Thread: When to try TN crappie fishing

I live in East TN and fish year around. Personally, I prefer winter to spring as there is less lake traffic. As a bonus, I usually catch bigger fish AND they are more tightly schooled. Just my opinion.

Reelfoot water temps will actually come up sooner and the fishing historically starts turning on in February. The entire months of March and April will see LOTS of folks fishing around Big Sandy and Paris Landing.

Realize if you go earlier that you could encounter a cold front and rough conditions . If you go to one of the reservoirs if it comes a gulley washer just before you leave trip may be ruined. You will probably be fishing with more clothes on and mornings may be cold. But in the South it could be t shirt weather too just can't be for sure. If you go early you may find fish going back and forth between shallow and deep a lot more. Some years it can be April before you can consistently catch fish in the coves,that puts you on the main lake which is different then fishing the coves..

Later your more likely to be able to fish the shallower water. It starts with prespawn feeding on flats off the cove creek channels and the first points and some main lake bank. Later when they actually make beds then you have to fish on the spawning banks in bedding areas. So it sort of matters where you want to fish and what method. You will do better on Whites in Feb and Mar for prespawn feeding and late March and early April for Blacks prespawn feeding.April and May for fish preparing to bed and or bedding. I have caught crappie bedded as late as memorial weekend but some years its all over by then I always sort of liked Mid to late April if I could just pick one time. If I had time and money I would be fishing somewhere near everyday,based on fishing reports and water quality.

Reelfoot is not like the reservoirs, natural lakes and oxbows and stuff are easier to know how to fish. Reservoirs the fish relate to the main and secondary river channels and how much water is moving and this and that. Natural lakes or non flood control impoundments are easier to hit it right,but you never know.

I went to Blood river one time on Kentucky Lake on April the 18th. I arrived on a Friday and fished in shorts and T shirt. That night a cold front came through and the next morning It was below freezing and wind was gusting to 30 mile an hour. It sleeted so hard I had a 1/4 inch on the deck. I caught fish shallow in the coves but the lake was so rough it was hard to cross even in a bass boat.

Get a connection where you may want to go and try to get a report on conditions.Further south you go earlier it all happens. It can be a bust or the best trip of your life...try to up your odds with some information on current conditions. But you can always be the first guy with a good report too LOL.

All depends on water temps. Every lake is different. Some spawn in April to the south Some be late May to the north.

My friend and I go to Miss. usually the last week of March. Last year the first day we fished it was SNOWING . Then later that week it warmed up to shirt sleeve weather. Crappie can be caught in all types of weather so pick a date and have some fun.

Looking back at last years pictures the last two weeks of March and first two in April was excellent here in SE TN

With all that working you've been doing, you should be able to hire a guide at KY Lake or Reelfoot. You are picking a great time of year to come down. I would recommend Steve McCadams at Ky Lake or Ben Parker at Reelfoot. I know Ben does bass trips, I think crappie too. But you can call him. Good people. Google either one. Good fishing!

Go to Kentucky Lake and fish out of Paris Landing. Stay @ Fish Tale Lodge!