How to find them???

I have had a hard time locating these little buggers. We have had every range of weather here in Wisconsin this spring... from multi-day stretches in the 70s, to multi-day stretches in the 30s and 40s; wind, rain, clouds, sun... nothing I would say has been stable for more than a stretch of three days at a time. Water temperature on most bodies of water have reached the low 60s. Most of the lakes I am fishing have maximum depth of 60-80 feet and have houses along most shorelines, so not alot of option to get in brushpiles like I hear you guys talk about so much.

What techniques do you guys use to search these critters out? Do you target specific depths or specific areas, or use specific baits or fishing styles, or just wait for weather patterns to stabilize? Is it all about electronics? I have a Hummingbird 698 CI and have been slowly searching certain areas of the lakes (mostly 14-25 foot water column), but have yet to find any schools of fish. I'm not sure if I just don't have the Settings set properly or what, but I sure don't see them. Maybe I need to search deeper? I can tell you they have not been in less than 4 feet of water, or at least I have not been able to catch them there.

Getting frustrated.


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with the water temp in the 60's the should be prespawn. two things i do with unstable weather patterns is i will use electronics in 12 to 18 fow and look for bait. the crappie may be hugging the bottom and dont always show up. the other method and its my most used is i will longline jigs in flats or ditch banks close to sp awning sites and just cover water. rapidly changing weather can make for tough fishing but they gotta eat sometime.

First thing I look for shallow dark bottom protected bays on the north side of the lake. Look on my map and see if there are any deeper fingers depressions, leading from deep water up onto the flat. Bad weather days I would be looking at the deeper water near these travel ways. Use SI to look for schools suspending off these areas or deep structure that would hold these fish in the area cribs stumps creek channels etc. Cold front times I down size my offerings many times going to ice fishing jigs. I have used my camera and have found Crappies laying belly to the bottom and have no inkling of biting. SOME days it is just plain tough to get them to bite.

I would still keep at the shoreline. Look for rip-rap, any type of wood on gravel bottoms, any brush piles you can find. Sometimes all it takes is a limb from a tree laying down in the water. Probably your lake in Wisconsin does not have a river channel or creek channel running through it but I would find the steepest bank and fish close to shore there also. If you have weeds in the lake you might try the outside of the weed lines and work your way back into them. Dropping a minnow or jig in holes of the weeds that you find using a slip float. Have caught crappie in as little as 12 inch's of water this time of year. The fish will move in closer to shore or shallow water when the weather stays stable and will move out when those cold fronts move in. Under boat docks is always a good place to try. Look for the ones that have wooden poles holding them up. But don't give up on the shallows. They will be there.

It's simple....Long line...You'll find them

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You really shouldn't even need electronics with that water temp where it is. Look for standing and/or overhanging trees along the bank that cast a bit of a shadow in the shallows during the afternoon period and float a jig in various depths in front of it. Hit the banks in the morning that get the full sun first. Like mentioned above, look for gravel, riprap, shale bottom etc., anything that will hold warmer water than the other areas. Always look for structure. And by all means, tip the jig with a minnow if you are searching.

CootShooter, I fish Petenwell Flowage & Castle Rock Lake, Three or more times a week. And have not found any temps over 58. Not sure what water you fish. They start to come in then it gets cold or rains then they go back out to a deeper hole near by. It look like 10 + days of no rain it will get better good luck . Stay on top broz

Finally seen the sun yesterday so went out for the afternoon. Finally found them in 4-5 fow on the windblown side of lake around the docks. Water temp was 58 after the stretch of rain and 30's-40's weather we've had for the last week here in SE WI. Caught 10 crappie (2 keepers), 5 bluegills (2 keepers) and 3 northern. Those northern sure are fun to catch on a 10 foot med-light action rod. And they are just mixed in the same water column as the crappies... I can only imagine the carnage going on beneath the surface all day long.


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Keep at it they will be shallow with the water temp like that. Fish anything that will hold heat such as rocks, gravel, dark mud and wood in the water. Look for cat tails and weeds that grow out of the water. Remember the fish just move out a little deeper from where you find them shallow when the cold fronts come in. Good fishing to you.

if you can get away with it make them find you brother .....find a big fallen down tree and drag it off into the water .....sink it with a cinder block on the top of the tree and leave the larger trunk / root ball where you can see it for later reference ....give it a few days to settle and place it near a drop off ....
they will find it in the spring for sure and maybe thru out the summer ....good luck and ketch em good ....