Winter Fishing Tips And Jigs For Crappie

BRAINERD, MN - JANUARY 26: Danny Chmielewski ...

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Crappie fishing in winter can be a daunting challenge but cheer up there is help. Super crappie fishing really begins after the ice is long gone in the spring but its cold now and we are hungry for that clean white morsel of meat.

So you ask how to catch the little guys and how to get that pan fish in your pan and when ice fishing there are only a few key items to consider: bait, location and ice.

(Keep in mind, you can use things like the evening secret fishing device under the ice. Just drill two holes. Fish down one and drop the device down the other one. You can see a video here: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1459072/evening_secret_bait_fish_catching/ )

When it is cold the fish are slower and their hunting patterns change. Do not forget this… EVER. We are not much different, we like our ice cream in the summer and chili in winter. Keep this in mind when fishing in any water temperature. Use fast baits in warmer waters and slower baits in colder waters.When the waters are cooler and sometimes frozen everything below the surface moves slower so when choosing jigs pick ones that move slower, this means lighter weight too as it will not sink so fast.

Many of the plastic jigs will move smoothly through the water, this is a great advantage in the spring months, but not so much in the colder waters. Feathered jigs once wet will also smooth out and move quickly through the water but an artificial feather sometimes will fall slower than most plastics. Do not forget either that plastics will get stiffer when they get colder and this is part of the reason that smaller jigs work well in the colder waters.

When the water temperatures drop below 50 degrees crappie will seek shelter in almost any structure they can find, so choose a bait that will be found in shelter they are hiding in. Most waters will get a little clearer when they ice over. When this happens use smaller jigs. I would also suggest using really light colors on the jig like yellows and whites.

Some of the smaller plastics seem to work well for me I like to use smaller grubs or tubes. When I know the water is clear I start with white or very light colors and work towards darker colors. But as the visibility of the water changes go with a color that is only slightly lighter. Remember most bait fish or insects are really trying to blend in to the background so you want to stand out just a little bit more.