Favorite winter Crappie techniques

[fishfever]

I’m also not the best crappie fisherman but have done a lot more the last couple years. I’ve had my best luck using electonics to find structure or small drops in 10’-25’ that are holding fish and then virtual jig using 1/32oz jig (or heavier if windy). I find sometimes they want more action/aggressive jig and others they will only bite while deadsticking. Also works anchoring away and casting to the markers with a jig or slip bobber and minnow set to depth a couple feet above the structure.
I’m hoping to go Friday myself 😁
Good luck!

[zofishky]

The three things that I've found that help the most when fishing for winter crappie is:

1. Find the cover near creek and river channels. They seem to want to stay close to channels this time of year into February and seem to stay right in it. If you're not hanging up, you're probably not fishing it right. I'll get contour maps and look for places close to channels that have cover. The places I fish, the crappie seem to move more vertical than anything. In the same areas year round just move deeper and shallower.

2. Fish early. They seem to be really active until the sun gets high. I find this true in the winter more than any other time of the year. I think it's because the water is usually so clear. They get really spooky too so if you hang, it's gonna take 10-15 minutes for them to calm back down sometimes.

3. A minnow on a slip float will always catch slow fish. I've seen when it was almost impossible to get a bite on a jig but they would destroy a minnow. A slip float will let you know exactly how deep the feeding fish are as well. Sometimes, they will move up or out to hit a bait. Others, it has to sit in their face for 5 minutes and the hit is so light you catch a lot of fish without knowing they're even on.