Crappies Through the Ice

Here in northern Illinois, we have had safe ice (3.5) inches for about two weeks now. I fish regularly and the crappie numbers have been abysmal, the ones I catch are no bigger than four inches. how have you guys done? and what are you using? just wondering if a weather pattern or something has thrown them off. thanks!

Have not caught a crappie yet this year. Last year about all I caught were crappie, and some very nice ones as well! All I can get to bite are small gills and bass. Weird year for sure!

Thanks!

Here in southern wi I’ve been getting them in the basin of the lake earlier than other years

Ive caught some decent crappies here in northern iowa and they have been deeper than normal. And tighter to the bottom than normal. A gold slender spoon has worked well for me.

there is one spot here in Illinois where the depth absolutely crashes from a steady 6 to about 19. I believe that is where they are. im goin tomorrow to get em! was your jig like the Swedish pimple? thanks

Kinda but there lighter and flutter more. Custom jigs and spins makes them. Ive caught plenty on Swedish pimples in the past though. If that doesn’t work try a buckshot rattle spoon.

Fished a community hole in the backwaters today that was about 4 to 6 feet deep where we caught fish. Caught 8 crappies on a gill pill with 2 red spikes on it, one on a jig with a piece of white plastic, and 1 on a copper slender spoon with a piece of orange plastic. A fishing friend visited the holes for 20 minutes and caught 6 crappies on a Little Mic. We both got some nice gills too. Most of the crappies hit within a few inches of the ice. Even the bigger gills were well off the bottom.

Keep an eye on the pressure, I have always seemed to do better when it is low or dropping.

What are you using for bait? This does not always hold true but in some areas I have found to catch larger crappies using plastics and larger ones at that.

So far this year we have had our best crappie luck fishing shelves. areas where the bottom goes from 5 to 10ft to 20 to 30 ft. Our best early ice days were in 24fow, currently we have been on a solid crappy bite in 17fow.

Keep hopping around, im sure sooner or later you will get on them.