where do crappie go in the winter?

[Rodrigoelgu]

This is my first year fishing for crappie and still learning although most people don't wanna teach you for some reason, I was doing good in the warmer weather on fallen trees, marina docks, bridge pillars from the bank but since temperatures dropped fishing has been horrible, anybody knows where they go in the winter when water gets really cold? there use to be a lot of people fishing from the bank now its only me, should i keep fishing or just give up till spring?

[bigdoug03]

I'm a novice crappie fisherman too but from what I've seen around here in the winter they form real big schools around deep structure. It's been tough getting them to bite though. They want that jig moving sloooooow.

It seems like most of them are in an inactive state most of the time. It's frustrating finding a school of 100+ crappie and only 3-4 of them are willing to bite.

[Fridays86]

How deep is your lake? Docks can still be a good option if they are deep enough or close to deep water with structure under them.

[Rodrigoelgu]

I have no idea since i don't have a boat or electronics but from the bank at the marina docks using a 1/16 jig head i can count around 20 to 25 before it hits bottom, I have still caught a few but the bite is way way down that's why I was wondering if they moved in deeper parts of the lake where I cant get to them from the bank and might new to invest on a boat.

How deep is your lake? Docks can still be a good option if they are deep enough or close to deep water with structure under them.

[Rodrigoelgu]

I fish from the bank with no electronics that why i was asking if they moved in deeper when I cant reach them from the bank?

I'm a novice crappie fisherman too but from what I've seen around here in the winter they form real big schools around deep structure. It's been tough getting them to bite though. They want that jig moving sloooooow.

It seems like most of them are in an inactive state most of the time. It's frustrating finding a school of 100+ crappie and only 3-4 of them are willing to bite.

[CrappiePappy]

They don't always go out deep & away from the bank. I've caught them fishing from the bank in 40deg water in less than 5fow, right next to the bank beside a laydown tree trunk. I've also caught them in the same water temp, suspended over the branches of that laydown, about 6-8' deep ... over 20-25fow. I was using a 1/16oz jig/tube on a very slow retrieve.
Anything that will absorb heat can hold them (rocks, dock posts, bridge pillars, wood cover, concrete, etc) as long as the Sun can get to it to heat it up. They're just going to be "slow" moving (they're the same temp as the water), so your presentations are going to have to be pretty slow, if not dead still, in order to convince them to commit. In cold water their metabolism is very slow, so they're not going to expend much energy to chase down a meal.

[Rodrigoelgu]

great reply sir, temperature here today in Kansas city only got to 33 degrees so water was very cold, I was only able to catch 3 in about 3hrs of fishing and yeah very slow retrieve, its just that I used to catch them left and right now its only a few a day so i wonder if I'm doing something wrong maybe need a boat and electronics to go find them any info helps thank you sir.

They don't always go out deep & away from the bank. I've caught them fishing from the bank in 40deg water in less than 5fow, right next to the bank beside a laydown tree trunk. I've also caught them in the same water temp, suspended over the branches of that laydown, about 6-8' deep ... over 20-25fow. I was using a 1/16oz jig/tube on a very slow retrieve.
Anything that will absorb heat can hold them (rocks, dock posts, bridge pillars, wood cover, concrete, etc) as long as the Sun can get to it to heat it up. They're just going to be "slow" moving (they're the same temp as the water), so your presentations are going to have to be pretty slow, if not dead still, in order to convince them to commit. In cold water their metabolism is very slow, so they're not going to expend much energy to chase down a meal.

[karl423]

Try slip bobber fishing them with tungsten jigs for size with baby crappie minnows suspend above the bottom 2 feet or so. This works well for me during our early season. It's cold water up here now so my bank is endless as long as my ice drill works

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

[keeferfish]

temperature here today in Kansas city only got to 33 degrees.

Where in KC? Might post on the MO board for local area lakes.

Smithville docks usually have fish year around, if you're not a slip holder I think you can still pay to fish Camp Branch docks. Lots of Brush piles you can hit form the banks around the bridges, slip bobber would be best for that. Also can hit some brush and docks form the banks in Sailboat Cove. I don't think they ever go much deeper than 10-15 foot deep anytime at Smithville.

[Ketchn]

put your jig close to the bottom and dont move it , early am and right at dark ......and i mean do not move the jig