Fall is the time when most Outdoorsmen think about hunting. However, for many of us Fall is the time when we want to get out on the Lake and go Crappie fishing. Fall can be an excellent time to fill the freezer with Crappie.
After the first few cold fronts of the Fall move through your area, look for feeding Crappie near the first drop off away from the bank. If you're fishing a South shore, you may find Fall Crappie even shallower than that. South shores typically heat up quicker and therefor attract baitfish. Where you find baitfish, you'll soon find hungry Crappie right behind them.
Fall Crappie can be difficult to pin down in the Fall when they scatter to feed. I like to use multiple rods with slip corks fishing jigs or minnows at a variety of depths until I find the Crappie. One I start catching fish at a certain depth, I then will set all my rods to fish that depth.
Any seasoned Fall fisherman knows that the best time to be out on the Lake is just prior to a major cold front hitting your area. This is the time you'll be happy to be out on the lake chasing Crappie. These are the times that Crappie fishing can be better than the Spring spawning season. Whatever you do, try and not miss a chance to chase Crappie just before a Major front hits your home lake.
As the front passes, expect the Crappie to move back off the bank, possibly as far back to their deep water drop off.
If you're having trouble finding Fall Crappie after a cold front. Slow down your presentation and use smaller jigs or minnows. Post cold front Crappie won't chase bait very far, so make sure you put it right in front of their face. If you find them holding over a break or drop off, use a tightline approach to target feeding Crappie.
The good news about Fall cold fronts is that typically the cold weather doesn't last long. If Crappie turn off feeding for a few cold days, be back on the lake when the weather starts warming up. The Crappie will be turned on and feeding heavily. Make sure you're there to take advantage of this feeding frenzy.
When the South winds start pushing baitfish against South shorelines, you can find Crappie by using a float and jig setup. You can fish faster with jigs than minnows plus you don't have to worry about a Crappie knocking your minnow off a hook. If you find the Crappie spread out, you should switch to a Spider Rig to snatch up the Crappie.
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