Winter Crappie Fishing in KY

[JamieCox]

Hey, I just thought I would start a thread about winter crappie fishing in ky. I have not crappie fished a whole lot in the winter because I usually focus my efforts on SM Bass, but this winter i am going to crappie fish more. My main crappie lake is Taylorsville. What do crappie usually do in the winter time? What patterns usually produce the best? Thanks and good fishing

[CrappiePappy]

I can't add too much to this thread ... but, I will say this -

I've fished from the bank at T-ville, on several occasions during the Winter months. It's usually been during a "warming trend" ... air temps getting into the high 40's or so, for a few days running. Stood on a deep bank and cast tube jigs over a large blowdown tree, that stuck out into about 20+ ft of water (Settlers Trace area). I've caught them doing this ... anywhere from 4ft deep & right close to the bank, but in the thickest part of the tree --- to around 8ft deep & suspended out over the main branches of the tree.
As long as you can get in & out of the ramp ... and the lake hasn't frozen up much ... I think you could still catch some fish. I've even seen people breaking thru the ice, with their boats ... but, I don't know if they had any success or not, catching any fish.
One thing I can tell you about T-ville ... if you wait until late April or early May, to start your Spring Crappie fishing there ... you've missed a couple of weeks of decent fishing :rolleyes: Provided, of course, that there has been some warming periods in March ... and no heavy rains. My "best to date" catch from T-ville, came in early April ... shallow water (<5ft) around a very small snag/root wad -- limit of 15 keepers that weighed 10lbs (3/4lb avrg). And that was quite a few years ago. There are some good sized fish in there, you just have to fish it often - find their hidey holes - and fish slow. ........ luck2ya .....cp

[JamieCox]

Thanks CrappiePappie..... I have just recently caught the crappie itch. I have been bass fishing forever, but I can't and will not eat a bass. They are to much of a resource to me. I love fresh though, and nothing beats a good mess of crappie. I have been fishing Taylorsville alot this fall, and I am pleasantly surprised with my results. In the past, I would usually only crappie fish there in late April or early May. I would usually catch my limit fairly easy, but the fish were paper thin. Now, it seems like the quality of fish I am catching there is alot better. It is no Kentucky Lake, but I think alot of people would be surprised at the quality of the crappie that are there.

[CrappiePappy]

I've fished Taylorsville Lake, since it opened ... back when you could catch a 4lb/14in LMB and had to put it back in 'cause it was "too small" ... LOL!! The Crappie there have come a long way, in recent years. I, too, used to catch them "paper thin" Crappie ... but, nowadays they are getting to be of a decent eating size. And the Black Crappie are becoming more numerous there, too.
I started out Crappie fishing, as a youngster, fishing with my Grandparents at Herrington Lake. Switched over to mostly Bass fishing thru my 20's & 30's, but still managed a Crappie fishing trip or two (to Barkley/KY Lake or Tn lakes) most every year. Nowadays, I'm pretty much 95% Crappie angler and 5% after LM Bass/SM Bass/White Bass/Hybrid Stripers :D
Keep us posted on your trips there ... we'd love to hear how you do ! .... luck2ya ...cp