Slab Quest: 5 bästa Crappie Lakes i söder - Game & Fish (2023)

FAQs

Where is the best crappie fishing in the South? ›

LAKE FORK, TEXAS

This 27,000-acre impoundment near Quitman, Texas, is famed for producing whopper largemouths, but the same fertile waters and abundant bait that grow big bass fast also produce slab crappies.

One of the best ways to find and catch spring crappie from the bank is simply to cast a crappie jig, allow it to sink to the depth you want to work and swim it back slowly. This allows you to cover a lot of water to find fish, and it is effective, whether you want to work a foot deep or 8 feet down.

The depth that they generate will depend on the water clarity. If there is stained or muddy water, the crappie will likely spawn in shallow water areas of 1 to 2 feet. In clear water, the crappie may be in deeper water areas of 20 feet or more.

Reelfoot Lake is a true natural wonder. It's where bald eagles soar, and the fish are plentiful. It's always a great place to fish in Tennessee. So, whether you're a Tennessee resident or visitor, make sure to plan a trip, and get there as soon as you can for great crappie fishing.

Crappie can be caught year round, but the best time is during the spring spawning season when the fish are in shallow water and relatively easy to locate. Crappie often congregate in groups; if one is caught, more are usually present.

#1 – Grenada Lake, Mississippi

It gives anglers a real shot at three-pound crappie. The crappie growth rates are great, management practices are good and this year should include great numbers of big fish from the past few high-water years.

Bobbers are a tried-and-true tactic for catching crappies during the springtime months.

“So you'll often catch bigger crappies if you fish near underwater ledges, riprap banks or anywhere that the shad are schooling.”

STUMPS AND SNAGS: In waters where thick cover is sparse, look for spawning crappies hiding in the middle of snags or stumps clustered together in shallow water. The best of these spots are separated from similar clusters of woody cover and may give up half a dozen or more good fish.

The best time to fish for crappie is at early dawn and dusk. But during the colder months it can be at the warmest time of day in the afternoon. Crappie generally feed most actively in low light, so this leaves the night as another great time to catch them as well if you have the opportunity.

What is the best bait for crappie in the summer? ›

Minnows are the most popular summertime bait for anglers fishing a tight line off docks or spider rigging in boats. Since a crappie's appetite is voracious during the summer, I select larger minnows (sometimes bigger than 3 inches) for my bait.

Crappie (all species): 30 per day in combination, 9 inch minimum length limit. Catfish (all species): No creel limit for fish 34 inches and less in length; only one fish over 34 inches in length may be harvested per day. Striped Bass or Hybrid Striped Bass: 2 per day in combination, 15 inch minimum length limit.

Crappie are active at night, moving shallower than at other times and actively seeking food. They feed opportunistically on concentrations of forage, which is central why summer night fishing tends to be predictable. Lights shining on the water at night often begin a process that congregates active crappie.

Regardless if you are fishing during the day or at night, a minnow on a bobber is still the go-to bait source for crappie fishing. Other baits that can be used are worms and insects, but the best bait for night crappie fishing is a minnow on a bobber.

Common techniques include fishing a minnow beneath a bobber, casting a small jig tipped with a soft plastic body or casting beetle-spin lure or small hard plastic lures. As crappies increase in size they change their diet from eating mostly insects and crustaceans to eating mostly fish.

The best time to fish for crappie is when the temperature is about 68°F to 72°F. During this time, the crappie spawn time and post-spawn are at their peak.

Golden crappies are the “rarest of the crappie species,” Crappie Fisher reported. “Consider yourself one of the lucky ones on the planet if you ever catch this rare breed!”

A "slab" crappie has different connotations in various parts of the country. Anglers in some regions classify a 13-incher as a slab, while others use the term for fish surpassing 15 inches.

In large lakes and reservoirs in late fall, it's not uncommon for crappies to locate near bottom in 40 to 50 feet of water. In small lakes and flowages, crappies may or may not have the option of going that deep, but probably wouldn't avail themselves of the deeper water anyway.

What weight lure is best for crappie? ›

A 1/16-ounce jighead is the middle of the road for crappie fishing and the most popular weight. Anglers who fish deeper commonly use 3/16- and 1/8-heads, sometimes going as heavy as ¼ ounce. At the other end of the spectrum, heads as light as 1/64 ounce get used for finesse applications.

Terry Blankenship recommends fishing a jig-and-bobber setup any time crappie are in shallow water. Setting a jig 1 to 2 feet below a bobber will catch male crappie protecting nests during the spawn. Blankenship will switch to a slip bobber to catch crappie suspended over brush in deeper water during the summer.

In this situation, crappie quickly over populate and their growth stunts to a size of about 4 to 5 inches by the end of the first year.

Jigs and minnows are the best crappie baits, day and night. But at times it pays to vary the menu for discriminating nighttime diners. If crappie are feeding on shad attracted to your lights, shad may outproduce minnows.

Minnows, worms, insects—just about anything can catch a crappie's attention. You don't have to worry about the color of the bait, and you're only throwing them what they would be eating anyway. Minnows are hands-down the favorite used by most, and some even tip a jig with a live minnow for a double-whammy.

Look for crappies around brush piles, submerged timber and boat docks. Dock fishing is a consistent spring pattern in Clear Lake, and there are many areas of the lake where you can slowly cruise along the shoreline, casting to one dock after another.

Orange-white is good at times, but all-white is not so good. In stained water, low light, all-brown, brown-orange, black-lime and all-black have been consistent performers for my best crappie action. In stained water with a heavy algae bloom, the best colors are chartreuse and orange.

It was discovered that a 2-year-old crappie averages 12-inches in length and a 3-year-old fish goes 13½ inches.

What is the best all around crappie jig? ›

The Eagle Claw Crappie Jig is a very simple one, yet it is undoubtedly the best crappie jig as far as feathered options go. You can fish this by twitching below a bobber, using vertical jigging, or in several other ways. Consider using this in spring when crappies spawn and gather shallow in large numbers.

"A common depth for summer crappies in the Midsouth is 18 to 20 feet. Eliminate all areas on your map deeper than the thermocline and you've vastly narrowed the search. "Ledges along river channels hold a lot of fish.

The Blakemore Road Runner might be the most iconic jighead ever in crappie fishing. It's horse head shape and belly blade make it a great choice for casting and trolling for crappie. Millions of crappie have been caught on spinner heads.

Clear Lake, California

Clear Lake hosts a tremendous black crappie population and has world record potential as the state record black crappie was just broke back in February 2021. Slip bobber fishing, open water roaming fish, fishing shallow cover like weed lines, brush piles and docks can all be good for crappie.

Alabama. Weiss Lake in the state's northeast corner has long been known as “The Crappie Capital of the World,” a title that is well deserved.

Tennessee is the state with the largest crappie ever caught in the United States. It was caught by Lionel Ferguson and weighed 5 lbs 7 oz.

For comparison, the world record for black crappie is 5 pounds, 7 ounces, set at Tennessee's Richeison Pond in 2018.

The best time to fish for crappie is when the temperature is about 68°F to 72°F. During this time, the crappie spawn time and post-spawn are at their peak.

Like most fish, crappie really slow down during the midday heat. From around 11 am until 4 pm, the sun really beats down on the fish in a given lake.

It was discovered that a 2-year-old crappie averages 12-inches in length and a 3-year-old fish goes 13½ inches. These are astonishing growth rates and the great majority of 5- and 6-year-old crappies are 16-inches plus and in excess of 3 pounds — the benchmark for a world-class crappie.

What do they call crappie in the South? ›

In Louisiana, it is called sacalait (Cajun French: sac-à-lait, lit. 'milk bag'), seemingly an allusion to its milky white flesh or silvery skin.

Here, things get dicey. There are at least two accepted pronunciations of the word. Some say “crappie” so it rhymes with “happy.” Others pronounce it so it rhymes with “poppy.” Down he-yah in the Southern climes, most folks go with the former despite its potty-mouth connotations.

Why Is Crappie Not Sold In Stores: Crappies are wild species, and it is illegal to harvest wild species and sell them to restaurants or stores for commercial sale. So if crappies are harvested or caught, it is illegal to sell them in stores or restaurants.

However, the vast majority of big crappie are caught on minnows or minnow-imitating lures. Crappie have very soft, thin mouths so you can't pull on them too hard or you will pull the hook out. Despite being about the same size, their mouths are much larger than Bluegill; more similar to a Largemouth Bass.

Life Cycle. The oldest reported age for black crappie is 15 years however, a normal age is usually around 7 years. In the spring during spawning season, male crappie begin building nests by clearing sand, mud or gravel from the water bottom in preparation for the egg laying females to arrive.