Prespawn crappie help

[Ketchn]

In an attempt to help some of us that struggle through this part of the year ,lets start a discussion from everyone around the country on tips and techniques to get on these here tricky devils in your part of the world .
I realize it will very greatly as to approaches and techniques and from water to water and state to state ,but in the end some folks might get a tip that puts them on some dandy fish in his or her state . Some of the largest crappie of the year are getting ready to be not so smart and it would be great if one happened to have a jig and or minnow in the water close to one of the big fish that are going to be frisky soon .
I don't employ any one version myself as it seems to vary lots from lake to lake in this part of the world .
One thing I know with the utmost of accuracy is even the pro crappie ketchers struggle this time of the year quite often . Had one tell me years ago it is the absolute worst part of the year for most crappie anglers and more often than not I have seen this myself .
So feel free to offer up some tips and advice right here
KABOOM might be the word …..

[dhaire]

Boy, will I watch this thread! I catch great crappie most of the year (now is an exception as they are scattered) and always wanted to target the spawn. I know exactly where likely spawning rounds are and assume I need to use SI and LS to locate them at entrances to creeks and maybe brush in shallower water. I have all the rigs from jigs, jigs with minnows, and am aware of using bobbers, casting, etc. but have had no good fortune during the spawn. Appreciate you starting this thread.


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[Noodle rod]

my home lake is very healthy, and holds some huge crappie. Last year by this time, I was catching big fish in pretty predictable locations with regularity. This year has been much different, have caught nearly two hundred fish before catching the first adult. Finally caught three nice ones the other day, posted with the picture of the biggest one, but the other two were big as well. Never seen them act exactly like they are this year. they are in very tight schools moving very quickly over featureless bottom in 25ft. You can fish until your eyes bug out, but unless you hit one of the tight schools, nothing. Today they make tools that would allow one to follow the school, and that would be a huge advantage, but I can't afford it.

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[Redge]

Thanks for starting this thread!
I have more questions than answers.
My lake is weird, clear and deep. Fish don’t spawn where most people would think to look.
15-20’ is a normal spawning depth on my lake. On standing timber.

Ketchn, tell me what you have observed.

Gravel. Chunk rock?

Coves? South facing better than north?


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[happycaster58]

My local lakes are so flooded and dirty, the majority of crappie are now around the handicapped parking spaces in the parking lots!

[SKs Crappie Catching Adventures]

What I've found to work best is determine likely spawning areas, start just out from it in 8fow scanning for and testing structure work your way out to 20fow scanning and testing structure as you go...... Works perfectly in the Texas water I fish, the fish are right there.....
I've recorded limits caught by doing so...... And remember Move Fast Fish Slow...... And remember also You can be so close yet so far away......LOL......y'all will understand the ladder in a upcoming vid......

[silverside]

In my lake pre spawn is pretty consistant. They spend the winter at the river channel. When the spawn urge begins they move to the deep points maybe 15 fow. A strong front will chase them back to the channel then they come right back days later. The key is to fish jigs slowly. Sometimes the jig is under a bobber and just inched along with pauses between.

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[keeferfish]

Prespawn crappie help

My advice - Don't go

During, after, summer and winter all good for me just several weeks prior ZIP - SKUNK!

[INTIMIDATOR]

I'm in SW Ohio...Our 2500 acre lake is very predictable, just based off temps....
For pre-spawn, surface temps mean absolutely nothing, they fluctuate too much in spring.
At 40 degrees or below at 15 ft deep, they are stationary in 20 feet or deeper...you are using ice fishing techniques to catch them consistently.
When water temps at depth hit 42 degrees, they start to move to 15 foot depths by the feeding flats, they will hit a jigged 2" swimbait.
At 45 degrees at 15', they will take a 3" slow moving swimbait.
At 50 degrees at 15' they will take a moving and twitched 3" swimbait.
At 55 degrees at 15' the feed bags are on for the spawn, and they will take a 3", 4", or 5" swimbait with no problem. The Big males will start checking out the 10' prime spawning areas, and the small males will head closer to shore....the lake will turnover BIG for the last time also...this last turnover will kill fishing for a couple days, all kinds of crap floats to the surface, and it smells like rotten eggs. the rains will flush it all out the dam!
At 60 degrees and with good water and oxygen everywhere, they are in the last stages of gorging before the Spawn starts.

[CrappiePappy]

For me ... pre-spawn fishing is Pushing jigs behind 1oz weights @ 1mph over flats & out in front of known spawning banks. I also know that Spider Riggers & Longline Trollers are running those same routes.
I've also come across both male & female fish by casting jigs & Road Runners along spawning banks and done good when the pre-spawn session is just getting rolling & fish are cruising the banks for Shad (& likely looking for their bedding spots).