Time of day?

All this talk about getting up at 6 to go crappie fish has got me thinking about the best time of day to go crappie fishing. I find that on most lakes I fish, particularly in the warmer months, that the crappie typically don’t bunch up on structure until about 10 o’clock when the sun gets up. I don’t find it necessary to hit the lake until about 10 or 11 because I catch the majority of my fish from about noon-6 in the hottest part of the day. I won’t even go out on a cloudy day in late spring or summer because the fish spread out. This has been a pretty consistent find for me. Winter it doesn’t matter as much, but I still have my best luck on sunny days in the middle of the day. What are y’all experiences?

Better bite have been early for me ...maybe it's in the mind but I struggled after 11 or so. As hot as it have been, I would not want be be out there past 1 or 2.

I do better after 10am as well this time of year. Any fish before that I consider a bonus.

I’m far from a great crappie fisherman, but the last month or so I don’t catch much till after about 9 am. All my life I have been an early morning fisherman, but it hasn’t worked lately. Maybe it’s just the season.

Don’t know. However after I switched to smaller bait per McKinney instructions I started catching more today. Of course it was about 10 am when I switched.

Plus #1.

Something we agree on? Lol

what size of bait and jighead are you using? Thanks in advance!

I find they bite best after breakfast and coffee,...and a good morning constitution, ....

right now I’m using either a 1/32oz on calm days, or a 1/16 oz with a #6 hook and a small slab bandit or a trimmed down thump buddy or Bobby garland.

I second this. I normally catch my fish early but the last couple times I fished they have really turned on around 9:00. This past weekend we pulled 12 big keepers off one pile as soon as it hit 9:00. I seem to catch more bass/catfish off the brush piles early morning.

In the summer I'll be leaving the lake with my limit when you're unloading your boat, before it's too hot and before having to deal with skiers and jet fleas....

There are hundreds of soft plastic rigged on light jigs that will work if you can find fish.
1/32, 1/24, 1/16 unpainted ball head jigs are all I need using different tail designs. Note: the shots taken were imaged because these lures catch ALL species.
Spike tail:


Thin flat tail (note clear plastic):


Crappie Magnet grub of course:


Gary Yamamoto Kut Tail worm and 1/32 oz jig with #2 hook:


Beetle Spin and various soft plastic shapes:


Blunt tail grubs - fat & stubby or cone shaped:


Wacky rigged innovations always used with a light jig:

When it comes to hours of the day to fish: I go when I go.
When I was stationed in the military in Texas for four years, it was hot !, with many days in the 90's. Being a young, fanatic angler with nothing better to do, I got out and fished from shore until I got a small jon boat. Back in the 70's there was no sonar or if there was, not affordable on my measly take home. Other than sunfish, I didn't know one fish species from my right foot until I started watching fishing shows on TV. (Even back then they were trying to sell you stuff.) On the hottest days I managed to catch fish and even tried night fishing for crappie but didn't do diddly.

I think it has everything to do on how u approach the fish any time of year. I use live bait in the early morning or white/chartreuse or dark contrast colors. Do they bite more when they can see better, sure they do but I've caught many limits early. All in the application, use of sonar and practice.