When Is the Best Time to Go Crappie Fishing?

Crappie is one of the easiest fish anglers can catch, making them a great choice for beginners. But if you don’t time your fishing trip according to their activity, then you won’t be able to catch any! That’s why you need to learn the answer to, “when is the best time to go crappie fishing?”

The answer? It varies based on numerous factors, from your location down to the water temperature! So read on as I show you a detailed guide per season for better crappie fishing.

When Is The Best Time to Go Crappie Fishing?

When you think of crappie fishing, you have to think of when they are most active. You will need to learn about their main activities and patterns, as this shows how often they will be by the shallow waters or hiding undercover.

There are three main activities crappie go through: Spawning, feeding, and taking shelter. Here are the seasons to look into as you find the best time to fish for crappie:

Spring Fishing

The best time to go crappie fishing is obviously during the spawning season. This is during the springtime, as the waters begin to warm up, and fish prepare to begin spawning once water temperatures hit 55 degrees F.

During the months of early March to May, you can catch more crappie and take advantage of the early pre-spawn period. Head on out a few days into spring, and you can find crappie gathering outside feeding areas and into the shallow waters.

You can best find them around the shoreline, so target any vegetation, rocks, woody debris, and other forms of cover. Do so slowly and quietly to avoid spooking the vigilant fish!

Summer Fishing

Summer is also a good time to catch crappie, especially during the day. Crappie will typically be around vegetation cover, so you’ll need to do trial and error in various places and use specific jigging.

If it’s too hot, then you’re better off fishing at night, when fish will be out to feed, away from the hot water temperatures. It isn’t as good as springtime, but you still get a good amount of bites during the season from June to September.

Fall Fishing

During October to November is another great time to fish for crappie! They are predictable and aggressive, with anglers finding them in the shallow waters. This makes it great to fish for them from the docks.

Winter Fishing

It’s possible to fish for crappie during the winter, but not the best time. They are well offshore and located in deeper waters, so you’ll require a very slow retrieve to get a bite. During warm winter days though, you can find them in shallow waters.

Winter is also a good time since they live in large schools, so you get to find a lot of them if you’re in the right spot! You’re most likely able to catch a few near structures.

Read More: Crappie Fishing At Night In Winter – Expert Guide and Insider Tips

Do you want to learn more about crappie fishing? Check out this informative video:

Wrapping It Up

If you’re planning to go fishing for crappie, you need to time it just right. While the best times are during the spring season, you can still catch quite a few during the summer and early fall. You just need to make sure you have the right equipment and techniques as well.

I hope that this article answers your question, “when is the best time to go crappie fishing?” Now that you know the answer, start looking into scheduling your trip at optimum seasons!