Old hickory crappie

I havent quit catching crappie since November .I have been several times with much sucess. They are in the middle of creeks in 3 to 20 feet of water on jigs and minnows. Find your structure ,take your time an fish slow. Try tubes, grubs and minnows with your favorite colors. There is some big sows coming up to feed shallow in the warmest part of the day then going back deeper as it cools down. I am having reports of guys catching them also on spoons and small crankbaits also while bass fishing.Good luck and never give up !

1-20-2012 I took a good friend out and indroduced him in the art of winter crappie! He enjoyed it just to say the least. We had a 60 + fish day with 13 keepers. The fish are still in the middle of the creeks in between 6 - 20 feet of water on structure. Look for your cover on your graph, they will be on stumps ,trees, and boatdocks. These fish are reel slow until they start to feed so dont give up reel quick. I have had reports that small spoons ,minnows and jigs were doing the trick but all of ours came off of jigs today. There is bigger crappie mixed in with some of the smaller ones.If you spend enough time on the water an dont give up you too will feel the freezer.

[Travis C.]

Awesome. Thanks for the report.

I have almost always had my best crappie fishing during late Jan thru early March. You can catch a warm day in Feb and they will really move up. Heck Percy will warm almost 10 degrees on warm days during winter. Old Hickory not so due to how its build but get some color to it and it will warm up good.

[Reel Tune]

Thanks for the report. I need to get out there, and give it a shot. Last winter I was cranking up a few while bass fishing, but haven't been out there this year. I just need one crappie over 15" before March 15th for a CPR Challenge (Catch Photo Release).

Originally Posted by sterling21

1-20-2012 I took a good friend out and indroduced him in the art of winter crappie! He enjoyed it just to say the least. We had a 60 + fish day with 13 keepers. The fish are still in the middle of the creeks in between 6 - 20 feet of water on structure. Look for your cover on your graph, they will be on stumps ,trees, and boatdocks. These fish are reel slow until they start to feed so dont give up reel quick. I have had reports that small spoons ,minnows and jigs were doing the trick but all of ours came off of jigs today. There is bigger crappie mixed in with some of the smaller ones.If you spend enough time on the water an dont give up you too will feel the freezer.

That is what I am talking about, I would love to get into some of that action!

[hotwielen65]

What creeks have you been fising in? I usually fish Bledsoe and Bartons but they have been very muddy the last couple weekends.

Ray

Look at your bigger creeks. I usually catch them in bartons and bledsoe too this time of the year. I have some good spots in both of these creeks you are talking about. I think you are worrying about the water clarity way too much, just use brighter colors the fish didnt move they are just dont feed by sight as easy as when its clear,

[Travis C.]

Originally Posted by hotwielen65

What creeks have you been fising in? I usually fish Bledsoe and Bartons but they have been very muddy the last couple weekends.

Ray

You want some rain run off in the creeks this time of year. Water with color will be warmer in the winter than clear. Like Sterling said adjust your lure color to water clarity.

[bd-]

I live on Drake's Creek and water color hasn't been too terrible on the lower end of the lake despite all the rain.

I always had better luck for Crappie in the mid-section of the lake, around Station Camp, East Fork, and Spencer Creeks. But there are some in Drake's to be sure.

I am not an expert on crappie, and I usually only fish them in the peak of the spawn in March and April when they are super easy to catch. I'm sure the crappie pros on this forum can help you find some on Drake's a lot better than I could.

bd

[Travis C.]

Monday 59 partly cloudy, Tuesday 62 mostly sunny, Wednesday 61 chance of rain with SSW wind.

If that holds true, I bet a man could catch some crappie come tuesday afternoon thru Wednesday.

Travis with weather like this you know it. Only thing is the wind, this time of year with no leave bearing trees to help block makes fishing small jigs hard to do but not impossible. Find productive water with not a whole lot of wind is not easy if you are just now trying to get in this game. Good luck and if you see a skeeter come by you dont think nothing of it im headed to rip some lips.

As for Drakes Creek if you dont have any luck there this time of year ,watch out cause less fisherman = more fish for the Crisco bath. lmao

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by Travis C.

Awesome. Thanks for the report.

I have almost always had my best crappie fishing during late Jan thru early March. You can catch a warm day in Feb and they will really move up. Heck Percy will warm almost 10 degrees on warm days during winter. Old Hickory not so due to how its build but get some color to it and it will warm up good.

Nine more days and start looking for Crappie pics from me again...LOL. I forget which guide posted on here about Spring time Crappie fishing being overrated...and Winter time Crappie fishing being undrated...is exactly correct.

2-2-2012 Took off fri and went fishing they were allot different then normal. The water was dropping about inch an hour and it was 50- 51 degrees. Started fishing around 12 noon with just a couple small fish tried from 1- 20 feet of water. They were hitting it light. I was mid lake with the water color dingy to dark visibilty was only 2 feet. Started slowing down big time and started wacking them had 9 slaps between 12 and 14 inches long. I lost 4 due to the way they were hitting. Caught 6 non keepers the rest were big sows. I had seen a couple guys catching a few on minnows but all of mine were caught on jigs. This is a great reason why you never give up with no keepers from 12 - 2 I finally figured them out and started loading the livewell. looks like my freezer is going to stay stocked up for the winter.

[agelesssone]

Was that date a mis-type, Sterling?

And were you fishing OH?

I have thoughts of going out today but being lazy so far.