Spring crappie fishing in the metro is coming

Its coming guys. We got some snow, might find a little more here or there, but the forecast will be soon melting it, and the lakes will be ice free in about a month.

Most of us spend some time chasing crappies in the spring not too far from home. Its often difficult to find a true *slab* near the cities, but its not hard to find some fish worth catching and having a good fish fry. Regardless if yo are standing on shore in a back channel, or impatiently waiting to get the boat out for the 1st time on a warm spring day.. what lakes do you like to hit early in the year for crappies?

I have a few favorites, some are always better than others most years.

#1 Is probably Tonka.. even though its a zoo there are still plenty of places to fish witout playing bumper boats. Back channels and a few different bays, the crappies always seem to be willing to bite somewhere once the water warms a few degrees.

#2 Minnewashta. You dont get many big fish, but its a pretty easy place to fish with the bays and channels, and no crowds to fight.. just a couple shallow areas to watch the lower unit!

#3 is out of the metro.. but Clearwater isnt that far from home and can produce some really nice crappies and gills to make a un day not so far from home.

#4 is not a lake, but pools 1 & 2 of the mississippi river have some really nice crappies. There are plenty of culverts and slack water areas that the crappies school up and provide good action. The lowest regions of the minnesota river around Pike island can also be excellent around any wood you find in the water.

Theres several other lakes I usually hit in the spring chasing crappies. Half of the fun is just the aticipation and challenge of finding them on another body of water. There isnt much more enjoyable than finally getting the boat out, breaking out the ultra light and casting that light bobber rig and watching that bobber dissapear! It really makes yu forget about winter and cabin fever all at once!

Watching a the bobber slip under the surface of the water is always a good time

Just curious as to what works best for you in the spring of the year on the lakes you mentioned. Around the La Crosse area I always prefer the minnow on a #10 hook under a slip bobber, but have also done well on Swedish Pimples and watch Mike Watson out fish me one day with plastic. Now I make sure to have a few of each along to find what is working best. For the most part though, it is hard to beat the minnow around here!

The spring crappies also like to hold tight to wood in 8fow with deep water and some current near by. The norm is to find the crappies tight in the wood first light then moving to the deeper water during the day staying suspended then back to the wood before dark. I would imagine this to be the same in the areas that you are seeking for in the Metro area.

Good luck fishing, open water is not that far away.

Bret

I rarely fish pannies on soft water, but I always used to do real well when it was still cold out under the bridge at goose island fishing the deep hole and rocks. I would throw a tiny ice jig out with a plastic, like a mini tube or anything else would work. I would just let it sink, and slowly twitch it back in. i caught a lot of huge crappies. Some pushing 14″ even That was always fun. regardless of what species, we all share the same interest- OPEN WATER!!!

Bret, my go-to tackle is 1/32 oz feather or hair jigs tipped with a crappie minnow or wax worm. I have a ton of colors, but its usually the standard chartreuce(sp?), or white that seems to be catching most of the fish.

I fish areas from 20′ deep early to 6″ deep when the fish start to come in force. It seems the larger fish by average are usually found in the deeper water around 10′, but sometimes they are in just inches of water.

A good ultra light is must! I like ultralights from 6.5′-8′ long for winging that light rig out there a good istance from the boat, and it greatly helps cover ground when in search mode.

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A good ultra light is must! I like ultralights from 6.5′-8′ long for winging that light rig out there a good istance from the boat, and it greatly helps cover ground when in search mode.

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Very good point David, The ability to make a long cast becomes even more important when fishing shallow. I have seen crappies shut right down after being pushed off the area they are holding on by spooking them trying to get close with the boat
Think I’m going to be looking for some diffrent jigs to try out also. Thanks for the info

Flu-Flu jig…….can’t go wrong with a “flu-flu”!

Blue & white Flu-flu

And don’t forget the RINGWORM!!!!!! I’ve pulled a few big crappies on the river pitching ringworms for eyes. And I’m not alone on that!

PLASTICS!! I don’t even carry minnows anymore. Culprit paddletails, Exude Micro shads (white or pink best color) and 2″ power minnows early spring. Either a bare jig or use a Flu Flu. Water warms up JR Tadpole spins also get added to the list along with small crankbaits. I have been know to cut up BNF ringworms too. Work great if you get into the bigger fish. About 2″ length. I throw these baits out without a bobber and work them back slow. A slip bobber popped back to the boat is also a great option. Plastic tends to target bigger fish and outfishes live bait almost everytime.

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And don’t forget the RINGWORM!!!!!! I’ve pulled a few big crappies on the river pitching ringworms for eyes. And I’m not alone on that!

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No sir you are not! Who woulda thunk a crappie’d find dem things tasty too?

I gotta say mini-mites are my favorite crappie plastic tho. You need a bunch of replacement bodies because those paper-mouths tear them up!

Pink head / white body

I use lots of plastics once the water warms, and throughout the summer months. The early spring finicky fish I just have better luck with a meat offering. I could probably do just as well to keep searching for more active fish, but realisticly.. why if I am already catching acceptable fish at a decent rate?

Acceptable = size structure consistant with what the lake has to offer.. not picking off the occasinal potato chip.

I like mixing it up in the spring. I’ll try both minnows and jigging under a bobber no matter how well they are biting to see which they prefer. You can certainly can have days in the spring when you’ll have guys with live bait around you scratching their head as you out fish them with plain jigs and a bobber.

I know I nice spot on pool 2 that gives up slab crappies that is still relatively unknown. But if there are 4 or 5 groups of people there. you’ll have a hard time finding a spot because it is so small. I havrn’t hit it in 2 years because I was living further away, but this year I am planning on going back. You will occasionally catch a few small walleye as well. I only bring that up because it is pool 2 and they are open year round with C&R.

I see a 50 degree high on Tuesday….bring it on!