Best time for Crappies?

[BASSandICE65]

Are the crappies active towards the nighttime as they are in the summertime. I started jigging for them thru the ice and can't seem to catch to many but noticed i did get more bites towards the nighttime. Any advice is appreciated and good fishing all!!

[Jeffro]

Hey BASSandICE, I don't know about the "best" time but I do think crappie become more active (in general) in low light conditions.  Mostly I find them to be finicky eaters during the ice season but when they're hungry...       Last year I did particularly well at night.  9PM, Midnight, even 2AM worked.  I fished a glow-in-the-dark ice jig with waxies or a minnow.  As crappie feed by sight, I think the glow jig is the ticket.

Good luck.

[BASSandICE65]

Thanks for the info jeffro never iced fished at night will have to try it sometime must get really cold though. And will look for those glow in the dark jigs

[Fish Monger]

I seem to catch them at any time of the day, but it seems to depend on the body of water you are fishing. Shaker Pond in Maine has extremely active Crappie fishing all day while the next pond over seldom catches any.

[Todd_Hagerman]

I fish Hamilton Ind. at least two or three times a week I have found the best catch there is aprox. 4:oo pm to  2:oo am I have been using a glow hook and minnow. there is a lot of fisherman out there i have had good luck staying just out of the circle and must be patiant.

[Germ]

My ice fishing for Crappie have been crap....I can fly fish them srping summer fall but i can't cath em in the winter to save my life. I read here that best catch is after dark? till like 2 in the morning? This on minnows and glow jigs? This a overall concensus? Just need to knwo so i may try some nite time crappie i guess. Please any help would be great! Thanks all tight lines!

[fishboy899]

Most of the crappie that I catch are early in the morning as soon as it gets light and at about 4 until it gets dark.

[BASSandICE65]

Thanks to all kinda confirms my suspicions that they feed at the same time as in the summer months even though it is darker now with the ice. Must be on a nocturnal clock

[FISH ON]

Germ
question for you about the fly fishing for crappies , any good flies you can recommed , been wanting to try that this spring
thanks
fish on

[Lobes]

I can't speak for Germ, but I have cleaned up on them in the spring time with # 10 poppers. White, yellow, or pink. Keep a good grip on the rod, they'll try to rip it right out of your hands!

[TroutFishingBear]

This may be a wet-water fly (sinks) but pistol petes kill em'!!!
anybody use them through the ice, I should try...... 8)

[Fish Monger]

Wolly Buggers will catch them. They are along the same idea as a fly. Olive green is the way to go.

[wny angler]

lately the crappies started  hitting at sunset with the best action between 9pm and 10:3o pm

[P Gottshall]

I fish a local lake.  Last year all the Crappies were in 12ft over brush piles.  Not this year.  All Crappie I've caught are in the deepest (18ft) of water.  I was out Sat & caught about 12 in 6 hours, 9am - 3pm.  I fished 5:30pm - 9:00pm the other evening, & 7:30 was prime.  In cental IL it's dark around 6:15.  I pulled in a dozen or so in about 30min.  Fish were in 18ft, suspended around 12ft.

That night was a blast, as I met & fished with a couple "older" guys.  The older gentleman was probably 80, & having a great time.  We threw all our fish in a pile, & he took 'em home.  What a blast, & a great memory for me.

Paul

[GETABITE]

IF YOU DON'T MIND ME ASKING, WHERE ON EARTH DID YOU CATCH THOSE NIGHT PERCH AND CRAPPIES? I LIVE BY 'RANGO. LAKE SO THAT'S WHER I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FISH, NOT MUCH LUCK...

[iceintheveins]

Crappies are rather like walleyes in feeding times, though not quite as strong. They seem to bite very well when the sun comes up and as it starts to sink in the evening. They are usually suspended and will travel in loose schools, so seeing multiple marks at one depth range in the evening is commonly a school of crappies.

Tyler

[BASSandICE65]

Well here in southeastern mass. the ice is almost gone will be hunting down them crappies after ice out in the boat. Gonna get cold towards the night though brrrrrrrrrr

[reelcharacter]

Anyone out there an ice-out Crappie fisherman? The Crappie have seemed to be dusk to night biters in the coves, bays and weedy areas the last few weeks. Anyone find this same pattern continues after ice out?

See if there are any Crappy posts on the wet water fishing companion to IceShanty. Find it at:

http://www.myfishfinder.com/fishing_forum/index.php

-reelcharacter