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Seeing a lot of folks catching some big 'ol winter/ pre-spawn slabs out there – hope you're getting in on the action too! I'll be headed out to Sam Rayburn this weekend to see if there's any fish left in the lake with it being 9' low! 😳
FYI we post a ton of videos and the best info from every TC on Facebook and Instagram. Make sure you're following those to get even more crappie info throughout the week!
Been R&D-ing a couple prototype Kistler Rods long poles – man these things are sensitive. I don't have brakes so I have to read the fish when I'm hanging a bait on 'em, and I don't know how many I've caught just feeling those bites when I'm not even looking at them.
Not sure when the final rods are coming out but we will let you know!
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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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When the spawn is on and how to catch 'em
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Pretty soon every FB group and forum is going to be filled with info about when the spawn is on at "X" lake. How do YOU know and how can you catch 'em in the act? 😁
Asked Bobby Garland's Skylar St. Yves who not only is a diehard crappie fisherman, he used to work for the OK DNR – so he knows! Here's he is talkin' things you need to be looking for in about a month:
WHEN the spawn goes down
> "Depending on where you're at...you're gonna hit peak spawn...late Mar into Apr. [He said FL is a different unique deal.]
> "Light cycle is the most important thing to key in on, way more important than water temperatures.
> "Fish don't have weathermen, so they don't know what the water temps are going to be at any given time of the year. Once we start getting these longer days, that triggers them to go.
> "Usually during the spawn people ask a lot about cold fronts. Once those fish are committed, when they've hit their photoperiod [length of daylight] and they're ready to spawn [and] water levels are right for them, there's not going to be anything that's going to disrupt them from doing what they're doing – except for falling water levels."
WHERE fish are spawning and feeding up
> "They do a lot of spawning on hard pieces of structure. That could be a tree that's now just a big stump, gravel, rocky shoals that are going off of all the shorelines.
> "If you don't have that, you're going to want to look for areas that have riprap or stump fields. If you have a mud lake, odds are you're not really going to have a bunch of fish that are right on the bank."
[A cool sneaky thing Skylar mentioned was that unused or lightly used boat ramps, especially ones that have rock or gravel between them, can be juicy places for crappie to spawn.]
> "White crappie typically spawn in a little bit shallower water than black crappie. Black crappie like 6-14' and white crappie are going to be [in 2-10'].
> "...big female fish that get caught in what is considered bank spawn fishing are in the late afternoons, early evenings, on those warmer windy days. Those females are just up chasing bait, getting that last little bit of calories in before right at dark.
> "That's when it's just really important to have that hook point as close to the back of the bait as possible [to catch females].
> "If you're using a bigger jighead with #1 or a #2 hook, you might want to use a Baby Shad [and] cut that Baby Shad in half and string that hook point all the way down that tail.
> "...action, all the stuff that we focus on with soft-plastic baits and crappie fishing, kind of goes out the window during the spawn.
> "I've heard a lot of people say, 'Well, I'm just getting pecked at. It's probably just a little fish.' That's not necessarily the case. A lot of times, that's a really big fish.
> "You could have a 2-lb male, and he's basically just grabbing that bait and then spitting it out. He wants to get it off his nest.
> "If you're catching true spawning fish, they're not pre-spawn feeding. They're mostly going to be males, and they're just guarding their nest – not actually eating."
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HOW: Baits for spawn-time fish
> "It's a good time of year to get used to something like a Hyper Grub, or a Swimming Minnow or a Stroll'R. But you're gonna get just as much action on a Baby Shad or Baby Shad Swim'R.
> "The spawn is basically kitchen sink season – you can throw a lot of stuff.
> "In the pre-spawn period, if the fish are willing to be aggressive and chase, have a curly-style tail bait that is going to move a little bit more water.
> "If the water's stained, it's going to allow those fish to use their lateral line to come hunt the bait down.
> "Slab Hunt'Rs are really good – you're pushing water off of the sides of that bait because of the ribbed body, and then you've also got that prop tail that's giving a natural swimming action."
Skylar also said a few times that the spawn is the best time of year to fish with a cork and a bigger plastic because you can really keep a bait in the fish's face when the males are on nests:
> "You can pester them a lot more if you can keep it right on top of them, as opposed to a moving bait. It's the time of year to focus on really bright colors and getting that hook point as close to the back of the bait as possible."
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Find dirty water now for bigger crappie
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I had the pleasure of meeting MO crappie hammer Matthew Rogers at the Grizzly Jig Show, and had to pick his brain on chasing big crappie this time of year – because he fishes a variety of lakes and always seems to be on 'em. Here's some winter fishing wisdom from him.
This time of year, what kind of areas are you looking for to target big crappie?
> "Do a little bit of research on the water clarity. If I'm going to target big crappie, I'm going to that dingier water.
> "Typically it is in the upper end of the lake. It just seems to be more fertile. There's just more zooplankton in it for the shad to feed on, which gives them more protein, which gives the crappie more protein.
> "I'm really focusing on the creeks in the wintertime and in the summer – a little more main lake.
> "Some creeks might be really good if they're deep enough for winter-time fishing as well.
> "If I'm going in the spring, I know that fish are moving into a creek a lot of times. I'll start at the very back of a creek and work out towards the main lake – those fish should be moving into the back of it.
> "When you start at the farthest point [from where] they could possibly be, and you're going towards where they should be coming from, you eventually run into them.
> "You flip that for the [fall/winter]. Whenever it starts getting pretty cold, I know those fish are moving out of that shallow water and funneling to me when I start at the main lake and work into it...."
In the winter, people are big on upsizing. Is that something you do?
> "I usually stay throwing natural stuff, and I'm big on downsizing. [But] we've shown them so many small bait profiles that they're kind of catching on – the shad they're eating are pretty big.
> "I actually just had a conversation with a buddy about not catching them on anything, tried everything, picked up an Alabama rig with 3.8-inch swimbaits on there, and started catching them.
> "There are times when I will adjust and use something like the 3-inch Bonehead Slim Stick, especially at Grenada [MS]. I use that thing a lot."
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What length rod do you find most effective for the areas you fish?
> "It depends on which lake I'm going to. If I'm going to Grenada Lake, I'm going to use a 14-footer at the shortest, all the way to an 18' rod.
> "If I'm fishing Truman, [MO], where I'm in standing timber, especially hedge trees, I like a 12' rod.
> "[The 12' rod] is not so long that when the wind hits me I get tangled up and break stuff – but you can get right in on top of them.
> "I use the 12' Bonehead E-Series Rod and sometimes a Dobyns Hyperlite series."
How do you change bait profile and color depending on how the fish react to it?
> "It depends on the depth of water that they're in. I love being able to use just a single jig head and no weight above it.
> "There are times when you have to use a weight above a small bait. If I'm getting a lot of short strikes, I instantly downsize [to] a Bonehead Tangle Free Weight right above a small hair jig or the 1.75-inch Bonehead Slim Stick.
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> "I put as light a jighead as I can get away with where you're not losing any feel. What happens is there's no resistance – they're able to suck it in.
> "[That's for] super-light bites...finicky fish a lot of people think just aren't biting. They're coming up and touching it, but you might not have a small-enough bait or a small-enough hook for them to suck it in."
How important is the line you're using, and what lb line are you using?
> "Line is situational. Whenever I use a short pole casting, I want braid to a leader just because of the sensitivity of that braid when they're barely touching it.
> "You got a lot of line out there – that's a lot of line to send a touch up there where you can feel it.
> "Same thing with long-poling. Whenever I'm in dirty water, and I can get away with straight braid, I like 15-lb braid – Bonehead B-Power Braid is really good stuff.
> "I actually like the really smooth, slick stuff. A lot of people are the opposite. If I'm in very clean water, 15-lb fluoro straight to the bait."
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🔥 Baits to throw right now
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Lots of folks are throwing bigger baits now – it's definitely the time of year to do it! Got me thinking: There's some pretty cool finesse baits that bass anglers fish which are real good bigger baits for crappie.
Here's a handful, some of which I have actually used and caught 'em real good on!
Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow
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Check this minner out! The Great Lakes Finesse guys make baits for smallmouth, but as the name implies, all their baits are real small. The Drop Minnow comes in 2.25", 2.75" and 3.25" sizes – perfect size for a bigger crappie bait, especially for long-poling.
Every GLF baits is matte, so no 'plastic-y' shimmer to 'em. Definitely something to give crappie that 'ol reliable minnow profile with a little twist.
Also, these are pretty tough baits that won't tear up easily. They're not that stretchy TPE material, but they're tough and will stay on the bait-keeper well!
MSRP $6.99. Check 'em out on Tackle Warehouse!
3" Z-Man Scented Jerk Shadz
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This dude is made out of Z-Man’s ultra-durable ElaZtech naturally-buoyant plastic – it hovers and holds a level posture when you're swinging it over a brushpile or even fishing vertically, and just holding it on their nose.
Plus, they come with some real strong scent on 'em in the package that lasts quite a while, which just adds some extra "oomph."
Also these baits have won a bunch of major bass tournaments so...👀
MSRP $5.99. Check 'em out on Tackle Warehouse!
3.2" 6th Sense Divine Swimbaits/ Queen Jig LS Tungsten Jig Head
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I use this combo quite a bit for casting for black and white crappie – more white than anything and that 'pro shad' color in the pic is the deal. 6th Sense makes that Divine Swimbait in a 2.7", but to me, that extra .5" really beefs up that size enough to where it's going to move a lot more water and get those fish to react more.
I pair it with a 3/16-oz Queen Tackle L.S. Tungsten Ball Jig Head because:
- That tungsten head shows up great on LiveScope (or any FFS), which makes it easier to target fish that are deeper or out at that 40-60' range.
- Those Queen heads have an incredible hook. When fish bite that thing, you've got 'em. They also make 'em in 1/32- and 1/16-oz that are GREAT for casting to black crappie.
The swimbaits MSRP $4.99 on Tackle Warehouse, and the jigheads MSRP $11.99 also on Tackle Warehouse.
2.75" CAST Fishing Co Echo
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The NetBait BaitFuel Blip Minnow is another smaller paddle tail but it has a different triangular-cut tail that gives it a real tight kick instead of a wobble – perfect for tough-bite crappie situations on a small swimbait head.
The dimpled HexTek plastic holds and slowly releases BaitFuel scent too.
MSRP $5.99 for a 10-pack on Tackle Warehouse.
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Find the right winter docks
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Just because there's still ice on the shady side of some lakes (lookin' at you Ozark Mountains folks), there's still plenty of crappie hanging out under those docks. 😉 It's not just the floating docks that hold 'em right now though!
Came across a Lurenet.com post talkin' about how fish set up on docks in the winter – here's a bit from it on the kind of docks to be looking for:
> Try to identify docks with enough depth under them. Crappie tend to gravitate deeper over structure in the winter.
> A good rule of thumb is to find docks that maintain a depth of over 10' under them.
> Look at a map or use Google Earth to find docks in a creek arm or adjacent to deep water. These typically hold the highest amounts of crappie.
> Once you have found an appropriate dock, you can begin to look at the slips inside and around the dock to survey for any brush or structure lying underneath.
> A good tip is to find old docks that aren’t frequented and be aware of any indicators of sunken brush, such as pieces of wood or pipes lying around the slips.
> For lures, you can use a large variety of plastics [to] narrow it down to the best 3....
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1. Bobby Garland Baby Shad w/ 1/16-oz Bobby Garland Mo' Glo Jig Head.
Colors:
Clear water – 'monkey milk', 'threadfin shad', 'blue ice'.
Stained water – 'lights out', 'devils grin', 'black hot pink'.
2. Bobby Garland 2" Slab Slay'R w/ 1/16-oz Bobby Garland Mo' Glo Jig Head.
Clear water – 'double silver rainbow', 'blue ice', 'eclipse'.
Stained water – 'bone white chart.', 'junebug pearl chart.', 'cajun cricket'.
3. Bobby Garland Slab Hunt'R w/ 1/8-oz Bobby Garland Mo' Glo Jig Head.
Clear water – 'live minnow', 'threadfin shad', 'coppernose'.
Stained water – 'bluegrass', 'cajun cricket', 'bone white chart.'.
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Hit the backwaters for winter river slabs
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Ever hit backwaters in the winter? Came across this post on Fishing SI where they got dialed on fishing backwaters on frozen rivers – but us open-water guys can take a lot out of this deal too.
The same rules can apply – you're just in a boat! Here's VT's Kaleb Brown on where they're finding crappie in New England right now:
> River crappies...move into slack backwater areas, preserving their energy during the winter months while their metabolism is slow.
> These backwater spots often hold quite a bit of life. All levels of the food chain tend to congregate...everything from zooplankton to numerous species of aquatic invertebrates and small baitfish.
> Many rivers have backwaters, often referred to as sloughs, pockets, setbacks, or oxbows. They all have still water that is either moving slowly enough to freeze or not moving at all.
> Catching these fish is the next part of the puzzle. Backwaters and "coves" can vary in depth, but most are less than 20' deep and often include vegetation.
> Many are even shallower, often ranging in 4-10' of water. The shallow areas with vegetation are often great early in the year. Crappies make their way into these locations and feed on remaining vegetation, insects, zooplankton and minnows.
> Fish often move away from the shallower locations as the season progresses and vegetation begins to die. They head for locations that have deeper water and better oxygen levels, just like in lakes and ponds.
Catch the full deal here on SI.com.
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1. Season opener sale from Minn Kota and Humminbird still happening!
Too much for here but here are the Minn Kota details (click the pic 👇):
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These are Hank Cherry's baits from his win on Lake Guntersville, AL. Yes, that's for real! Couple quick deets from BassBlaster:
> 3" hand-poured grub (chart/silver flake) – "It is hand-poured, that bag of baits was old" – on 1/8 and 1/16 darter heads with a 2/0 hook.
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It's time to change your bait when...
> "...that bait is not in the back of their throat [because] something's a little bit off."
That's Lake Fork, TX guide Jerry Hancock talkin' how he changes baits until the fish let him know that he's ultra-dialed:
> "If your fish are coming off at the boat when you net them, if...you're losing a lot of fish – I'm changing something.
> "On LiveScope, if they look like they're seeing it from far enough and they're reacting to the color, it might be a profile change. If they're still coming off, I'm probably going to change my color."
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My fiancée saw this at a Disciple Now-style event she was helping out with at her home church this weekend and sent me a pic. I thought it was awesome! 🤣
Since my boss sees Target Crappie, I can neither confirm nor deny if I have ever abided by this statement...but if you want one, I found it on Duck Camp's website! 😅
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Check out this 15.5" MN TUB that was sent in by Jake Pederson! He said it was roaming, chasing shiners, and knocked his jig so hard that it threw slack in the line! Nice catch, man!
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