Don’t Miss Out on Fall Crappie Fishing
Kevin Felts 11.11.19
As the summer heat gives way to the cool temperatures of fall, a lot of sportsman leave the comforts of their homes to get ready for hunting season. We may clear the shooting lanes, fill up the feeders, or pick a good straight tree for a climbing stand. This leaves a wonderful opportunity for fishermen, and that fall Crappie fishing.
Let’s back up a few months. As spring fades into the blistering heat of summer, typically people avoid the heat and stay indoors. Also, the fish tend to move into deeper water to get away from the warming shallows.
As the water is cooled by fall temperatures fish return to their spring areas. However, something has changed as great number of sportsmen are now focused on hunting rather than fishing. This means less people on the lakes and rivers, which provides a wonderful opportunity for not only fishing, but to enjoy the peace and quiet of nature.
What about lures?
My personal go-to lures are black chartreuse crappie tubes, or black chartreuse wiggly tail with a Blakemore Road Runner chartreuse head. Then again, a crawfish colored small crankbait has had great success with both crappie and bass. Small lures will typically catch a lot of small fish, while larger lures tend to catch fewer but larger fish.
For those readers who have not yet ventured to eBay in search of lures, take the plunge and go look. Over the past few years eBay has been my go-to place for crappie lures as the assortment and selection are mindbogglingly. During the off months when the brutal summer heat keeps most of us inside this would be an excellent time to do some shopping. One of the nice things about eBay is being able to buy in bulk. When we go shopping at the local sporting goods store lures are per-packaged with just a few in each package. On eBay we can find bulk purchases of 50, 100, 200.. etc.
Here is a little tip my dad told me about fishing, and it seems to be true – fish in the shade. This means fish areas that are shaded by trees or something else. Fishing a river or slough, fish which ever side trees are shading. In a pond or open body of water, fish lily pads, fallen trees, around submerged rocks, or submerged outcrops. The story I was told says the sun hurts the eyes of the fish. Whether that is true or not, I do not know. Maybe fish like the shade as much as we do?
Besides trying out new gear, cool weather of fall, and good fishing, we get to witness changing of the seasons first hand.
