(slightly off topic) Ice Out Crappies

[LunkahHuntah]

The ice season is not over yet! I'm pretty bummed that it's winding down but I'm also excited for the open water season.  I definitely got the panfish bug this past winter (along with the persistent lake trout bug).  I haven't specifically targeted panfish much during the open water season.  From what I read, ice out crappie fishing can be fantastic and apparently they get super aggressive pre-spawn in late spring.  I can't wait to give it a shot myself.

 I'm just wondering if any of you guys specifically target crappie in early spring or even anytime through out the summer.  Do you usually find them in the same deeper basins like in fall and winter during early spring? Or have you found them moving into the shallows shortly following ice out?  Thanks in advance!

[captain54]

Moving into shallow water with structure,down tree tops,beaver huts,dead weed beds. Any structure will hold pre spawn fish.

[greensider]

look for brush or tree tops sticking out of the water they will warm the water around them faster the fish will be right in them early may to early june they will be stage just off or on the beds shallow 1 to 10 feet of water when they are spawning look for bubbles cast a jig past let it fall then rell it over the fish crappies feed up so keep it above them

[TheOutdoorsman]

I've found them in sunken trees during different times of the year, but by far the best areas I've found with the most crappies have been soft-bottom flats in 3-6 feet of water with sparse bits of vegetation from the previous year.  They are nest builders, so they make nests in that type of substrate.  I've found spawning areas where two of us caught fish for many hours non-stop until we just had to go home.  A fish on every cast...if the fish came off while reeling in, just let it sink and another will grab it.  Pretty insane.  I went back to that spot year after year, and it was very reliable. 

[Cantgetenough]

Try various sizes and colors  of mini-mites http://www.panfishpro.com/  They are always on my goto list for crappie. dont forget the good ol minnow and bobber.