What are some productive methods for catching crappie in Lake Kawartha?

The most productive way to fish for crappie in Lake Kawartha is with a minnow and a jig. If the fish are in deeper waters, you want to use a deep diving crankbait. There really is no one particular way to catch a crappie, but if you know their habits, you will have more luck catching the fish. You have to think about fishing for crappies in months. Right after the ice melts and before spawning, you will find the crappie in the shallow waters for about two weeks. Then they return to the deep water to wait for the spawning. They will not spawning water temperatures under sixty degrees. During the summer months, you can fish about ten feet of water when the sun is bright, but otherwise the fish will be in shallow waters. The fall months are probably just as productive as the spring months after a spawn. The fish are feeding more because the water temperature is telling them winter is coming. They will want to feed on larger minnows at this time. As the water temperature cools down more, the crappie will move to the deeper waters. You can fish them near underwater structures and drop offs. They usually try to stay close to schools of baitfish. If you are fishing in the fall, you have to keep the bait moving to catch their attention and make them want to move to the bait. Jerk the line a little bit every few times a minute.