It still feels like summer here, and I haven’t been able to catch crappie. Can you give me a rundown of basic summer crappie fishing information?

The answer to this question cannot be complete without knowing the area of the country you are fishing. There is a big difference in the behavior of Crappie in Northern Minnesota than their counterparts in Florida or another hot weather state. The one principle that holds no matter where you are fishing is water depth. In spring you will often catch these fish close to shore in water often as shallow as four feet deep. This pattern changes drastically in summer. Both White and Black Crappie will head for deeper water as the temperature rises. This could mean late May in Florida or late July in Minnesota, whatever the date their behavior is influenced greatly by the water temperature. When the water is hot Crappie will look for the deepest water they can find that still offers them both a place to feed and protection for predation. They are programmed to gravitate towards wood. Standing timber in deep water is hard to find, this sometimes makes summer Crappie fishing easier. In spring it may be easier to find some fish, but in summer if you know the few spots they will hang you can often have your best success. It is truly a case of ninety five per cent of the fish occupying only five percent of the body of water. When you find a good spot fish it thoroughly. Crappie may be in water that is twenty five feet deep but they often suspend at varying depths in this water. From hour to hour their suspension depth can change.