Cold Crappie

Spring is right around the corner. Boat shows are wrapping up. Most of the fishing shows have become reruns. You have viewed hundreds of websites and videos on your favorite species while you day dream of that familiar musty smell of wet boat carpet, and the warmth of the days sun on your skin as you gently rock on the passing waves. Many anglers are gearing up for the approaching season. You have depleted all those gift cards you found in your Christmas stocking, and spent three times more than what you actually told your wife on that order of lures and tackle. But don’t put away the “ice” tackle just yet!

No, I am not in any way wishing for a extended hard water season. Nor do I want to prove Punxsutawney Phi’s prediction that winter is a few more weeks from ending. I’m referring to your choice of tackle. you’ve mastered hole hopping and methodically working those Swedish Pimple and Northlands Forage Minnow spoons. That rhythmic dancing of Rapala Jiggen Raps. Just because the ice is gone, and the mercury has edged just above freezing, nothing else has changed.

As a avid multi-species angler and fishing guide, I am quick to put on the water in the early season. Sometimes pushing slush and skim ice to get to my secret coordinates. But these are the same gps locations I have fished for the last few months. The crappie are still there, and they still want the same lucky ice lures. Not much has changed, other than there is no need for a ice auger.

Each year anglers rush to the favorite brush pile or docks in search of crappie. With either none or little success as they throw small spinners, twister tails and minnows rigs. Just a few weeks ago you located schools of crappie. Trust me, they are still there, or close by. That water is still cold and the fish are lethargic. It will take a couple of weeks to warm up in the shallows. Crappie are about to make their transitions in to the bays, coves and deep shore structure, just not yet.

First they will continue to feed near the same areas they wintered all season long. For the first few weeks the best tactics for crappie, hasn’t changed sense the last time you drilled a hole through the ice. Remember to keep it slow and steady. Either anchor down and long rope over your holes. Don’t spook those schools. I prefer to use my Minn Kota trolling motor’s Spot Lock feature. This keeps me directly over the fish, quietly, allowing a slow thorough presentation similar to the same one I used all winter. Just like ice fishing, watch your electronics to stay in contact with those paper mouth beauties, especially of their depth. Remember crappie prefer to feed up.

I always follow the schools migration. Once water temps surpass the high 40’s and lower 50’s and they begin to migrate towards the spawning grounds, then its time to begin other tactics such as spider rigging and slow trolling. But that’s for warmer days. Until then…

Tight lines!