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Leaves are showing a peek of color, temperatures are cooling and fall is approaching. This means that deer, turkey and waterfowl are on my mind, but some fishing still needs to be done.
While it may surprise you, crappie is one of my favorite fall species.
Crappies are usually associated with spring fishing and with good reason. The spawn draws them to shallow waters. After thinning during a long winter, feeding is one of the top things on their mind. The bite is heavy, and the action is hot. But many of these same traits can make the fall a perfect time for a second bite at the crappie apple.
After spending most of the summer in deeper, cooler water chasing bait fish and avoiding predators, crappie will return to the shallows for the fall. This once again puts them within reach of almost any angler. They are coming to the shallows on the heels of bait fish and feeding heavily to prepare for the long winter to come.
These conditions are almost identical to those found during the more popular spring season.
Targeting fall crappie is not much different from targeting spring crappie, but like any season, there are some nuances that you will want to keep in mind.
• Think bigger - fall crappie have spent the summer feeding on a host of bait fish. This means they will be bigger and heavier than when encountered earlier in the year. As the summer turns to fall, the bait fish also grow. By fall, the larger fish are looking for, and very accustomed to, dining on larger meals.
Small lures, tiny baits, and one- or two-inch plastics are best for targeting crappie in the spring, but in fall, a three-inch plastic to imitate the natural food source may be best.
• Look for shade -- it is not uncommon to find spring crappie relaxing in the sun, taking advantage of the warming days. Fall crappie will not be as drawn to the sun after avoiding it all summer. When faced with a sunny, possibly warmer than usual, fall day, look for shade. Overhanging cover, docks, and sheltered shore edges will be your prime targets.
• Light lines -- With clear water and a summer of being targeted, many fish are going to be line shy, and crappie are no different. Bumping down to a four-- or six-pound test on a light line will not only increase hookups but also provide a heart-pounding battler.
• hange your presentation - one of the most often repeated phrases in fishing is "match the hatch." Regarding fall crappie, you must change your presentation to match the weather. In the early season, fish will be highly aggressive, almost in a feeding frenzy, as they prepare for a long winter.
This means eating almost everything they can get their mouth on. As temperatures cool, crappie will continue to feed less aggressively. When this happens, slow your presentation or turn to vertical jigging tight to cover.
• Be ready to move -- spring crappie are feeding and spawning, and fall crappie are feeding. When their only concern is a full-belly crappie, they will stay on the move, following the bait fish. You need to be able to move, too. No matter how hot a spot may be when it turns off, identify where they may have gone and go with them.
Although most of us are eagerly awaiting cool, crisp days in a ladder stand or duck blind, there is still plenty of fishing to be done as well. If you want a side of slap crappie to go with your backstrap, grab the rod and hit your local lake before the ice sets in.
Good luck and good fishing.