Ice out crappies secrets revealed!! (ok but I could use some help too)

I used to fish a lake that was red hot for crappies right after ice out. The lake has gone threw a lot of changes and is no good now but the pattern should still be good on other lakes. Here are the secrets if your lake has this pattern: You have to get out there the first week after ice out on a very sunny day. Things won’t get going until 2 or 3pm. Channels are great and look at the north side of a channel or cut (does not have to be the north side of the lake) You are looking for a warm, muddy, buggy channel. Posted about this last year and I think Tom added that the channel should be pretty close to wintering areas of the lake. Ok I did my part I revealed great secrets now pm me with lake ideas for lakes around the metro!

This pattern I’m sure happens big time on Minnetonka-I looked at a map and found what looked like 3 great spots, but found signs that said no fishing in ‘spawning areas from April till like july! Sure there are great channels out there w/o that restriction-let me know, I got mad and did’nt want to go back.

Good post. I agree that the first week after ice out can be the best especially for big crappies. I’ve been out on Tonka & other lakes early enough some years where I’ve had to break through some remaining ice.

It really depends on the weather as to whether or not there is a hot shallow bite or not and how long it lasts. In 2016 the ice went off in mid-March here in Central MN, but the weather absolutely sucked and the panfish didn’t move in until mid-April. In 2012 the ice went off even earlier than 2016 but during an abnormally warm and stable stretch of weather. The panfish were in immediately and fishing was pretty consistent for most of March and April because the water temps didn’t fluctuate wildly. I’ve also seen abnormal warm stretches in late April send the crappies out never to return. I don’t remember what year that was.