The crappie is a popular North American freshwater angling target, which attains a maximum size of approximately 21 inches and 5 pounds. Their are two distinct subspecies of crappie simply referred to as Black crappie and white crappie (note: the name white perch is often incorrectly used for the white crappie). The crappie is highly regarded as a fine freshwater food fish, which adds to its angling popularity.
How to catch crappie
Before you head out to catch crappie it is important to understand a little bit about crappie and their feeding habits. Crappie have very good eyesight and can see a range of colors. Crappie are generally inactive during the day spending time around submerged objects and move out into open water to feed around dawn and dusk. It is also worth considering that crappie are also active during the winter months making them a viable fishing target year round.
Crappie have diverse diets, which means there are many ways to catch crappie including casting light jigs, trolling with minnows or artificial lures, using small spinnerbaits, or using bobbers as well as many other techniques. If you are using bait stick to natural food sources including baitfish, crayfish, worms, maggots, crickets or grasshoppers.
Crappie Fishing Tips
- Fish around structure - logs, boulders, docks, weeds etc. (especially heavy structure).
- Once you catch a fish keep working the area as crappie are a schooling fish.
- Crappie will move into shallow water during spawning (spring and early summer)
- If the fishing is slow try imparting more movement onto the bait or lure to entice a bite