Crappie after cold front

[Danny Lang]

After water temp raises up in the 60-64 degree range, and you have several nights in the high 20s and low 30s, how long does it take for the crappie get back in gear? We were catching fish pretty shallow and shooting docks catching them, now the fish we see on the depth finder are 20-30 ft in the center of coves.

[Retired2Fish]

We have experienced the same issues here. Water temp dropped from 54-55 degrees to 47-48 degrees and crappie moved out of the stickups into the deeper channels and have been hard to find. I don't know how long it will take for the crappie to move back. I think it depends on a rise in water temps .

[Les Young]

We have experienced the same issues here. Water temp dropped from 54-55 degrees to 47-48 degrees and crappie moved out of the stickups into the deeper channels and have been hard to find. I don't know how long it will take for the crappie to move back. I think it depends on a rise in water temps .

Retired to fish isn't this the same thing that happened when the huge rain came that made Cumberland so muddy?

[Ketchn]

65 to 54 here , moved them right back to winter mode here , happens a lot this time of year .
After 3 to 4 days or so of 80 and sunshine in the daytime and 60 or so nighttime, the water temperature will rise significantly in some areas of the lake and them winter mode puppies will rush the bank at last light ….for sure

[Retired2Fish]

Retired to fish isn't this the same thing that happened when the huge rain came that made Cumberland so muddy?

I'm certainly no expert but I think any sudden environmental change causes the fish to change behavior until things stabilize. IMHO

[slabbandit]

The fish I've been on were moving towards the bank but were still in 18 FOW. They were only about 5 feet down though. Big cold snap came through WestCentral Arkansas and moved them back out over deep water with most going down to about 12' deep. Air temps back close to 70 now so I really don't think it will take long for them to pick up where they were at in the spawn.

[Eagle 1]

Rule of thumb is 3 nights above 50 degrees . If water does not get lower than 60 two days .

[Les Young]

I'm certainly no expert but I think any sudden environmental change causes the fish to change behavior until things stabilize. IMHO

I know before the rain we were catching fish main lake between 15 & 30 feet deep on lay downs & brush piles then the rain came & we couldn’t find them main lake but did find some in the creeks but there also seemed to be less current than on the main lake too.

[Danny Lang]

Thanks fellows for your reply’s, going to try them again today, highs today 84 degrees, maybe them lost crappies today will be found.

[KrappieKrane]

Danny, don’t forget to search the bottom for the females sitting there. Fished Jackson Sunday and the fish moved off the shallow structure and out into the creek channel and cove mouths. The small males were loaded on the brushpiles in the creek channel basins but all the bigger females were sitting on the bottom and wouldn’t chase or bite. It’ll be back normal by the end of the weekend.
Pic is of the males loaded on a single Christmas tree someone had dropped in the creek basin.