# Question for Chaunc about Fall Crappie



## Vwslayer (Oct 30, 2013)

Chaunc,I was wondering if you or anyone else could comment on how late into the Fall and early winter crappie continue to aggressively feed before they start going dormant for the rest of the winter.Thanks in advance.


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## MICK FISH (May 10, 2010)

Better show him some of those big ice slabs Smitty!!! 

In all seriousness, I do not believe crappy will go completely dormant at any point in the year, especially winter.

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## Vwslayer (Oct 30, 2013)

Maybe dormant was the wrong word.I thought I had read where in the Fall they gorge themselves on shad,baitfish,ect. Before they go back out to deeper water to wait out the winter months.I'm trying to figure out how late into the Fall and early winter crappie are actively going to be feeding on the baitfish in the shallower waters.


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## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

Vwslayer - Crappie will feed pretty much all year long - It might just take a little longer to find them. I have caught crappie every month of the year.


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

Thanks fellas. Good answers. When the baitfish gets harder to find, so will the crappies. They'll follow them all year. When the water gets colder, the baitfish will move out deeper. So will the crappies. Find them and you'll catch them.


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

Last winter was way more mild than most and I had the opportunity to fish all winter long. A friend and I made it out all but maybe 2 or 3 weekends all winter. We never did get skunked but some weeks were better than others.
Even with the snow flying we still caught fish and it seems jigs out produced minnows but I will admit we didn't bring minnows often because neither of us wanted to put our hands in a minnow bucket. It was funny because most of the time we could find some fish suspended 10'-12' deep. Another thing was we would mostly swim the jig for our better fish. I will say that once the water temps got below 38 degrees, it definitely got tougher to get them and vertical jigging worked best.


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## Vwslayer (Oct 30, 2013)

Thanks,everyone,for your posts and comments.I guess the bottom line is I don't want to quit chasing crappie and I'm looking for a reason to keep fishing.I guess I'll keep at it until I can't handle the cold!


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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

We do well fishing deep structure all year long. I don't do nearly as well chasing schools of bait as I do fishing deep rocks or wood. Maybe I can learn something here.

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## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

Ice fishing for crappie is the best!!!! Flashers are definitely better for crappie than cameras especially in deeper water.....90% of the time they are suspended so if you have a camera on bottom you'll never know they were there. We have a marina we ice fish thats shallow....3-4' around the docks....we CRUSH the crappie when they are in there on camera....it is awesome....at one point you will have a screen full! Its awesome to see them on camera....cool to watch how fast they still swim even in the winter! :B:B


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## papaperch (Apr 12, 2004)

Not much to add to what others have told you. Seasonally speaking late fall and to mid winter is my favorite time to crappie fish. 

Finding them is the key. Reason I prefer the on ice crappie fishing is once they are found its fairly easy to really rip on them. One year in particular at Mosquito. This huge school of crappie set up shop on a 17' deep point. It dropped sharply to 22'. Someone had dumped a bunch of brush in there. We had a long ice season that year and they stayed there all winter long to just right before the ice broke up. Daybreak was always the hottest action till about 830 AM. It was virtually impossible to fish with two rods.


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

Many new studies have been done on Crappie behavior, since longer lasting batteries have been able to keep tracker tags going for up to a year now.

They have found what most believe...Crappie feed readily until water temps gets in the 30's.
It has been proven thru recent studies that Crappie Swimming Ability is "UNIFORMLY POOR" in temps below 39 degrees.
Other variables are that Crappie need (AT LEAST) Disolved Oxygen to be in the 3 PPM range.
They will also avoid ANY current greater than 1 CM/S in water temps below 39 degrees...this is due to their POOR swimming and the need to reduce metabolic requirements and energy expenditures...they will live off stored fats and food they don't have to work for like ZooPlankton or other small abundant organisms!

So what does all that mumbo jumbo mean...when water temps drop below 39 degrees, you'll find Crappie in the deepest oxygenated water, with no current, and alot of structure or cover!
1. The deepest water will be the warmest...when ice covers the surface, bottom water can be 39 degrees. Some deep water will set up a Winter Thermocline which fish will avoid...they have to find water with plenty of Oxygen first.
2. Structure offers protection and current breaks, cover offers the same, plus some give off oxygen and provide food and homes for other small living organisms for Crappie to eat.
3. Fish slow and present your lure properly...if they have a good store of fat, they are not gonna chase anything! If an easy meal presents itself and they don't have to work for it....they will feed!


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## Vwslayer (Oct 30, 2013)

Thanks for all the great comments,everyone!


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