Thread: Fall Crappie

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  1. #1
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    Fall Crappie

    I typically do more bass fishing than anything but I will usually do some crappie fishing in the early summer. I have never really targeted them in the fall as I have always gone back to bass fishing. This year I want to put some fish in the freezer so I need to learn the habits of fall crappie.

    How do crappie migrate during the fall. Are they like bass and follow the channels back to shallower water chasing bait fish ?

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    #2
    Creek drop offs. Move shallow with the bait, then they back out again is what I seem to have learned.
    Praying for a Cure

  3. Panfish Forum Moderator SOONER*REDNECK's Avatar
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    A lot of people will say a lot of different things. Im not sure it varies as much as some people think. I have caught crappie shallow, deep, and all over the place in the fall. Pretty safe to say you can go to docks in the fall from a boat or from the dock and have success.

  4. Member Ranchhand02's Avatar
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    #4
    What is the best way to catch them? Using jigs or minnows this time of year? I to mostly only fish for them in the spring.

  5. Panfish Forum Moderator SOONER*REDNECK's Avatar
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    #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Ranchhand02 View Post
    What is the best way to catch them? Using jigs or minnows this time of year? I to mostly only fish for them in the spring.
    I will not minnow fish unless I have to. I absolutely will not minnow fish in the fall and winter. I tie a tandem rig and fish docks, or brush. Get on youtube and look for Richard Gene the fishing machine, or even Fle Fly fishing. Thousands of excellent videos on techniques on the tube.

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    #6
    Glad fall is finally here as it's my favorite time to fish. Finally got my boat back from 4 months of warranty work and ready to hit the water. Ready for a few short months of hard fishing before the freeze sets in. Like sooner I find crappie this time of year at every depth from 3ft to 20. Target docks, bridge pilings and mid depth brush piles. If i find a school and catch a bunch of smalls I move on as lakes I fish the schools are usually all close too or same size fish. Will start my season next weekend soo hopefully I'll have some good reports coming.

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    #7
    I love to crappie fish from Nov threw Feb when they are in those 20 to 30 foot brush piles, hopping a hair jig off the bottom about five feet. You have to use ur eagle eye to catch them!!

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    #8
    So why are some so against minnows. just the challenge or you feel your catch rate is higher. Ive always found with minnows my catch rate was higher.

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    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Axkiker View Post
    So why are some so against minnows. just the challenge or you feel your catch rate is higher. Ive always found with minnows my catch rate was higher.
    If they are really biting you will catch 2:1 on plastics versus live bait. By the time I mess around chasing a minnow around in a bucket and get him hooked up and in the water I could have already dropped or casted and been reeling or jigging. I also find when crappie really get on the bite time is of the essence because it might not last very long. I've seen them turn on and off like a switch and when they are on I want my jig in the water. As far as fall is concerned....for me it's always the same around here, you have to find which cover they are on but they WILL BE on cover.

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    #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Bass Junkie View Post
    If they are really biting you will catch 2:1 on plastics versus live bait. By the time I mess around chasing a minnow around in a bucket and get him hooked up and in the water I could have already dropped or casted and been reeling or jigging. I also find when crappie really get on the bite time is of the essence because it might not last very long. I've seen them turn on and off like a switch and when they are on I want my jig in the water. As far as fall is concerned....for me it's always the same around here, you have to find which cover they are on but they WILL BE on cover.
    hummm interesting ill have to try more plastics.

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    Plastic and once in awhile a hair jig here. Haven't seen the need for minnows in over 20 years.

  12. Panfish Forum Moderator SOONER*REDNECK's Avatar
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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Axkiker View Post
    So why are some so against minnows. just the challenge or you feel your catch rate is higher. Ive always found with minnows my catch rate was higher.
    Im not necessarily against them I just like jig fishing. I need to make my self start minnow fishing a little more because there def is a time and a place for them.

  13. T Dub
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    Never really fall/winter fished for crappie but wanting to start. I went yesterday and today for a couple hours mainly just to try out a new boat. Caught 13 yesterday with 5 keepers and 9 today with 6 keepers. All were caught around docks. Since I don’t have electronics at the moment I just tried to fish a few spots that are good for me in early spring and luckily found a few.

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    #14
    Quote Originally Posted by T Dub View Post
    Never really fall/winter fished for crappie but wanting to start. I went yesterday and today for a couple hours mainly just to try out a new boat. Caught 13 yesterday with 5 keepers and 9 today with 6 keepers. All were caught around docks. Since I don’t have electronics at the moment I just tried to fish a few spots that are good for me in early spring and luckily found a few.
    If you are fishing on a lake with boat docks and don't have electronics to find brush look for the docks that people obviously fish from by evidence of fishing poles laying around, fish basket tied to dock, etc. Many times those will have some form of brush around them and may be holding some crappie.

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    #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Axkiker View Post
    So why are some so against minnows. just the challenge or you feel your catch rate is higher. Ive always found with minnows my catch rate was higher.
    You get a lot of reaction bites with plastics, instead of a feeding bite with minnows. We haven't bought minnows in probably 20 years. Do much better with jigs. We dont use little stuff either. Curltails, paddletails up to 4".. Love the 1/4 and 3/8oz footballs in the fall.

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    #16
    Quote Originally Posted by brushsjigs View Post
    You get a lot of reaction bites with plastics, instead of a feeding bite with minnows. We haven't bought minnows in probably 20 years. Do much better with jigs. We dont use little stuff either. Curltails, paddletails up to 4".. Love the 1/4 and 3/8oz footballs in the fall.

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    #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Axkiker View Post
    I need to learn the habits of fall crappie.
    How do crappie migrate during the fall. Are they like bass and follow the channels back to shallower water chasing bait fish ?
    Fish for them just like bass, they do the same thing. Not all the fish will move into the creeks. If the bait is on the river channel so will the crappie. Pay strict attention to flats next to the river or creek channels