Is there a trick to catching Crappie in the winter?

There is no real trick to catching Crappie in the winter, it is more about understanding how Crappie live during the colder months so you know where they will be when casting out.

All year round Crappie move to different areas due to climate changes. In the spring you can expect the Crappie to move to shallower waters due to warming waters and getting ready for spawning as one example, but what about fishing during the winter months?

The area Crappie can be found in the winter months varys depending from place to place and on the weather during the time. The general rule for lake fishing is that during the early and late stages of ice formation the Crappie will be found in shallow waters where there is dense weed growth. At all other times you will find that the Crappie will be found in the deepest waters where dense vegetation is found, sometimes around the drop off area found by clay mounds. In lakes that have a basin this is where they will be as it is normally the deepest area and also the area where sediment builds up which gives them a soft ground area which they prefer over hard lake floors.

You will only know if your over a soft bottom area of the lake if you use a sonar. When you use the sonar, if you only receive one echo rather than the normal two this will possibly mean you have found a soft bottom.

If you do not have a sonar it may be worth checking drawings of the lake or talking to those who know the lake well to find out where the basin is for winter fishing purposes.

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