Crappies are undoubtedly one of the most sought after ice fishing species. They're fun to catch and great eating.
If you want to catch more Crappies, the two most important keys are location and presentation. You could have the most appealing bait in the world but if there aren't any fish around it's going to be a long day. And, not catching a thing while everyone else around you is catching fish can be really frustrating. What you present to the fish is just as important as finding them.
The information found here is best used along with some investigative work done by you. Finding out what the Department of Natural Resources says about a lake and talking to local anglers, especially at the bait shop, local Ely MN Resort or Ely Minnesota guide service, can save you a ton of time finding the fish and knowing what they're biting on.
Crappie can be ice fished at any hour of the day or night but changing light conditions in the morning and evening usually triggers more activity and feeding. Many Crappie fisherman prefer to fish for Crappie from an hour before sundown till a couple hours after dark, however some lakes like Farm Lake produce the best Crappie fishing during the early morning hours and into the afternoon.
Winter gives ice fisherman an advantage for catching Crappie over summer fishing since in the summer they're more spread out and more difficult to find. In the winter they tend to school up more often and suspend over deep water.
By mid winter the Crappie will have moved off the structure, usually to the nearest deep basin. Start by looking for them suspended in the basin near the structure and at the same depth of the structure. Crappie follow food so as the zooplankton and minnows move, so do the Crappie.
Late winter they'll begin to move in closer to the bays and weed lines. Crappie spawn in shallow, dark bottom bays after the ice is out. You'll find them moving closer to these spawning areas as spring approaches.
Before we switch gears and talk about presentation, remember locating Crappie is only half the battle. Don't just drill one hole. Instead drill several holes and find the fish.
Using modern electronics can also help you find fish faster. Depth, fish and structure can all be seen using a flasher (Vexilar, Marcum or Hummingbird). I use a Vexilar FL 20 and it has increased my crappie catching significantly. Stay tuned nest time when we talk about presentations. Now get out there and enjoy the late season ice fishing.
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