More specifically, in south central MN. If you have, I’d be curious to hear what conditions you’re finding them in. The 2 lakes I’ve been trying started out in the low 40’s a week ago and were 48-51 deg for the warmest water yesterday. Have not seen or caught a crappie yet. Plenty of sunfish and bass in the shallows yesterday.
Struggled on Friday finding panfish on Clearwater Lake in Annandale. Water was 41-43 in the main lake and 44-46 in some bays. The fish didn’t appear to be in the shallows yet, with the exception of one small bay that had a few crappies. I also wasn’t graphing them in transition areas near the bays. First time out.
Had a nice day Friday in the north metro. No big ones but plenty of 10-12s. Finally were up shallow with water temps almost to 50. However I assume they will be back out in staging areas after the weather we have had. If they are up shallow you should be able to find them around docks, submerged trees or shoreline structure.
^^^what he said.
I’m hoping to be chasin’ some slabs this weekend.
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I’m hoping to be chasin’ some slabs this weekend.
Think you’ll have enough ice? 
Should be making some tonight he should be good for walking out. 
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>eelpoutguy wrote:</div>
I’m hoping to be chasin’ some slabs this weekend.Think you’ll have enough ice?
Should be making some tonight he should be good for walking out.
All I need is about an 8′ chunk. LOL
I told the FW I may have one more chance to get out on hardwater, she gave me a great big 
whatever. 
I Got into them on Friday/Saturday. I found them suspended 7-9 feet down anywhere from 12-22 feet of water. The bite was not fast but my son and I caught about 20 in 4 hours on Saturday.
This is from last Friday to give an example of what I was fishing. Obviously the weather now will effect the location of these fish but I’ll be going out tomorrow and this weekend searching again! They are always on the move!
Thanks for the feedback guys, and the video mahtofire14. Just have to keep trying once we get past this cold snap. The next couple weeks should be good. I know the fish are there.
This is from last Friday to give an example of what I was fishing.
“That’s not a fish. Its a god damn christmas tree.”
Hahaha
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mahtofire14 wrote:</div>
This is from last Friday to give an example of what I was fishing.“That’s not a fish. Its a god damn christmas tree.”
Hahaha
Impressed with my 3lb Trilene XL pulling it all the way to the boat though!
Thanks for the feedback guys, and the video mahtofire14. Just have to keep trying once we get past this cold snap. The next couple weeks should be good. I know the fish are there.
I think you nailed it. I am far from an expert at crappie fishing. Have been trying to figure them out spring and fall for the last year or two. Starting to figure them out. So far I have found it to be very spot specific depending on water temps. I’m hoping once I nail that down, it will be much easier to find the schools each year.
Found these 11+ inchers in 1-1.5 ft of water. Really shallow dark watered lake. Quit once the cold came.
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North metro
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Nice whitey!
Try any deeper water within a short distance of where you found them before this ugly cold came back. Once crappies begin to show on shallows on warmer days they seldom will retreat to the deep winter water but will use deeper water within the general area to hang out until the weather and cold passes.
The barometer and dropping water temps can give crappies lockjaw like nothing else. And they’re generally back on slightly deeper water when they are tough to get to hit. Today will get them back in shallower water what with the 42 degrees I have now and lots of sun.
Found a slow bite yesterday in the south metro but the fish were quality with the smallest being 10 inches and the biggest almost touching 13. Found them on the inside weedline in about 7-10 ft of water with water temps hovering around 48-50. My buddy was not thrilled by catching the biggest fish of the day apparently….ha.
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I went on Saturday on a lake in the north metro. In about 3 hours I caught probably 100 panfish in the shallows. Didn’t even need live bait. Crappies, sunfish, perch, even a couple small bass. Some were pretty good size but most were dinks. Virtually non stop action. I released all of them fully alive to complete the spawning process.
North metro
That’s a nice one rubberduck! I’ve been on an annual spring quest to find a true slab that’s 15+ inches. I know they’re in lake Minnetonka too, biggest I’ve found so far is about 13 inches.
Man the bite has been good this year. Only gotten a few really nice 13-14 inchers but the numbers of 10-12 inchers I’ve gotten these last two weeks has been great. Had a nice fish fry using a buffalo sauce recipe that I’d never had. REALLY tasty!
I went again on Saturday afternoon for a few hours. If you can’t catch panfish right now, find another activity. Schools of those things in the shallows and they’ll bite just about anything resembling food.
Still haven’t cracked the 15 inch mark. May need to move out a little deeper…
You guys are killing me. Haven’t been out in over a week! Need to try later this week.
G are you saying you have never caught a 15?
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>tim hurley wrote:</div>
G are you saying you have never caught a 15?Nope, PB in that species is 13.5 inches. Bear in mind I don’t ice fish and I only target them in the spring a few times before other seasons open. I’ll take any advice you got Tim
Mine is 14.5. Only really target them seriously ice fishing and early spring though.
Took the kids on Saturday, nothing huge. I did catch fish on 20 straight casts and they had a ball.
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Took the kids on Saturday, and they had a ball.
That’s all that matters! Nice job!
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