How to Fish Crappie Jigs for White and Black Crappie
Crappie Jigs for Slabs are considered a panfish. A non-technical term for freshwater fish popular for food and sport (usually with light tackle) and that can fit in a frying pan. There is basically two species of crappie, black and white. Both are schooling fish, meaning they like to stay in loose groups. Though we don’t know why fish hang out in schools, if could be to avoid predators, increase foraging success, or to swim more efficiently.
You can find crappie in ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and large, slow moving rivers. The key words are still or slow-moving waters. Crappie fishing is best during the cool weather of early spring and fall when they move into the shallow ends of coves. At these times, crappie congregate in loose schools around sunken logs or brushy cover or just beyond the weeds in water 6 to 15 feet deep.
If you’re out when the sun is on the water, look for areas around sunken logs or stick close to boat or fishing docks. In the mornings and evenings of spring and fall, when the sun is off the water, crappie will likely be in weedy vegetation feeding at the surface of the water.
During the winter and summer, crappie often move to deeper water along vertical structure such as pilings or dams. If you’re targeting crappie during these seasons: fish deep, use different baits and colors to entice the fish, and troll the water.
For me crappie jigs for slabs is best based on these factors.
- Spring Crappie Fishing Tips: Every year, swarms of minnows spawn in the shallows. This can happen a month or so after ice-out in the northern states or even towards the end of the hard-water season, whereas, in the Southern states, migration can begin as early as February. Anglers have a large window to target this massive concentration of fish and the subsequent pre-spawn feasting frenzy, regardless of when it starts.
- Summer Crappie Fishing Tips: Even though the reproductive frenzy is over, plenty of crappie action is still available if you alter your approach. After spawning, crappie migrates from reservoir tributary arms along submerged stream channels to the main body of the lake. Although they are unlikely to be as densely grouped as they were during the spawn, they are still in predictable locations and readily respond to live bait and lures.
- Catch Post-Spawn Crappie: With the lake’s temperature exceeding 80 degrees, crappie will typically be found in creek and river channels. In 20 to 30 feet of water, look for them suspended near or clinging to stumps, brush piles, and inundated standing timber adjacent to tracks. Mark Channel declines with buoys
- Autumn Crappie Fishing Tips: The hunting season is the only positive aspect of autumn for many crappie anglers. They use cold fronts, reservoir draw downs, and sluggish fish as an excuse to switch to bows or rifles. However, slabs can still be caught at this time of year.
- Winter Crappie Fishing Tips: Everyone enjoys waking up during the hard-water season to an unseasonably warm air mass, near-normal barometer, low wind, and manageable precipitation. Unfortunately, this confluence of conditions occurs so infrequently.
How to fish:
Best way to catch is using Crappie Jigs for Slabs is with live minnows, hair jigs and soft plastic lures like baby shad fished around brush, rocks and suspended over open water.
Where to fish:
- Woody structure – standing timber, tree lay-downs and brush piles will hold fish all day long.
- Rocks – large rocks, rocky outcroppings, dam/fishing jetty riprap and gravel beds with vegetated cover create prime ambush spots and also funnel food.
- Open Water – areas adjacent to transition zones, such as the middle of coves, creek/river mouths or wind blown sides of points will hold suspended fish when too many predators are on transition structure.
Equipment:
The best fishing rod to use with a crappie jigs would be a light to medium light, with a length of 5’ 0” to 6’ 5”, and a tip action of fast. For a reel spinning, spincasting are best. For line, 4-pound to 8-pound test Fluorocarbon.
Technique:
Depth control is very important in crappie fishing, especially in water deeper than 4 feet. Crappie eyes sit on the top of their head. They prefer to attack prey from below and behind, so keeping your lure or bait in front of and above a crappie will lead to better bite action.
When crappie are suspended in deeper water, a slip float is the most effective way to target them from the bank.
Tip:
Bobber jigging a baby shad, small hair jig or live minnow is an easy and effective way to stay in the strike zone longer. Crappie can be lazy biters. The longer the bait can stay in front of and above the fish the better.
To be successful, you must establish a fishing pattern regardless of the season or location. What security does crappie employ? What’s the depth? Yellow or blue jigs? When are they at their peak performance? With minnows or with jigs? Change your strategies until you discover what works best.
“Catch The Dream!”
