Quote Originally Posted by INTIMIDATOR View Post
So many variables come into play now. Temps are still the Main pattern, but alot of other things come into play. Baitfish will seek out water that is just 2 degrees warmer, and if the temps are still where Crappie can feed, they will.
Even though the surface temps may be cooler, the water near the bottom will always be warmer. In the North our reservoirs are iced over...but temps on the bottom are always around 38 degrees. Areas fed with underground Springs are even warmer.
In clear lakes, the sun can still reach the dark shallows and warm them....even in stained lakes with rip rap, dark colored boat docks, submerged cover, etc., the water temps can increase and draw fish.
Or like Jackie found, some baitfish start to perish due to the quick temp change and predators will gorge.
Look for these keys to find the baitfish and you'll find Crappie.
Found bait in my second spot but I think the bite had pretty much stopped by then. Side scan looked as if shad were in tight schools and what I’m pretty sure were crappie(to big to be shad) were schooled up tight separately. Blue sky without a cloud in it. Just seemed to me the fish and bait was there but nothing was feeding.

So, if I’m fishing where the bait is in this cold water, there should be crappie? Correct?