Water Temperature: 85 Degrees
While the lake’s surface temperature cools quickly as the days grow
shorter in early fall, deeper water cools more gradually, so expect to
find crappies deep. Deep channel cover continues to be your best bet
for finding concentrations of fish. Kentucky rigs bumped along cover
and minnows or spoons jigged over wood.
Water Temperature: 80 Degrees
Crappies are following channels, or moving shallow to prey on baitfish
schools, so expect a pickup in activity. Primary tributary points, where
the creek and river channel intersect, can hold a ton of baitfish and
crappies. Target the 12 to 25 foot zone with minnows on a Kentucky rig.
If crappies are suspended, slow-troll jigs, Road Runners, or crankbaits.
Water Temperature: 75 Degrees
Shad move into shallow coves and tributaries to spawn, and crappies
follow. The first half of reservoir tributary arms will hold large schools
of crappies. Target scattered wood along the creek channel 10 to 20
feet deep, sometimes shallower depending on water clarity. Kentucky
rigs with minnow works well for me.
Water Temperature: 70 Degrees
Crappies follow baitfish back into the tributaries to feed and fatten up
for the winter. Check channels, secondary points and flats in the back
half of reservoir tributary arms. Crappies hold anywhere from two to 10
feet deep, depending on water clarity. Cover water quickly, casting a
curly-tail grub or small shad colored crankbait to every piece of wood
you can find.
Water Temperature: 65 Degrees
Reservoir drawdown usually starts about this time, thus dropping water
levels push baitfish and crappies out of tributary arms into deeper
water. Crappies use the same migratory routes they took in spring to
move back to the main lake. Find them on creek channel cover in the
10-18 feet deep. Cast grubs or bump Kentucky rigs around creek
channel cover.
Water Temperature: 60 Degrees
Colder nights spell a rapid cool-down. As drawdown continues, many
crappies leave reservoir tributaries. Deep points and steep banks at or
near the mouths of tributaries hold large schools of crappies in the 15-
to 25-foot zone. Try slow trolling live minnows on long rods rigged with
heavy sinkers. Lower the sinker to bottom, then reel up to the level of
suspended crappie. The sinkers will help locate cover and prevent
hooks from snagging.
Water Temperature: 55 Degrees
The 60-degree pattern should remain about the same until the lake
turns over. Deep points and steep rock bluffs near tributary mouths
hold concentrations of fish. Slow troll jigs or pull crankbaits through
schools of fish in the open water between the points.
Water Temperature: 50 Degrees
Turnover usually occurs during the fall-winter transition, triggering a
wholesale movement of crappies. Crappies are often tight to bottom
around intersection of channels in 25 to 40 feet deep, and they’re going
to stay that way through the cold weather months, so slow trolling with
vibrating lures could be your best bet along the channels.
Water Temperature: 45 Degrees
Crappies have settled into a winter pattern now, setting up on deep
channel structure. Channels with brush, 18 to 40 feet deep. Fish the
bottom along bends, drop-offs, and humps..
Water Temperature: 40 Degrees
Crappies are deep and feed only sporadically. Look for crappies 30 to
50 feet deep. Fishing spoons along the channel, or hug bottom with
your Kentucky rig.
Author: Paul Mahler