Table of Contents
Crappie fishing is one of the most rewarding freshwater angling experiences. It’s exciting and challenging, and if you do it right, it comes with a genuinely delicious payoff. These panfish are relatively easy to catch as long as you have the proper knowledge, gear, and approach, and they’re a great entry point for those looking to get into the fishing hobby.
We’re sharing everything you need to know to fish for crappie like a pro. Our guide will cover the timing, location, equipment, and techniques you need to walk away from your first crappie fishing day of the season with success.
When Is the Best Time of the Year To Fish for Crappie?
Crappies can be caught any time of year, but certain seasons lend themselves better to higher catch rates due to optimal conditions. Fall and spring are the two peak seasons for a successful crappie fishing day. This is when the panfish spend time in shallow waters, making them easier to spot, hook, and bring home.
- Spring: From March through May, the water temperatures rise between 55-65ºF, and fish such as crappies and bass move into shallow areas to reproduce. This makes it the best time of year to catch crappies. The fish become more aggressive and, thus, easier to target. You’ll spot them near brush piles, logs, docks, and other structures submerged like cove and backwater vegetation. These areas provide protection to lay their young. Because of their high activity levels, they often respond well to live bait, jigs, and soft plastics.
- Fall: Cooler temperatures in September through November also trigger more aggressive activity as the fish prepare for winter. They move to mid-depth waters, but you can use slow trolling or multiple rods to help locate large schools of crappies quickly. Focus on creek channels, drop-offs, and submerged timber during this period, as crappies gather there to feed on baitfish.
- Winter: While crappies are much less active in the cold water, you can still catch them with long lines that go deep and slow-moving bait. Ice fishing is also an option if you live in a northern region.
- Summer: Crappies descend to deeper waters to escape warm temperatures in the summer, so you’ll need to find submerged structures with depths of around 10-25 feet to target them effectively. Another option is night fishing with underwater lights to lure them your way.
Where Is the Best Place To Fish for Crappies?
Crappies are abundantly found in rivers, lakes, ponds, and reservoirs across the United States and North America. Crappies tend to gather near:
- Brush piles
- Fallen trees
- Submerged logs
- Shallow bays and coves
- Docks
- Piers
- Underwater bridges
- Artificial reefs
- Deep channels and ledges (in summer and winter)
When looking for crappies, let structures guide the way. These fish prefer shelter from predators, protection for spawns, and coverage to ambush prey. A fish finder like the Garmin Livescope can help you pinpoint good areas. If you’re fishing in a large lake or reservoir, cast your line on creek arms or main lake points where crappies gather.
What Do You Need To Fish for Crappie?
The right equipment will prepare you for a successful day of crappie fishing. You’ll need appropriate bait, a high-quality fishing rod, a reel, tackle, and extras like power solutions to make the day more comfortable.
Rod and Reel
Purchase an ultralight or lightweight 6-7 foot spinning rod and reel combo with medium action so it’s sensitive enough to detect light bites. However, if you like vertical jigging or spider rigging, a longer rod is preferred for better lure presentation and depth control.
Tackle
- Jigs: Soft, plastic body jigs to mimic baitfish and insects (1/16 to 1/32-ounce jigs)
- Hooks: Size #2-#6 Aberdeen hooks
- Bobbers: Slip and Fixed bobbers allow for precise depth control
- Swivels: Avoid twisting the line when using live bait
- Weights: split shot weights help maintain the desired bait depth
Bait
If you prefer live bait, you’ll have the best luck catching crappie with minnows. Other live bait options that work well in this scenario are worms or crickets—whatever is easiest to find. As for artificial bait, you can experiment with different colors to see how the fish respond in your location. Crappies tend to like curly tail jigs, soft plastic grubs, small crankbaits, and spinnerbaits.
Power Solutions
While power solutions aren’t mission-critical to catch a fish, they make a massive difference in your fishing experience. Fishing has never been known to be a quick process. It takes time and patience. Why not make the time passing more comfortable and enjoyable? For quick, day-long angling excursions, a portable power station like the EcoFlow RIVER 3 or EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus is an excellent item to have on hand to power your fish finder, radio, cell phones, and other small electronics.
If you’re planning an extended fishing weekend, consider upgrading to solar energy generation with the EcoFlow RIVER 3 + 45W Solar Panel or the EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max + 160W Solar Panel (a good size for an extended fishing weekend). In addition to the general power supply for the weekend, you’ll also need to think about how you plan to keep any live bait fresh.
For this purpose, pack the EcoFlow Glacier Portable Refrigerator. This portable refrigerator keeps your worms or minnows cool and any drinks or snacks you want to enjoy throughout the weekend.
What Is the Best Way to Crappie Fish?
Fishing for crappie in each season requires a different approach. Knowing these subtle changes will help you find success no matter the time of year. Here are our top tips for spring and fall (the best crappie seasons), as well as winter and summer.
In the Spring
In the spring, remember that crappies are spawning in shallow waters. Keep your lines between 2-6 feet deep to target them. You should also use jigs with minnows under a bobber if fishing near brush piles. When fishing in vast expanses of water, consider slow trolling with multiple rods to cover more area. You should also cast your line near submerged logs and vegetation when possible.
In the Fall
Crappies move to mid-depths in the fall, so cast your line 8-15 feet into the water, where you’ll find them actively feeding. Use vertical jigging techniques and small crankbaits. If you have a fish finder, use it to locate large schools of fish and adjust your approach according to what you find.
In the Winter
Go deep in the winter, as low as 20-30 feet underwater near submerged structures. If your area ices over, you can use small live minnows and tungsten jigs to lure crappies to your line effectively. Otherwise, use small jigs and prepare for slow fishing to match their equally slow metabolism at this time.
In the Summer
Crappies are still deep in the summer but not as deep as in winter, so find a sweet spot around 10-25 feet deep. Night fishing can be a fun option during this time of year if you have the right lights to attract the fish to the surface.
Crappie Fishing Techniques
Here are five quick and proven crappie fishing techniques to try out on your next fishing day:
- Jigging: Cast and retrieve your line slowly or vertically jig near structures to effectively catch crappie. Experiment with different jigging motions, including slow lifts, quick twitches, or slow and steady retrievals.
- Bobber Fishing: Using a jig or minnow beneath a bobber to maintain the proper depth and easily notice any bites you may get.
- Trolling: If you have multiple rods, slowly drag them along the water using jigs or crankbaits at various depths to locate schools of fish and adjust your strategy accordingly.
- Spider Rigging: When fishing from a boat with multiple long (8-16-ft) rods, fan them out to create a “web” and cover a wide area and different depths.
- Cast and Retrieve: This technique can be effective around structures. Cast your line a little beyond the target area, let the lure sink to the correct depth, and then slowly reel it back in. Remember to allow for pauses so that it mimics a real, struggling baitfish. It’s good to try if crappies are scattered and you need to lure them to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best live bait for crappies tends to be minnows, while soft plastic jigs tend to be the top artificial choice. Color also matters when fishing for crappies—bright colors like pink, white, and chartreuse work well even in murky, cloudy waters.
April is usually the best month to catch crappie because the fish actively spawn in shallow waters and showcase aggressive behaviors, making them more likely to bite. However, fall months such as September, October, and November can also produce great results.
In the spring, you only need to be a few feet deep (2-6 feet), while that increases to about 8-15 feet in the fall, 10-25 feet in the summer, and as far as 20-30 feet deep in the winter.
Final Thoughts
Crappies are accessible fish that are fun to catch and rewarding for anglers with all levels of experience. However, a little knowledge goes a long way. Knowing the best seasons, locations, equipment to have, and techniques to master will increase your catch rate and ensure a successful day on the water.
Make the most of year-round crappie action with our comprehensive fishing guide, and make your time more enjoyable with a portable power station like the EcoFlow RIVER 3. Grab your gear, get set, and go fish.