| I suggest you have a good knowledge of the waters | | | | with extensions and a cordless drill to have a quick |
| you are fishing. If you are looking a body of water the | | | | method to test the depth it leaves the ice in good |
| simple answer is to look at where you caught them in | | | | condition if you don't like the spot. After you got a test |
| the spring. Reservoirs that have many coves off of | | | | hole you can quickly drop a temperature probe down |
| the main channel seem to be popular spots. Chose | | | | and look for warm waters. |
| lakes that have deep areas where the fish rest but | | | | Warm waters are good to find because this is where |
| have shallow areas with active plant life all year round. | | | | the fish will want to hang out. Also warmer waters |
| Crappies are going to look for bait fish and those bait | | | | mean that the fish will be more active. Granted these |
| fish are going to be found eating what they eat - | | | | waters are still cold so they are not going to be really |
| plants. I know its winter, but as long as the water holds | | | | active. Good news though these fish are still hungry. |
| nutrients and there is some light plant life will continue to | | | | But remember that everything is going to be moving |
| grow and this is where the crappie will be looking for | | | | slow down there, bait fish included so avoid quick |
| food. The ice that has the thinnest layer of snow will | | | | movements. |
| let the most light through and this is where the plant life | | | | Finding the right spot still can be hard to locate. Here is |
| will be found. Don't forget that when the light shines | | | | a trick I learned a while ago, although you might get a |
| through the ice it melts from the underneath and will be | | | | good beating for it, I show up early and look at |
| deceptive on how thick it is. Compare these areas to | | | | previous holes. You can tell how successful a hole |
| the known ledges of the lake and fish the areas | | | | was by how the snow and ice is arranged around it. |
| where there are ledges with plant life and fish right on | | | | Crappie will tend to roam around the lake some so |
| the shadow edges and right at the entrance to the | | | | don't drill where other holes were but follow a line that |
| plant life. | | | | may be evident. Remember to stick to the ledges in |
| Now that you know where to put your holes, Let us | | | | the water structure or edges of plant patches. |
| cover a couple other things depth finders, temperature | | | | One area I found successful year after year was a |
| gauges and even cameras. There are many depth | | | | cove that had shallow waters that gradually sloped to |
| finders out there you can find some that need to be in | | | | a depth of 18 to 20 feet in the center. This is where |
| the water and some that will slide along the ice and | | | | we always sunk a few bales of hay or Christmas |
| these all range in price just as their functionality does. | | | | trees every fall. The plant life seemed to cut off at |
| Some of the lower priced depth finders need their | | | | about 6 feet of water. This was a great spot for |
| sensors submersed in water so drill small holes and | | | | crappie throughout the year. |
| test the depth. I've used large wood auger type bits | | | | |