Crappie Question - Ff, Lance, Jdoc?

[hoglaw]

I've always heard the white crappie move shallow when the water gets cold, but the blacks stay deeper. Maybe it's the other way around. I don't know much about crappie on Beaver, but I like going to the Arkansas river and have a few places that are piled with them in the Spring - areas where feeder creeks pour into a big flat that's mostly impounded by jetties. So you've got a 5' basin with some wood and a bunch of rocks.

Are those areas good all winter long? Once we get into January, do the crappie push out deeper? Into the main river channel? I know I can whack them there in the Spring, but I'm curious about fishing right now.

[J-Doc]

While I appreciate the question directed towards me.....

I have no clue. This lake is a curve ball almost daily. I rely on seasonal patterns to start with and then rely heavily on my electronics. I have hi end electronics now and I generally won't stop and fish an area unless I see bait or fish on side scan or sonar. I almost always see fish on sonar. Once discover a depth or pattern, I can isolate that depth and similar spots. I try to anyway.

As for whites vs blacks......no clue. Really. They are all crappie to me. lol

[Feathers and Fins]

I catch them both mixed together all year, no rhyme or reason. Winter pattern I start looking in a couple areas though... Channel swing with a basin forming a pocket they suspend in the pocket... And channel swings with structure of any kind, but both MUST have bait near.

[Guest]

Ive caught them near the surface under boat docks in December, water temp 46 degrees.

Midlake area south of the 12 bridge

[Sore Thumbs]

There is a big channel swing just inside the War Eagle arm that has structure on both ends. It is the one that swings to the left after you get in the river arm. Im no crappie fisherman but I see a lot of them in that area. Good place to try.

[Feathers and Fins]

There is a big channel swing just inside the War Eagle arm that has structure on both ends. It is the one that swings to the left after you get in the river arm. Im no crappie fisherman but I see a lot of them in that area. Good place to try.

Big Mouth lol

[Lance34]

About a month ago when the water was 63-65 degrees I was catching them in about 3 feet of water right off the bank in brush in blue springs just like they do when they spawn. White or black I find them mix but me personally I think blacks like the thick, thick, cover more and are more fun to catch. To me it depends on the water temp. Did the same thing a couple weeks later and had no luck until I got over a lay down in 20 feet of water fishing 7-8 feet down. Temp then was 55ish. I wouldn't fish in there all winter. Go deeper in the dead of winter 30-40 feet with timber and fish slow and small baits with some kind of pinkish color in it. Their lazy and not very hungry. I pay attention also to cloud cover too, they tend to move up the water column and hold closer to the brush on sunny days. The trick is figuring out what depth there stacked up at, use your graph. Right now I targeting brush, lay downs, stick ups and docks in 20-30 feet and figuring out how deep there holding to the cover. Going by my trip last week that would be 10-12 feet down. But this lake their here today gone tomorrow. I always start with how I did the week before and go from there. Sometime its takes all day but thats why they call it fishing.

[hoglaw]

Thanks for all the excellent advice. I was probably a little unclear. I was asking about thoughts on arkansas river crappie from fellow beaver folks. River crappie in the winter I meant.

[Feathers and Fins]

The river I have no clue as if im on it in winter im shooting ducks. But I have seen guys fishing it in deeper cuts with spider rigs. by deeper I mean maybe 10ft to 15ft