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John's Journal... Entry 184, Day 2

HOW TO CATCH PRE-SPAWN CRAPPIE

Stump Crappie

EDITOR'S NOTE: Some of the biggest crappie of the year are caught just prior to the spawn, because not only are the female crappie full of roe then, but often they are still carrying their winter weights. Since pre-spawn crappie can be in various places at different times of the year in reservoirs throughout the country, any writer who tells you exactly where to look for pre-spawn crappie more than likely is talking about where to search for them on the lakes and rivers he knows. Here are some examples of where and how I have found pre-spawn crappie in the past, and where you may search for them at this time of year.

One of the best pre-spawn crappie fishermen I ever have known is Nolen Shivers of Birmingham, Alabama. During the spring and summer, Shivers is an avid bass fisherman. However, during the fall, winter and pre-spawn time, he is an enthusiastic crappie fisherman. According to Shivers, "I can catch more crappie in the cold months than I can bass. I think that catching any kind of fish is a lot better than not taking fish. Besides, I like to eat crappie. During the pre-spawn, I catch some of the finest crappie that can be taken all year long."

Shivers has two basic techniques for taking pre-spawn crappie. He fishes shallow, underwater stumps along creek and river channels that are often 20 to 30 yards from the bank or brush shelters under docks. "I've found that crappie come up out of the deep water and hold on underwater stumps along creek and river channels in six to 10 feet of water waiting on the right water temperature to move into the bank to spawn," Shivers reported. "Even when the crappie do spawn, the stumps are more productive than the banks. The crappie that are moving to the banks hold on the stumps before they go to the bank. Also the crappie that are coming away from the bank after they spawn hold on the stumps before they swim out to deep water." If you can find underwater stumprows along or near an old creek channel close to a spawning area, your chances are good for locating and taking crappie.

DOCK CRAPPIE

In Shivers' other pre-spawn technique, he fishes docks. "Remember that most lake and river residents who have docks usually build some kind of brush shelter or put some structure out in front of their docks so they can come down and sit on their docks and catch fish," Shivers commented. "Most of the time the brush will be about a canepole's distance or a little further from the dock. Having a depthfinder will pay off for you. By motoring your boat back and forth in front of the dock, you usually can find this sunken cover on your depthfinder. The crappie will move into this type of structure during the pre-spawn because it gives them cover to hold on while they're waiting on the temperature to warm up. If there's no cover in front of a dock, then I assume the cover is under the dock. Oftentimes a dock owner will sink the cover under the dock to keep the fish close to his pier. If you cast light jigs up under the dock, you can catch crappie."

To learn more about crappie fishing, you can contact Jackie Thompson at the Lake Eufaula Guide Service, (334) 687-9595 or e-mail them at info@ledgebuster.com.

TOMORROW: FEEDER CREEK CRAPPIE

 

 

Check back each day this week for more about HOW TO CATCH PRE-SPAWN CRAPPIE ...

Day 1 - Discharge Crappie
Day 2 - Stump Crappie
Day 3 - Feeder Creek Crappie
Day 4 - Planted Crappie
Day 5 - Shallow-Water Crappie


John's Journal