Question - upcoming cold weather

[GA ANGLER]

After over high to mid 80s and low mid 60s for last nine to ten days, temperature is going down to below 49 in the mornings at least for two days in a row.

Are the crappies going to leave shallow and docks and going to deep?

I do bank fishing.

Thanks in advance.

[vic n]

Air temp doesn't really seem to bother fish until after a few days of sustained cold. If the dock fish move, they will probably just move down a few feet. Pressure changes seem to have more of an immediate effect, and can push them back/down temporarily.

[cevans]

Does the dock your fishing have metal sides? Wooden docks loose heat quickly. If a dock has metal in it, the sun can heat it a little and that heat will transfer to the water creating a warm spot for fish to move to. Give you a example, I put a metal roof on my porch to hear the rain, it's always quite a few degrees warmer when the sun is hitting it. Docks are the same sitting just above the water depending what they are made of. Same goes for sea walls that are made for protecting banks. Metal pylons driven into the banks vs rock riprap will warm more quickly and are places I would fish first in spring. Here in Indiana, we had 8 straight days of mid 80's and now about 8-10 days of cold front after cold front. Water temps cracked 70 then went back down to 62.5 yesterday morning and by 5 pm was up to 64. I watched couple of guys catch a 2 nice crappies on a metal roofed dock and then catch none elsewhere. Docks had probably been hit before, but fish will move in and out with temp changes, meanwhile I, was longing before cold fronts in 5-6' of water nailing good fish pre spawning in shallows, now with all the cold fronts, finding them in 7-10' scattered on the shelfs, points and flats as well as suspended further out. Give 2-3 days to warm and fish will move back shallow to do their thing. Dead of summer reverse it. Wood docks are cooler spots in the summer than metal docks.

[GA ANGLER]

The pier I fish has wood pylons and metal platform. It is a long pier, at least 30 yards (may be more) and also floats.

Wife and me caught 36 crappies today.

I have tried my new hooks today, "Owner Mosquito Circle Hook" is size 6 (very tiny small hook), very thin wire hook and thinner than aberdeen hook. Very good hook up ratio, just like my regular hook which Owner Mutu Light Circle hook in size 6. I hook minnow through mouth and jaw, next time I will hook them at the back and hoping those will stay alive lot longer.