Ice Out Crappies...

Just wondering what your favorite techniques are for chasing Crappies as soon as the ice is out. Where are you looking for the fish? In years past I have always enjoyed chasing steelhead this time of year and waited until the water warmed up a bit to fish for Crappies. I just enjoy fishing for Crappies so much I am saying forget the steelhead this year and going right after the specks. By the time I have always started, I just focus my time on weeds in 4'-10' of water with small tube jigs. Not looking for any top secret information, but anything anyone would be so gracious to share would be greatly appreciated!

The ice on my fishing hole broke up this week, but there are still some chunks good-sized floating around, so I'm going to wait one more weekend to start chasing crappie. Steelies are the target tomorrow morning.

Most of my crappie fishing is on shallow lakes (10'-12' at their deepest). Next weekend I plan to hit the deepest spots first slow-trolling a crank and a tube. If that doesn't yield any fish, it's off to the outside edges of the weed beds at the North end of the lake. Depending on wind, I may work E - W or W - E. Mostly looking for sun-warmed water or warm surface water that has been blown into an area. I'd slow troll until I find fish then start tossing jigs.

That's my game plan for ice-out crappie this year.

Fish a shallow lake here in Oh. right now water temp. is 45 , and we have been getting them out of dead pads, in 3ft. of water.
Some guys like minnys, most guys use jigs, and just dip the pads.
This works both, from the bank and out of a boat.

Sound like great plans to me. Best of luck to you...