Spring Crappies Are Feeding Wildly
by Steve Kannes
Dateline: 4/10/00
April through May are the months when a real fisherman, here in the northeastern states, has his first fling with panfish before his rod and tackle box get a workout with lures and spinners. The crappies are beginning to bite now that the waters have opened-up and are warming. Many fine specimens of these handsome delicious panfish are being put into "live" water buckets, while fishing from small bridges, docks, and in places where one lake flows into another portion of lake. (example would be a lake seperated by a causeway). Fishing from small bridges, and docks, "fits like a glove" when using the following techniques to catch spring crappies.
Crappies (sometimes pronounced "croppies") are shaped much like other sunfish except that their bodies are thinner and their noses turn upward, their mouths' protrude outward and upwards when they take in a minnow. There are two kinds. The White Crapple has green markings arranged in 6 or 8 indistinct vertical bars on its silvery sides. The Black Crappie, also called "croppie" is darker and has bluish-green spots scattered at random on its sides. Both are dark green on top. Both occasionally reach a weight of 2 pounds and their flesh is white, fairly firm and have excellent flavor when fried, broiled, grilled, or baked.
The two kinds are about equally numerous in northcentral, and northeastern waters, with the white crappie showing a preference for streams and the black more abundant in lakes and ponds. The black crappie, however, is a northern fish found as far north as Canada, while the natural range of the white crappie extends south into the gulf states. Both have been introduced into streams and lakes along the pacific coast.
Their food is entirely "live" or lively animal matter: aquatic insects, crayfish. water fleas, small fish, etc. They seldom feed at the bottom but lurk in the shadows of underwater weeds or sunken logs from which they dart out to pounce on their prey. Like the black bass, and other sunfish, the males build the nest and guard the eggs and young. Spawning occurs in late spring.
Crappies make up the larger part of the total "baited-hook-and-line" catch in many of the more important fishing waters of the middle west, northeast, and southeast. They bite best in early spring near lake shores. When crappies bite, they take the bait like they want it.If you have a nack for "flipping", a 1/64 or 1/32 ounce jig, with a spinning rod, can be used to take many crappie most anywhere along a shore of many medium size lakes. At this time of year, it makes fine good sport using light monofiliment line and spinning gear, when "flipping" with small jigs topped with artificial soft-plastic toppings (grubs, minnows, etc.).
The most successful bait is a small lively minnow. The ultimate spring crappie rig when fishing from a small bridge or dock, is to use a #6 (or smaller) long shank hook, and lightly hook a minnow in its lips. Then, carefully, drop the minnow into the water and let out line and let the minnow do the work, letting it swim freely. ("Lively small minnows" entice the spring, congregating crappies.) You can use single strand snelled hooks, #6 or smaller, to match your bait size, too. If you seem to miss landing the crappie, then that is your signal to use a longer shank hook (not a bigger hook)! The reason for the longer shanked hook is because of the way the crappie take bait with their paper thin, upturned mouths when they inhale the minnow-bait.
Crappie will co-operate with your fishing effort if you present them with a lightly hooked, lively, free-swimming, minnow, using light monofiliment line: 8 pound test is okay. These days, even 10 or 12 pound test line has small enough diameters to "not" effect crappie fishing. The bigger concern is to use a lively minnow and a small hook to match the bait.The "big tip" to catch spring crappie is to "not" use any weight or bobber/float with your minnow. Remember, let the minnow "swim free" and let it do the work for you. And when the minnow disappears and the line tightens, set the hook and "you got 'em".
A 5 gallon plastic bucket filled with water will keep your crappies fresh and alive while you fish. A bucket is a faster way to manage your catch, when the "spring crappies are feediing wildly"!
The following is a description of the in-line "Lone-Spinner".
A Lone-Spinner is used in-line with a baited snelled-hook (minnow, or nightcrawler) and the spinner attracts more fish to your live baits. This rig is excellent for drift-fishing from a small boat. The in-line Lone-Spinner has a swivel, stainless steel shaft and red beads with a metal bearing-bead for "easy spin" of the silvery Indiana spinner blade. The spinner unsnaps so you can loop on a snelled hook. Add a split-shot, or dropper sinker to your monofiliment line to get the rig down to the desired depth. Drift fish this rig from a small boat: the Indiana spinning blade-action attracts more fish to your "live" baits. The results will be more strikes and more fish, from your in-line Lone-Spinner baited rig. Send an email to: PikesBrand@wny.com for additional information on the PikesBrand in-line Lone-Spinner.
Steve Kannes
61 First Street Castleton,
New York 12033
copyright 2000 by Stephen P. Kannes
Fishtales One Year Ago: 04/12/99 - Mommyfish and Grumpy - Pictures of them, their boat, her big pike and even the minnows!
Fishtales Two Years Ago: 04/13/98 - Fishing with Jim and Ron - Jim Pope came to Georgia to visit cousin Ron Brooks and the three of us had a fun day fishing at Wedowee. With pictures.
