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Winter Crappie
#13341066
11/13/19 06:37 PM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 49,590
TreeBass
OP
Lt. Dan
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OP
Lt. Dan
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 49,590 |
Ok, so having not really chased crappie during the winter months due to hunting, I'm struggling on where to start. I've been watching several videos, but most if not all are telling me to start driving around and look for fish on the SI. They can either be shallow or deep depending on how they feel, no rhythm or reason that I can see. Just go looking for dots I'm fixated on fishing brush piles, so thats where I've been looking first. Not really a timber fisherman per say, but willing to try that as well. My lake has one bridge,a river and lots of submerged trees (Stillhouse Hollow) Any suggestions other than tow? Thanks
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Re: Winter Crappie
[Re: TreeBass]
#13341081
11/13/19 06:50 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 16,064
KidKrappie
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 16,064 |
They are going to be in 2 areas during the winter. In the creeks or down by the dam in deep water. They could be hugging cover or suspended in either location depending on conditions. I prefer the creeks to get out of the weather.
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Re: Winter Crappie
[Re: TreeBass]
#13341195
11/13/19 08:50 PM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 10,035
Spiderman
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 10,035 |
To explain a little further, the crappie move into the creeks seeking Shad that are there feeding on plankton that comes in with the winter rains.
Ideally the water in the creeks feeding the lake is warmer than the lake in general as the sun warms the shallow creeks on warm days before it reaches the lake.
Wintertime crappie are looking for the warmest water available and Shad.
The deepest water in the lake will also be a degree or two warmer than the rest of the water column as winter progresses. So most of the fish in the lake will migrate to the dam area at some point. Then they may feed but usually in my experience they don't eat much food per day and are almost in hibernation mode.
Some lakes like Lake of the Pines is famous for producing huge numbers of Crappie near the dam, so it doesn't fit the traditional winter pattern of feedeing.
The Truth is six of the seven Dwarfs are not Happy!
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Re: Winter Crappie
[Re: TreeBass]
#13341207
11/13/19 09:09 PM
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,659
Fish Killer
Big Sexy
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Big Sexy
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,659 |
Give me a call and come up fishing with me one weekend. Were catching limits right now day after day.
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Re: Winter Crappie
[Re: TreeBass]
#13341287
11/13/19 10:37 PM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 5,599
Mckinneycrappiecatcher
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 5,599 |
Deep water, they’re more hump, ledge, and creek channel/river channel oriented in winter, often times near the dam on most lakes. Creek bite is mostly a waste of time, every once in a while you get lucky and find a creek with fish, but the majority of fish will be down by the dam or in the depths of the river channel. Deep water winter fishing is my favorite kind of fishing, they’re easy to find, easy to stay on top of, and usually feed readily on jigs and minnows on a dropshot. The key is to fish low and slow.
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Re: Winter Crappie
[Re: Mckinneycrappiecatcher]
#13341329
11/13/19 11:17 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 16,064
KidKrappie
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 16,064 |
Deep water, they’re more hump, ledge, and creek channel/river channel oriented in winter, often times near the dam on most lakes. Creek bite is mostly a waste of time, every once in a while you get lucky and find a creek with fish, but the majority of fish will be down by the dam or in the depths of the river channel. Deep water winter fishing is my favorite kind of fishing, they’re easy to find, easy to stay on top of, and usually feed readily on jigs and minnows on a dropshot. The key is to fish low and slow. I agree. Don't bother fishing the creeks. They are a waste of time.
Last edited by fishin'aholic2; 11/13/19 11:18 PM.
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Re: Winter Crappie
[Re: TreeBass]
#13341331
11/13/19 11:19 PM
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Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 2,391
Bentman63
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 2,391 |
I am going to go try a dam saturday..
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Re: Winter Crappie
[Re: TreeBass]
#13341511
11/14/19 02:06 AM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 49,590
TreeBass
OP
Lt. Dan
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OP
Lt. Dan
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 49,590 |
Thanks for the tips and advice, much appreciated
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Re: Winter Crappie
[Re: KidKrappie]
#13341545
11/14/19 02:55 AM
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Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 2,106
Ledeez
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 2,106 |
Deep water, they’re more hump, ledge, and creek channel/river channel oriented in winter, often times near the dam on most lakes. Creek bite is mostly a waste of time, every once in a while you get lucky and find a creek with fish, but the majority of fish will be down by the dam or in the depths of the river channel. Deep water winter fishing is my favorite kind of fishing, they’re easy to find, easy to stay on top of, and usually feed readily on jigs and minnows on a dropshot. The key is to fish low and slow. I agree. Don't bother fishing the creeks. They are a waste of time. Yep! No fish in my Creek’s... hit the dam
Teamgetsome$$$
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Re: Winter Crappie
[Re: KidKrappie]
#13341546
11/14/19 02:58 AM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,438
iluvfishin
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,438 |
Deep water, they’re more hump, ledge, and creek channel/river channel oriented in winter, often times near the dam on most lakes. Creek bite is mostly a waste of time, every once in a while you get lucky and find a creek with fish, but the majority of fish will be down by the dam or in the depths of the river channel. Deep water winter fishing is my favorite kind of fishing, they’re easy to find, easy to stay on top of, and usually feed readily on jigs and minnows on a dropshot. The key is to fish low and slow. I agree. Don't bother fishing the creeks. They are a waste of time. Yup no fish up in the creeks this time of year.
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Re: Winter Crappie
[Re: TreeBass]
#13341695
11/14/19 11:58 AM
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 205
HV Lurenut
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 205 |
The creeks that crappie go up are ones that are long and deep. My experiancs is you need to find a creek or the main river that fills the lake. Need to be able to go a half mile or more up from the lake and still have holes that are 10-20' deep. If your lake doesn't have these deep holes and bends removed from the main body, go to the dam. Just my 2 cents. When you find them in winter, its usually the most cosistant fishing of the year. Just be careful who you tell about it.
Preserving Texas fishing heritage one lure at a time.
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Re: Winter Crappie
[Re: TreeBass]
#13341828
11/14/19 01:54 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 14,315
river-rat
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 14,315 |
Rick, I used to spider rig the river channel and did pretty well in the winter. Started at the power lines and trolled up river. Tandem rig with 2 minners and heavy weight on bottom. Go slow. Haven’t done this in a few years because I am a fair weather fisherman now haha
Yes I am talking about Stillhouse and the lampasas river good luck
"I have not failed, I just found 10,000 ways it won't work". Thomas Edison
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Re: Winter Crappie
[Re: HV Lurenut]
#13341862
11/14/19 02:18 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 16,064
KidKrappie
TFF Guru
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TFF Guru
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 16,064 |
The creeks that crappie go up are ones that are long and deep. My experiancs is you need to find a creek or the main river that fills the lake. Need to be able to go a half mile or more up from the lake and still have holes that are 10-20' deep. If your lake doesn't have these deep holes and bends removed from the main body, go to the dam. Just my 2 cents. When you find them in winter, its usually the most cosistant fishing of the year. Just be careful who you tell about it.
I have caught limits in a creek in November in 10 inches of water before. They will go up shallow creeks too.
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Re: Winter Crappie
[Re: river-rat]
#13341942
11/14/19 03:19 PM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 49,590
TreeBass
OP
Lt. Dan
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OP
Lt. Dan
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 49,590 |
Rick, I used to spider rig the river channel and did pretty well in the winter. Started at the power lines and trolled up river. Tandem rig with 2 minners and heavy weight on bottom. Go slow. Haven’t done this in a few years because I am a fair weather fisherman now haha
Yes I am talking about Stillhouse and the lampasas river good luck You KNOW I’m a fair weather fisherman as well, but figured I’d give it a try since I’m here. We almost went up there a couple weeks ago, but changed our minds after the second bend. I guess I'll head for alligator ally Thanks
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Re: Winter Crappie
[Re: TreeBass]
#13341943
11/14/19 03:20 PM
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 389
stratos caster
Angler
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Angler
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 389 |
On Pines when water Temps hit the 40's it's time to go to the dam.
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