Crappie schools and movement

[Poorboy]

I am curious what everyone thinks about how Crappies move in schools.  I realize it's not an exact science, but you frequent fisherman prob. have noticed patterns that recur.

   If I am jigging them up and they stop hitting I assume the school has moved past me. Has it been your experience that in that day the school will return to that area, or do you feel that they will roam far and wide. 

   If a guy has a flasher (which I don't and prob won't have anytime soon) I understand that he can go search for the school again.  If he is sitting in his ice shack (not a portable) he is hoping they will come back by.

   The 200 acre pond I Crappie fish on is 30' deep and most of the ones I catch are in the deepest water, somewhere between 15' and 30' down.  The areas parallel to shore and up to 100 yds out are 15-20' deep and see very little Crappie action.  150 yds out where the water is deepest are where they show up, based on my fishing with 5 tipups spread around thru all areas and set at different depths and using shiners for bait.

   Do you hard core Crappie guys chase them with your vex and auger as a rule, or sit and keep trying the same area?

  I realize there are no exact answers, but am interested in the patterns you see.

[iceintheveins]

Generally crappies travel in pretty big schools, suspended five or more feet off the bottom, whether the water is shallow or deep. When you see crappies on the vex, you usually will catch more than one or two. Work the same depth for 15 - 20 minutes, and if you haven't seen any in that time, move around and search for the school. Spend a minute or two jigging each depth, starting from 4 feet off the bottom till about 5 feet below the ice hole. Keep moving and searching till you hit the school again. Crappies are most active in early mornings and late evening twilight periods, almost like walleye. Though they will hit during the day as well.

Tyler

[Polar]

If you are fishing crappies you should have a flasher.If you want to stay into the fish.The best tip I know is fish the top of the school first keep doing that till fishing slows the go a bit deeper.

[Swift]

Not many in the 'night shift' for crappies anymore in my area but the fish are still there. Was fun 20 - 25 years ago to have 20+ guys setup in a line along a known area where they would swing in and out all night. Like watching a slow motion wave of hook sets start up at one end and go right down the line, wait 10 minutes and here we'd go again.  Sit in the same spot now and can do well after dark, sometimes I'm the only one there. Often can find them while targeting perch during the day, running and gunning looking for a school but give the bait a little extra time hanging there around or a little above the depth of the major break into deep water. They'll hit the same thing, so why not.

[Poorboy]

This is really interesting info, you guys!  I appreciate the good reading and access to the cross section of knowledge represented here.  Like all sportsmen, one of the things that keeps my mind occupied while I am not fishing or hunting is "theorizing" and plotting new strategies for the next time out.  These experiences of yours help my imagination towards that purpose.  Hmmm....20 guys in a line, a human "fish finder"...that's really an interesting thought.

   Thanks, and hope to hear more!