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Hope your week's a blast! Redbuds blooming in some parts means the spawn's near – time to find those warm shallow bays, creek pockets and riprap!
Thank you for making Target Crappie your go-to fishing hookup – tell your crappie fishing buddies they can snag it free by signing up right here.
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If your email program cuts off the bottom of the email click "View this email in your browser" up top to see the whole thing. Sorry about that – email programs keep changing stuff!
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NC crappie hammer Jeff Lowdermilk gave some good juice to Lurenet.com. He chases fish for a good bit of time on either side of the spawn: Since crappie use the same spots during pre- and post-spawn, those areas stay hot for weeks. More:
> The key defining aspect of Lowdermilk's spring areas is that they are just out from likely spawning areas. "The fish will be mostly suspended and not holding tight to structure...sometimes...over channel edges and other features.
> He focuses on coves, pockets and the upper ends of creek arms, and looks for shallow areas with hard bottoms and plentiful cover that provide quality spawning habitat. He then uses his electronics and begins searching a variety of depths in those areas, looking for suspended crappie.
> Jeff likes a Bobby Garland Original Baby Shad with a 1/32-oz jighead to target his roamers.
> When the fish seem extra fussy, he switches to an Itty Bit Mayfly fished on a 1/32- or 1/64-oz Overbite Sickle Jighead.
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> He keeps a wide variety of colors of his favorite baits handy, and is quick to cycle through options, always watching the fish's responses.
How he's catching 'em:
> Lowdermilk casts slightly past the fish he is targeting, lets the bait fall with his bail open, flips the bail as the bait gets close to feather it down slowly and with control, and stops it above the fish. He generally wants the bait close to the fish's level but not quite to it and never below it.
> [When this fish turns on the bait] he begins to reel so the meal appears to be getting away...this tends to trigger the strike.
> ...live sonar has really proven that crappie don't like a bait that moves up and down too much. Hard rod snaps are far more likely to spook fish than prompt strikes.
> Crappie commonly group up by size, so if Lowdermilk isn't catching the size he seeks, he moves.
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Live sonar doesn't hurt crappie fisheries?
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Even though the MS DNR didn't feel that way for its big crappie lakes, the AR DNR does. From the NW AR Democrat Gazette:
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> Live sonar helps crappie anglers catch fish, but the AR Game and Fish Commission says it does not increase crappie harvest.
> ...even crappie anglers that use it worry that it is detrimental to the resource by enabling anglers to consistently catch and keep more crappie.
> To evaluate the actual effects of live-imaging sonar, the commission surveyed about 600 anglers in 2021, of which 42% said they used live-imaging sonar. They said they caught twice as many crappie.
> They also reported that there was no difference in the size and weight of the fish they caught...vs those they caught by anglers that didn't use it.
> Additionally, they reported keeping 1.5% fewer fish than anglers that did not use live-imaging sonar. Live-image users kept an average of 6 fish per trip versus 8 fish per trip for conventionally equipped anglers.
> In 2021, anglers using live-imaging sonar caught 1.9 crappie per angler per hour. Anglers not using live-imaging sonar caught 1 crappie per hour.
> [Over] 2022-2024...surveyed anglers at 11 lakes and found that 43% used live-imaging sonar. Also, anglers using live-imaging sonar caught 1.6 crappie per angler per hour compared to 1 crappie per hour per angler that did not use live-imaging technology.
> [Over] 2022-24, anglers using live sonar kept 49% of the fish they caught.... Conventionally-equipped anglers kept 67% of the crappie they caught.
> "Anglers that don't have live sonar feel some urgency," Yung said. "They feel like they have to harvest fish because they might not find others. Live sonar users are confident they can find fish. Let's have fun catching crappie and harvest the ones we want."
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Early crappie techniques from guide Greg Grogan
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Southern TN crappie guide Greg Grogan has been chasin 'em around Percy Priest Lake and Woods Rez since he was in diapers. Dude has passion for outsmarting fish and was kind enough to spend a few minutes with us to share pro-level tricks to help you find and catch more this spring. Let's go:
> "Both of these lakes are kind of river-run, more shallow lakes with flats and shallow cover and structure....
> "The main difference between the two – Percy Priest has new aquatic vegetation in it, and those crappie will relate to those grasslines in 3-6' of water a lot of the time.... [Other than that] Priest and Woods fish the same way.
> "They're both loaded with black crappie and some huge white crappie...probably 70/30 black crappie to white crappie. ...white crappie are typically out suspended in open water. Black crappie are normally going to be close to some type of wood cover....
> "I think right now the fish are kind of in a transition period.... There are still some fish out in deep water, but I know some guys that caught fish in 18 inches of water up there this week.
> "I would look out off the bank closer to a dropoff, try to find some structure and some cover closer to some deeper water where those fish wouldn't feel like they're getting trapped in that shallow water.
> "When you figure out what depth they all are, you can begin to put a pattern together around the lake.
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> "...I may not be fishing close to the balls of shad. I've found if the fish are on cover and structure, they're gonna be at about the same depth that you see that shad, even if they're away from the larger bait balls.
> "I try to throw something as natural-looking as I can. If the water is really stained, I may go with a darker-color bait like black/chart or junebug/hart. ..then if that doesn't seem to get any reaction [on FFS], I'll change baits."
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> "If you know that there's crappie on structure [but] they don't react to it...you might change colors to a darker color or a brighter color, and all of a sudden you reel it by that piece of cover and you can see the fish come out of there.
> "If they react better to that color change then I might change profiles, something that I can fish a little faster like a Bobby Garland Baby Shad with just a straight little tail, it's more of a finesse bait....
> "[if the fish are more aggressive] I may go to a bait with more action and vibration, like the Charlie Brewer Slider…"
> "The 2.2-inch Bear Creek Baits has great action. I recently watched a crappie swim 10' or more from a brushpile to eat it. That's what I'm looking for."
> "If I'm fishing really shallow with no wind, I'm gonna fish as light of a jighead as I can get away with – even a 1/64-oz."
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Bank fishing blueprint for spawning slabs
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More goodness from Lurenet, let's get into it:
How to find ‘em
Use a lake map to look for protected pockets and creek arms near main currents or heavy runoff:
> Look for public access areas...bridge right-of-ways, parks or recreation areas near boat ramps, which often provide maintained walking and casting space.
> Bridges spanning creeks are ideal, offering access to creek channels...causeways with riprap cover.
Look for variety
> ...[like] bottom makeup, slope and cover – in a small space…plan 2 or 3 spots within driving range for flexibility.
> Use satellite imagery (e.g., Google Earth) to assess bank openness, depth breaks, channel edges...visible cover like stumps or downed trees....
> ...travel light...cast or pitch jigs actively...search for fish, experiment with cover, depths, lure profiles and presentations.
> [Look for] subtle differences in bottom makeup, slope and cover – like transition banks...[or] pocket backs.
> For scattered or hidden cover, cast...reel slowly with lifts and drops using active-tailed baits like the Bobby Garland Hyper Grub or Stroll'R..."
> On steeper slopes [with riprap] 'dip' baits straight down or make short pitches past cover, letting them swing back. [Baits with] minimal swimming action [like the Baby Shad or Slab Slay'R]...."
> For shallow water, add a float 18 inches above the jig to suspend baits near cover...working it back with slow pulls, jiggles, and pauses.
If minnows are your thing, try hookin' 'em through the tail on a 1/32-oz jig – raw for a slower fall or under a pencil float to keep it in their face. For deeper fish slip-float 'em – like with the Thill Wobble Bobber.
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Ever hear of crappie dip? 🤤
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We're all about a good fish fry, and gotta confess we've never even heard of crappie dip. But we're gonna try it! Recipe from B'n'M Poles pro staff manager Kent Driscoll:
Mix all these ingredients in a large bowl:
- 1 1/2 cup mayo
- 1 stick cream cheese
- 2 cups fine chopped celery
- 1/2 cup fine chopped onion
- 1 tbsp parsley or cilantro
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- 3 tbsp capers
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
> Sprinkle crappie filets with light coating of olive oil and Old Bay Seasoning.
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> Smoke 2-3 lbs of crappie fillets in aluminum pan on a Green Egg [or whatever you use to smoke]. Make sure and add your favorite wood chips to infuse heavy smoke.
> Combine all ingredients with fine-chopped smoked crappie.
> Chill for 3-4 hours till mixture is tacky. Spread on your favorite cracker and enjoy.
Looks GREAT! Find more deets and instructions on how to get your dip dialed in on the BnM site.
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2. TVA letting water rise in conjunction with the spawn
It's on like Donkey Kong! 😁
3. MS: New guide license will be needed July 1
> Starting July 1, 2023, a valid freshwater guide license will be required for any person that provides freshwater fishing guide services on public waters in MS north of I-10. The price of the guide license will be $500 for residents and $2,000 for non-residents.
4. AR: Lake Ouachita crappie bite heating up
Water temps in the 40s – crappie are "fair" hanging around brush in 25-40', jigs and minnows.
5. TX crappie are getting up shallow
> Bois d'Arc: Crappie bite "excellent", find 'em in the mouth of coves, catch 'em with natural colors.
> Toledo Bend: 3-6' on jigs, bite improving daily.
6. TN: Crappie are moving up
> On Tims Ford...find 'em on lay downs and brush around deeper docks.
> Percy Priest Lake in full swing, crappie are shallow.
7. MD: Crappie fishing "very good" in Deep Creek
8. NY: There's crappie in the Chautauqua canals
> Crappie staging in the canals, bite is good. Use rosy reds, fatheads, red worms, etc.
9. VT: Folks ain't happy about the new panfish regs
10. OH's 10 best crappie lakes are...
Mosquito Creek Lake, Buckeye Lake, Hoover Reservoir and others.
11. Kistler Rods has a new Jig Head Minnow Rod
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6' 9" LM (lite medium), for Scoping all species:
> ...built for precision casting...fine-tuned for working jighead minnows with precision....
> Cork foregrip for comfortable hand placement to achieve an accurate and effortless cast, ultra-sensitive tip, ideal balance of flex and backbone, lightweight and durable (built with premium KC8 graphite).
12. Old Town now has the Sportsman ePDL+120 PRO
50% more space for gear, spare PDL prop mount, comes with a battery/charger and other stuff for easy rigging.
13. Ugly Stik, Penn, Fenwick have new travel rods
Stash one in the truck for those unplanned casts! (thumbs up)
14. New Minn Kota Terrova troller for kayaks
Rugged 12V, 55-lb thrust motor with 36" shaft, Spot-Lock, Autopilot, and Drift Mode, easy stow and deploy. MSRP $1,499.99, available now.
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Crappie love current!
Doesn't just have to be on a river either. Quick tip from Cypress Magazine talkin' how to take advantage of the spring rains:
> If you have a creek or stream that flows into your lake where crappie live...after a spring rain, you can find crappie moving up in that current.
> Water flowing over a spillway or a small dam or levee, will often turn crappie on.... The trick is knowing when to target these types of areas.
> About 2-3 days after a rain or an increase of current, I like to check these areas – I know crappie like to move into and forage for food.
> ...these fish will hold up in that current for a few days until the flow slows down...or the food source leaves...."
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"Keep it natural...crappie don't care about your fancy colors."
TN crappie guide Greg Grogan talkin'. Also said:
> "I heard an old-timer say one time, 'A baitfish is basically the same color 12 months out of the year, so I try to throw something as natural colored as I can'."
All good but we'll still be buyin' 3-5 of every color cuz you never know! 😁
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