How To Catch Crappie

How To Catch Crappie

If you are looking for a little extra fun in your life, try some crappie fishing. Crappies are the "trout" of freshwater bodies and there is nothing like having a mess of pan-sized crappies on ice.

Here I am with my wife Dawna and our friend William Hart at Lake Bistineau near Doyline in northern Louisiana. William Hart happened to catch the limit, so these crappies were in fact not "my" fish. That was in May 2006 when crappies were spawning and biting like crazy.

Crappie fishing is one of my favorite types of fishing - I love catching them! Here's how you can do it, too.

Let me begin by telling you that crappies are probably not going to be the first fish you'll ever catch on a fishing pole. They hit good but they don't tend to go nuts over anything. Crappies are somewhat difficult to "hook" into biting your bait - many new anglers have come home empty-handed their first time out.

You really need to know how to "present" your bait, and that takes practice. I'm going to tell you up front that crappies are picky eaters!

I am writing this article to give you some ideas about where to fish, but there's no substitute for getting the right information from someone who fishes locally. The best thing to do is to go out on the water with a guide or an experienced angler like I did when I first started.

There are basically two types of crappie fishing: trolling and live bait fishing (also called "casting").

Crappies will often stage in large schools at various depths during the spring months. When this happens you can catch them on "trolled" artificials like jigs, spoons and lightweight trolling plugs.

Trolling is simply fishing behind the boat with baits that are not attached to the line (like crankbaits) or large baits that are attached to the line by a leader. I like to troll with the biggest crappies I can find.

If you're looking for a more "Old School" way to fish for crappies, try live bait fishing. Casting artificials like jigs and lightweight trolling plugs have been around since there were fishing poles - but live bait fishing is just that: live minnows! Minnows are the most popular live bait for crappies - either minnows alone, or minnows on a jig. I prefer to use minnows on a hook with no weight - the action of the minnow is what attracts fish.

The other main type of fishing where you can catch crappies is "suspend" fishing. I like to suspend fish with minnows, but you can also use artificials. Suspend fishing is different from live bait or trolling in that you are "presenting" your food source directly below the surface of the water. It takes some practice to get it right, so be patient...

Crappies have a special organ called a "lateral line" that senses vibrations and movement. They also have amazing eyesight and can see your bait from a long distance away. Since they're so "visual," presentation is everything when it comes to catching crappies! For this reason, I don't like using artificials that are painted or glittered - they look like real food and the fish will pass them up. I like black and purple lures, but crappies will hit anything that moves - if they see it! Good presentation is always better than using a good color.

The basics to remember when suspend fishing are: color, size and movement . When you're first learning how to suspend fish, I recommend using a bobber (float) that is slightly larger than the crappie you're after. This way you can easily see when they are on your line and hopefully not lose many fish to big bass! Once you get to know how the fish react, then gradually reduce the size of your bobber to increase your success.

Crappies are a very popular sport fish and fun to catch. If you're just getting started, I recommend going out with a guide or experienced angler who can show you what they're looking for! Once you have the basics down, then go ahead and try bait fishing or trolling on your own.

As with any kind of fishing, the knowledge you gain will make you a better angler - and that is always worth it!

See more: https://fishinghacking.com/how-to-catch-crappie/