how long until the crappies go shallow?

I’m trying to catch some of the 12-15 inchers I missed on the ice when they come into spawn. I was told right after ice out, which is basically now. would the shore bite be on in the next week or two?

You’ve got quite a wait before spawning takes place.

Post deleted by targaman

figures, I’ve noticed alot of the people that drive up while you’re shore fishing give false information

As a general rule, surface temperatures in the 62-65 degree range are almost perfect for shallow, spawning crappie. The females will then move in and around brushy cover.

would a digital thermometer work as a handy pocket water temp gauge?

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As a general rule, surface temperatures in the 62-65 degree range are almost perfect for shallow, spawning crappie. The females will then move in and around brushy cover.

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Yeah that’s what I meant to say.

Back in high school I had a sand pit in my town that was chuck full of 12 inch crappies and they always seemed to bite best right around the time school was letting out for the summer. I would say that to this day, end of May and early June are my best crappie months. After ice out, I go and open water fish where I was ice fishing, if you have a boat, and have done well. But it will be a couple months yet. Worry not, I hear the walleyes are biting…

On some lakes you will find crappies in shallow dark bottom bays several days after ice out but the weather must be warm and sunny for a couple days. And bays on the north side of the lake produce the best. I am still waiting for the ice to go on the my favorite early season crappie lake.

Ajs

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I’m trying to catch some of the 12-15 inchers I missed on the ice when they come into spawn. I was told right after ice out, which is basically now. would the shore bite be on in the next week or two?

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If the ice is gone, go try it

I have had some of my best days as soon as the sheet comes off.

Yup, you got a ways yet. But going out and trying for them now is also good, just fish deeper.

Last Thur we were out on 45 degree water and caught about 40 crappies, and they were mostly down deep, in 15-20 FOW. Fish em real slow right now too.

Around here, usually when the water reaches 57 or so, it’s time to start poking around shallow. They’ll be there or close. If you’re catching some small males, go out to the first big drop and you’ll most likely find some bigger fish, and some of the females.

I already can’t wait!

Down here in the lakes I fish it is close to a month after the walleye. Generally about the 1st of May or when the water temp gets above 60.

I would say it will be at least 20 days if not 30 before the slabs get going here. Once I start getting them in the river I make the transition to the lake.

I was told as a young kid that the panfish begin to move shallow when the first lilacs bloom, it usually tells us the air temp has been steady and warmer for some time, which in turn tells us the water temps have been slowly increasing also. It may be a wives tail, or it may not be, but it’s an easy thing to remember, I haven’t fished panfish for years and still can recall it.

there’s truth to that. was catching big slabs off rip rap shores and piers last year when they started to bloom.

Last year when criks dried up in May the brown trout came
down to the river. We got an 18-incher pitching fatheads for crappies. Unless we get some precip, looks like that could happen again.
Anyone heard how the Croix backing up like it did over the weekend affects invasive species? At Stillwater Lift Bridge, you could watch the bubbles and debris moving upstream in the calm of early morning. How far does the Mississippi water actually push up at Prescott?