If the wind is really strong - where is the best place to locate the Crappies on a large lake?

Anywhere that there is a strong wind that’s causing a lot of water movement, you are going to want to target areas where there is heavy structure.  In most cases, crappie will gather by the dam on the lea side, harboring in a safety zone where the wind can’t reach them.  You can also find crappie hovering on the lea side of a bridge, using the pillars and underwater supports to block the effects of the wind.

Look for underwater structures as well.  Anything that causes the lake to stir up will have crappie heading for shelter, whether this is in the form of underwater dropoffs, vegetation, sunken structure, or even deep tree trunks and branches.  Most of all, be aware that, in order to avoid heavy water movements that will affect the surface and upper waters of the lake on a windy day, crappie will move to deep water (deep being a relative term, depending on the depth of the lake itself).  If you are going to go out on a windy day, don’t leave shore without a depth finder or a sonar device to help you locate bottom structure and schools of crappie.

Some crappie will head to the shallows if there is a large amount of cover.  If an area of shallow water along the banks of the lake are covered in moss or heavy grasses and other vegetation, there will be less water movement, and the crappie will enjoy the warmth of the sun counterbalancing the chilling effects of the wind.

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