Crappie methods

[beerbellybob106]

I was wonderin at this time of the year what is the best method to catch crappie and do the fish tend to hang in deeper waters or shallower? any tips would be appreciated

[Fins]

yesterday,I was fishing in 20 feet.The fish were at 10.

[Bunk]

in the lake i fish in manitoba,in dec. they were hanging in 40 fow.at about 20 ft.
the last few wkds i've been fishing in 28 fow. with the fish coming in close to the bottom.
biting at 5 ft off the bottom

[beerbellybob106]

thanks what were u using just a small jig with a mousie or somethin along those lines if u dont mind me asking

[Bunk]

i almost always use a Northland forage minnow#6. glow green with speckles.
tipped with either a small live minnow or 3 live maggots.have also caught a few
on GULP alive waxxies.
 good luck to ya!

[bigredonice]

bob,

A while ago on here I found a little equation that helps find the level that the crappies usually suspend at.  Take the depth, divide it in half and add a foot.

Example

Fishing 24 feet of water

fish will be suspended 13 feet down

this isn't set in stone, there are plenty of ponds i fish (some right near you) where the crappies only suspend a few feet off the bottom.

I tend to find crappies over the deepest spot if its a small pond, or if its a bigger body of water, they like to suspend right off of a steep drop off that is located near shallow flats.  Corners of ponds with steep drop offs are very good places to try too.

Ive had luck with small ice jigs with #12 or #14 hooks, but sometimes I've had to go up to a #8 if they are aggressive, or when I seem to be losing too many,  but sometimes I have to switch down to a #16 or #18 if they are not biting aggresively.