You do need to use equipment designed for fishing in the deeper waters where the crappie will be located during the winter months. The main thing that you need to look for is rods that are designed to help you detect the soft strike of the crappie. You can't reel them in if you don't know they are biting. Use light-weight rods, reels and only use six pound test line or less when you are crappie fishing in the winter and you will have great results.
 
There are many different types of lures available for crappie fishing although the leadhead jig or tube jig seems to work the best. You can find them in a variety of colors and sizes so you can experiment with different selections until you discover which ones the crappie are interested in taking. When using live bait the minnow will be the best choice. However, you can also use silver wigglers, waxworms, mealworms and other insect larvae. For many anglers using live bait is not an option. Therefore, if you prefer to use artificial lures instead of live bait it's good to know that they can be just as effective.
 
You can fish both during the day and at night in the winter months with excellent results. Just make sure that if you are night fishing you use added precautions. The waters are extremely cold during this time of year and can be very dangerous. Always follow safety precautions and make sure someone knows where you are going fishing and when you plan to return home. It is also a good idea to have one or two friends with you anytime you go out on the water. Be safe and have a great time when you go winter crappie fishing.  

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