Crappies right after ice out

[Chris338378]

The lakes I fish for Crappies just iced out about three days ago and I am looking for suggestions on where to look for and what to use to catch them.  The lakes I fish are 13FOW at the most and are no bigger than 300 acres.  Also some have no boat access.  Thanks.

[CrappieVermonter]

They should be in the same spots as when there was ice if not I look for a spot that warms up fast or a deep weed bed next to where they spawn. A good lure to start with would be a road runner with a gulp minnow grub tail thats my fav when Im looking for them then when I find where they are you can slow down with minnows or tubes under a float. the funnest part of crappie fishing fore me is trying differnt lures and finding where they are.Last year I caught crappie all year long with 1" gulp alive minnows small jig head under a float and lake fork baby shad on a 1/16 scronger head. 13 feet is not very deep so you shouldent have a problem getting the bait to them good luck and have fun

[buckzone101]

about how long after ice out will it take them to start running up the rivers? iv got some lakes/ponds around me that have them in it but everytime i get there it seems that they arent there anymore running the river as if its too late.

[CrappieVermonter]

Hard to say in my own opinion crappie can change there location and mood as much as the weather I guess it depends on how fast the water is running and how deep it is I personly dont fish rivers very often most of my crappie fishing is in lake champlain nice size white and blacks in ther fore where Iam

[buckzone101]

its not actually in the river its on the mouth of the river dumps into the lake or the lake dumps into the river