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Crappie Fishing |
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 Justin Chandler
Wildlife Manager
Wade Plantation, Screven County
Crappie Fishing in the Savannah River Oxbows
For me crappie fishing is an extremely fun sport. In my opinion they are also one of the best tasting panfish you can catch.
They are scrappy fighters that swim in large schools and are easy to catch when you find them. They are found in many areas, lakes, reservoirs, small ponds and my favorite location, oxbow lakes.
There are several names used for crappie. Specks, White Perch, Sac-a-lait, Croppie, Papermouths and Slabs being the most common. Crappie, just like bass, is a member of the sunfish family. There are two sub species of crappie, the black and the white. They often school together and their coloring is very similar going from dark olive to black on the top with silver sides and black stripes.
The best way to determine the difference between the two is to remember black crappie has 7 to 8 dorsal spines and white crappie has only 6. The only time most fishermen worry about which is caught is if they are going for a record in which case the fish must be identified. The world record on black crappie is 5 pounds and the white crappie record is 5 pounds, 3 ounces.
Crappie can be easy to catch but I have also found that they can be difficult at times. Crappie bed in February and March and this makes catching them easier if you know where to look. One if the best factors to know when fishing for crappie are to pay attention to the water temperature. They will begin moving from deep water when the water temperature starts warming up around 45 - 50 degrees. When the water temperate reaches 50 - 55 degrees they will begin moving into shallower water and when it reaches 55 - 60 degrees the males will begin fanning out spawning beds for the females. When the water surface temperature reaches between 62 - 65 degrees get your poles ready as this is considered the perfect time for shallow water fishing. When the water warms to 70 - 75 degrees they will again begin to move to deeper, cooler water.
If you are fishing for crappie in clear water remember that a slow, quiet approach is necessary. Crappies rely heavily on sight and are cautious. I recommend using a 4 pound or less test line because in clear water they will see the line and spook. Using live bait is also a good idea in clear water so they are seeing the real thing and will be more inclined to strike. In clear water you should also fish early in the morning or late afternoon or early evening when light is limited. Cloudy days are also good choices when fishing in clear water.
When fishing in muddy water look for crappie to be in shallow water. They find more oxygen in the shallow water than in the deeper areas. The best time to fish in muddy water is when the light is brightest, usually miday or early afternoon. I recommend fishing close to stumps, brush or other covers in muddy water. The crappies visibility is limited and they tend to move less.
Crappie will rely more on sound and odors to find food and using live bait is recommended or if using a jig use a scent.
As for bait I almost always use live bait like minnows. Minnows work very well when the fish are bunched up together. When you find them like this and they are biting right it's all you can do to keep a pole in the water. They will also strike at bottle spins, a little jig like bait with a small spinner on it. This works well because you can fish faster and cover more ground. Crappies are surprisingly color picky so have various colors available so you will have options until you find the "color of the day". Some people also like to troll fish for crappie by putting two or three lines out at different angles in the boat and slowly moving with the trolling motor. All methods are good and like all other sports some days what worked before will not work the next day. I like to be prepared and have minnows and jigs in different colors available when I fish.
I have had many an "ole timer" fisherman tell me that when you are having a tough time catching the crappie use this method to find the fish. When you catch the first crappie, cut about a foot of line, blow up a balloon and attach it to the end of the line and leaving the hook in the crappie, let him go. He will then lead you to the school of crappie and if you follow the balloon you will end up right on top of them. I've never actually tried this myself but if you do and it works, let me know!
I would also like to share with you a few items I try to keep on hand when fishing to enhance my experience:
- Pocket size rain suit
- A light for night fishing
- Rod tip repair kit
- A portable GPS unit
-Spare parts for the outboard motor
- Flashlight, signal flares, knife and waterproof matches
- A fully charged cell phone |
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