Late Evening Crappie

[Old Guide]

I know these are from a few years back but I thought it might let people new to crappie fishing know the importance of low light for crappie. I had been working back in Blood River for several hours one evening. Just a few minutes before dark set in I started picking up some nice black crappie off a bank. A school moved in against the bank behind a dock apparently feeding on drum fry in the shallows. At least that’s what was in them when I cleaned them. For thirty to forty-five minutes the action was faster than it had been all day. And my brother Dan and I were the only ones left on Blood.

And this same thing has happened more times than I can count. This just happened to be one evening I took photos. Best advice I can give new fishermen is don't load the boat too early. Fishing until the sun is down and even after can pay off. I have had guys ask me "How do the crappie see the jigs at night?" We think of things from a human angle not the fish's. Fish, especially crappie, can feed all night as they have better low light vision and also detect movement as well. I expect some great evening bites in the next few weeks as the water cools through the sixties and fifties.Fall is my FAVORITE time of year!

[ifish]

You are right on Old Guide. You told me that in 2004 when you were posting on another forum. I like fishing the first 2 hours of the morning with some cloud cover and the last hour in the evening. Seems to really help when the blacks are up shallow. I have been night fishing some with lights and you get to see why crappie on the lakes here get so big. You can walk on the shad. Amazing site.Thanks for all you do to help us rookies!

[slabslayer1]

We have been catching black ones at Herrington for the past couple weeks right on the banks from early evening up past dark on the main lake, now i guess i know why. We have been trolling floaters with minnows and jigs. also been using roadrunners with some success.

[Old Guide]

You are right on the money guys. The shallow low light bite, especially for black crappie can be amazing. I also have done great for whites but it is usually over cover after dark. One night I was back up in Jonathan after dark throwing Charlie Brewer Sliders around the visible stakes. There was just enough light to make out the stakes. It was late April and even the stakes back in by Old 80 were shoulder deep. I was draggin the jigs through the stakes and thump. Set the hooks and pull them out. They aren't as skiddish after dark and you can get close without spooking em. Plus just about all the other fishermen are setting back at the resort, campground, at home etc. drinking beer and eating burgers griping about how slow fishing was that day for them. I have also read reports that show the majority of crappie spawn after dark. That is even the time I see Kentucky Fish and Wildlife doing most of their shocking surveys anymore.

[JCCLARK]

I catch 90% of my crappie just before dark, that last hour after everyone else has left.