing is right at 73 to 75 so I guess its still a little bit warm then.

When I left to catch my boat the water I was fish'n was about the same. I was catching fish on brush 8' to 10' deep fishing anywhere from 2' to 8' deep on the piles. I was catching a lot of small fish though. By the time I get off the boat the 24th things should be heating up!:D

[CrappieLips]

danielal25three weeks ago after a good rain cooled the slew we were fishing in down from 82 to about 78 we kept 42 one day 28 the nextday, over here in northwest Al. but usally they start hitting pretty good once it cools down to about 65 to 70

[Darryl Morris]

Here in central Arkansas, about the same latitude as north Mississippi, the water temp got as high as 89 in most places. As soon as the water temp fell into the 70's the crappie started moving in showing signs of a fall pattern. The temp got as low as 72. Now it's back up and I saw some 79 water today. This increase in temp has slowed them down some or put them in "pause." As soon as the water temp begins to fall again they'll start going the fall direction again. Optimal temp for the fall or spring would be the 60's. The key is "falling temps" for the "Fall" and temps that "spring up" in the "Spring."

[DENNIS BOWERS]

Here once it hits the 60"s the bite is on,although any major temp. drop will entice them to be more active.

[danielal25]

do i have to fish real shallow when the water temp drops or can I still slow troll?

[Darryl Morris]

do i have to fish real shallow when the water temp drops or can I still slow troll?

Depends on where the fish are holding. The surface temp may be true down to 20ft. or maybe less or maybe more, just depends on your lake. Find the level at which the fish are holding and fish that depth. For example, right now we are finding the crappie really stacked up from 12 to 16 foot on 20 plus foot of water near channels and off long points (ie: deeper water is nearby). Get in the backs of coves and fish shallower - no fish. Go deeper - no bites. As the water temp changes, so will the crappie move.