Thread: 52 to 55 degrees seems to be my favorite

Just curious what everyone thinks. I have my best luck for big slabs around 52 to 55 degrees, but for lots of small to average crappie its around 70 to 75. Whats your favorite and whats your logic.

For sure we catch good size fish in temps from 48 - 55 degrees. but pre-spawn in 60-68 aint too shabby. My favorite is the colder water because when you do find the bigguns they will be bunched up and you can have a massacre. No mosquitos, gnats or warm weather fishermen. No jet skis or water skiers. Only dedicated crappie fishermen.

I have caught my best stringers in 60-70, but i enjoy the cooler weather/water bite the most.

Here warmer weather produces best. I love post spawn in 80 degree water. Weather most stable and fishing is consistant unlike most other times. Yea prespawn and spawn can be great but too unpredictable with unstable weather.

My best stringers have always been late winter,,when the winter kill comes off on the shad seems ideal...and as someone above said, they bunch up tight on deep cover...vertical jigging works best then. Hopefully, I can still find a few. I do love the spawn,,as most do,,but for big ole good'ns...I'll take winter.

The hotter the better for me but I troll cranks.

Into the winter the bigger fish start showing up more regularly and the littler fish are putting on weight too. Fish are starting to thicken up and growing shoulders even now. I'd say the biggest fish I catch is during or right before the spawn though.