# Fall Crappie Behaviors



## Ruminator (Apr 6, 2004)

At what water temps do the crappies begin to move back into the shallows to fatten up for winter?

Also, I've heard that crappie become mushy during the summer; what average water temperature does the crappie's meat firm up and become more desirable to keep them?


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

I spend way too much time in a tree stand to fully understand fall crappie patterns but my guess is it's going to happen once the lakes "turn over" and the water temps get down into the low 60's or upper 50's. I know last night we left the lake at dark and the fish we still down about 14' in 16-18 fow.
I don't notice crappie becoming "mushy" in the summer months if taken care of. I think summer is a great time to crappie fish but you want to make sure to keep the fish alive until you can ice them down. If I can't keep them alive, I'll bring a cooler full of ice to put them in rather than using a live well or stringer.


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## partlyable (Mar 2, 2005)

I also spend quite a bit of time hunting in the fall and probably only fish 6-8 times a fall for crappie. Here are some of my observations I start catching them at about 70 degrees but it picks up more when the water gets to 65. Even in 70degree water I ate some last week and they were good. I fish a lake that the deepest part is 25 ft but the whole half of the lake I fish is less than 12. Simmilar to the spring I always fish areas that the wind is blowing into either the bay or the point and usually fish 3-6 feet deep about 2 feet down. I usually fish afternoons so I do not know if the surface temp is warmer and the wind is pushing warmer water or if they are feeding in the wind blown areas but I do significantly better, when the wind is blowing good. I hope this helps and does not steer you wrong for your home lake. 


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

I fish for crappie all winter and have a favorite spot that if it doesn't freeze over I catch them all winter, shallow


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