How often do you move?

[markinohio]

Is it more productive to chase the crappie, or stay-put and try to call them in?

I’m usually very impatient, and will move if I’m not marking fish within 15 minutes of dropping the transducer. However, this weekend dragging the flip-over through wet snow really slowed me down. I feel like I did just as well (if not better) sticking with the hole, and calling the crappie in with a rattle bait.

[PoleJerker]

Depends how I feel when I'm on the ice by myself or if I have my son with me so he can do all the heavy lifting.

[rdhammah]

find the area where they are at and turn it into swiss cheese. they are roaming. once I find them, I fish the hole. when they are gone and I can't bring them back, I move to the next hole. if nothing, I move in a circular pattern. eventually, you will find them. Yes, I always go back to the hot hole to dbl check

[Snitch#8]

I usually start by drilling about ten holes.  Then I hole hop with my flasher until I find fish.  I'll sit on them for about fifteen minutes and If I don't get any or if its really slow, I'll move to another hole where fish have been marked.  I have sat in one hole before and the fish come and go.  It just depends on how long they are making me wait.  Like you, I'm not that patient.  Well, lets put it this way, I go through, not being able to sleep the night before, getting up early, loading all my gear, drilling holes etc. etc. etc., to catch fish!  If its not happening I'm moving.  If I can't find active fish where I start, I'll move to a different part of the lake ie. deeper, shallower, out of a bay and onto a point etc.  However, I always, always, always, go back to holes where I have caught fish.  I can usually catch another couple or more after letting the area settle down some!

[Jiggerdoodle]

It depends upon the type of lake I fish.  One lake has little structure and the fish roam a lot.  So I move quite often.  Another lake has too much structure.  So when I get on a brush pile I'll stay until the bite slows down than move. 

[slipperybob]

Temperature related.  If it's too cold, I don't move. 

When I'm able to move about and drill lots of holes.  I give each hole about 10 minutes.

[potatoe]

The guys I fish with drill and sit, it seems to work for them. The theory they have the fish keep moving they will come back around.

I get impatient and start drilling, not sure it helps but keeps you moving

[meandcuznalfy]

On a new lake I'll drill lots of holes and hole hop until I mark fish, if bite slows I'll do the same again. Lakes I regularly fish I don't move much.

[claymore6]

my experience (upstate NY) has Crappie usually moving in small schools this time of year. I think the schools move along the same, lets call them pathways, as they move from deeper water to shallow water.  The trick is to get a hole above one of those pathways that concentrate the fish.

I start out with one hole and if I catch 2-5 in the first hour I tend to stick with that hole. If that first hole is a dud, I'll try another until I hit a good hole. After a few moves and if I still have not found the fish, I'll drill a series of hole and move from hole to hole. Of course, it helps to haver had prior success in the area and to be there at duck and dawn.

[Mr. Charlie]

find the area where they are at and turn it into swiss cheese. they are roaming. once I find them, I fish the hole. when they are gone and I can't bring them back, I move to the next hole. if nothing, I move in a circular pattern. eventually, you will find them. Yes, I always go back to the hot hole to dbl check

Seems to work best for me as well. Small area or type of bottom and move around that area from hole to hole and the first hot hole seems to always have a few after I return to it.

[Kevin23]

Is it more productive to chase the crappie, or stay-put and try to call them in?

I’m usually very impatient, and will move if I’m not marking fish within 15 minutes of dropping the transducer. However, this weekend dragging the flip-over through wet snow really slowed me down. I feel like I did just as well (if not better) sticking with the hole, and calling the crappie in with a rattle bait.

For crappies, I won't even fish if I don't see them on the flasher when I drop the ducer down. Keep drilling and moving until I see them, then keep chasing the schools around. The exception would be right at first/last light when they are pretty stationary in the feeding areas.

[blakemohr]

100% with Kevin23 on this one.  I might not even drop a bait down if I am not marking any fish.

[Snapper]

Do your homework have a reason to be there.  Have 3 or more locations to fish that you can drag to from that area.  If you are not on fish move.  Do not spend to much time in one area unless you are marking fish or catching fish.  If you are marking and not catching and can be worth more time to change things up.  I'll hit an area between 20 to 30 minutes.  Too little time is as bad as spending to much time. On slow days when fish are not active it can be about numbers.  Find the numbers and you can always get a percentage of them to bite.   The more fish that are there the more opportunity there is.