Fishing for crappie can be exciting for a number of reasons; they are easy to catch, and they are small and easy to handle. They’re easy to catch with the right rod and the right conditions. But what are the right conditions for catching crappie? Many great fishermen have differing opinions on depth, so there’s no one right answer. During the winter there can be warm spells, that plus the lengthening daylight hours will push crappie upward. “Fish can be caught this time of year (winter) at 30 feet. I have a friend catching them to eat from 50 feet. I’m a tournament fisherman, so I try to find fish to catch fish at 10 to 15 feet all year long because these fish are easier to keep alive, a requirement in our tournaments. Also, these fish are deep enough that they are not spooky. So, my ideal depth is 10 to 15, my buddy’s ideal depth is around 50, with most fishermen finding 15 to 25 feet being good for late-winter fish.” -Travis Bunting, Three-time Classic Champion. Soft water is also preferred during winter. If you’re fishing for crappie between 18-25 ft it will be beneficial to fish slowly and vertically. This can be achieved easily from an anchored boat. As far as wind goes it’s easier to not spook the crappie when there is a light wind, but if the wind is too strong it will be much harder to control.
Another factor for crappie fishing is structures. We get an expert opinion on this from Dan Dannemueller A tournament fisherman who fishes crappie. “One structure I like to target is a point with a little current on it, especially if it’s in a river system or upper area of a lake. Fish will position somewhere on that point, waiting to ambush bait. Since there are a variety of depths on a point, this time of year, I’ll start a little deeper, where the current will be lightest. I’ll work up until I find the right zone, the ideal depth zone for that point. I let the fish show me the ideal depth, but if I could choose, it would be 10 feet.” Now that you know the best ways to fish crappie you can head to castawayrods.com and shop custom fishing rods to start catching!
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