Open Water Hunting for Early Spring Crappie by Brad Wiegmann

[Slab]

Illinois anglers in East North-Central United States like many of the northern crappie anglers normally enjoy a late spring. Prespawn crappie start making a move in April with the warming of water temperatures and head for the bank the start of May with water temperatures from 48- to 52-degrees. Illinois crappie fishing guide Matt England takes full advantage of these warmer temperatures taking out clients open water hunting for those early spring crappie.



England (Englandexpeditions.com) who guides on Decatur Lake and Shelbyville Lake both in Illinois loves crappie fishing and taking out clients on those two reservoirs. “Decatur Lake and Shelbyville Lake are two completely different reservoirs,” England went on, “Decatur Lake is more stained than Shelbyville along with being shallower with just over 3,000 acres with a maximum depth near 22 feet deep. Shelbyville Lake is over 11,000 acres with a maximum depth at 67 feet and clearer water clarity.”

Although the 2 reservoirs are within driving distance England noted they are two different places to go crappie fishing. Decatur Lake is more stained than Shelbyville Lake and most of the brush piles are located around boat docks, however, it’s also shallower with no standing timber. To catch crappie in both of the reservoirs England likes to fish what he calls open water hunting using a one-pole technique.

“Without the amount of cover or standing timber I’m just fishing in open water looking for crappie suspended or moving,” England continued, “The deepest depth in Decatur Lake is 22 feet and most of the crappie early on are located more towards the upper water column. The crappie have even been known to bury themselves in the mud at times on Decatur Lake.”

Normally, England one poles a 15 foot fishing rod with a single lure and jighead to catch them. “l rig up with 30- or 40-pound high visible pink braid fishing line tying the jighead directly to the lure,” England continued, “I cast flip this setup easily 25 feet to crappie we see on the Garmin LiveScope. Some of the crappie will be just under the surface in 2- to 3-feet of water.”



For lures when one poling England will use a 1/8-ounce Charlie Brewer’s Slider Weedless Crappie Slider Head with Slider Crappie/Panfish Grub in sizes from 1 1/2- to 2 1/8-inches. As for color he keeps it simple with black/chartreuse, blue/ chartreuse, white, baby bass and Tennessee shad for his grubs.

England will also use a double rig when fishing Decatur Lake. The top rig is a 1/16- or 1/24-ounce Slider Weedless Crappie Slider Head with a Slider 1 1/2-inch soft plastic grub. The bottom rig is a 1/8-ounce Slider Weedless Crappie Slider Head with a Slider 2-inch soft plastic grub. He ties the two lures 10- to 12-inches apart.
If England is on Shelbyville Lake, he is still one poling, but targeting crappie suspending in standing timber in 12- to 42-feet of water or submerged stumps adjacent to the a ledge the crappie will be tight to the cover. He prefers the crappie to be in the top 1/3 for improving his odds for catching the crappie. England will methodically fish these areas searching for actively feeding crappie.

“I will really change up what I fish on Shelbyville Lake compared to Decatur Lake,” England went on, “I’ will pick lures with a larger profile and displaces more water when moving through the water. I feel like a bigger lure get’s more bites and quicker. That’s why I use a 2 1/8-inch Slider Double Action Minnow in either stardust or blue ice/chartreuse on a Slider 1/8-ounceSlider Panfish Jighead. If the larger lure doesn’t catch fish England will downsize, but only if they are striking and not getting hooked.”

Some things England noted was anglers should watch their LiveScope for how the crappie are reacting to a lure. If a crappie is chasing, but not biting you need to reduce the size of the lure. Also to make sure their lure was staying in the strike zone and change jighead size if dropping too fast or slow.

[SuperDave336]

Good article. Thanks for sharing

[Crappie Pro Wannabe]

Thanks for sharing. I never think about fishing them, I'm about 3.5hrs north and always drive right past and head to Rend Lake.

[Les Young]

Good article & tip about reducing lure size if they're chasing but not hitting. I'll have to remember to try that next time i see it happening.

[Danny Lang]

Thanks for the reading.