What worked for you during the pre-spawn?

I feel like its been a minute since I posted a video on here. Mostly because winter this far north finally decided to end. I'm going to need some advice on what worked for any of you during the pre-spawn, since we are just starting the spawning cycle with water temps still in the 30s. Please let me know what I should be using going into the month of May. Thanks in advance for any advice.

enjoy the video as well!

-FC

https://youtu.be/2J605XPSVRc

Fish the same spots you did through the ice. I bought a couple of cheap 5 foot poles and put spring bobbers on them and used the same bait as through the ice. You just lost your ice and where I'm at we lost it almost 2 months ago and the water is still just 47 degrees. These 30 degree nights sure did put a hold on the water temps. Right at ice out I did good shallow than the fish moved back out to deeper water. I right now my fish are hovering in the deeper column of water. 9/12 feet down in 14 fow. And to injury to insult they are scattered so no patterns to follow.

not a clue what to do that far north ...but I might hit Minnesota for crappie in june ....I hope there aint no ice when I get there

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Originally Posted by Ketchn

not a clue what to do that far north ...but I might hit Minnesota for crappie in june ....I hope there aint no ice when I get there

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If the lakes are still frozen in june I'm moving south for good.

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Originally Posted by sparkie51

Fish the same spots you did through the ice. I bought a couple of cheap 5 foot poles and put spring bobbers on them and used the same bait as through the ice. You just lost your ice and where I'm at we lost it almost 2 months ago and the water is still just 47 degrees. These 30 degree nights sure did put a hold on the water temps. Right at ice out I did good shallow than the fish moved back out to deeper water. I right now my fish are hovering in the deeper column of water. 9/12 feet down in 14 fow. And to injury to insult they are scattered so no patterns to follow.

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I fished a smaller lake tonight with a river running through it. Water temp was in the low 50s, this is the same lake in the video and the water temp was 35-41 when I filmed the video last weekend. I thought the melting snow up north would flood the rivers with cooler water. Caught 3 small crappie off a bridge piling in 15 ft. I think I will take your advice and try shallow on natural lakes that still haven't opened up all the way. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by floppingcrappie

If the lakes are still frozen in june I'm moving south for good.

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:Rofl

I am in hopes the fish might be still be spawning when I get up there ....one can wish ya know

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What worked for you during the pre-spawn?

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....everything I use all year as far as lures go - mostly soft plastics on light jigs/ braid with 6# test fluorocarbon.
We're at prespawn temps and the pads haven't gotten big enough (a signal when the spawn will begin). I've been catching them about 30-40 yds. and parallel to shorelines but not all shorelines. Deep bottom weeds are growing fast so open areas are the easiest to fish for suspended fish. 4 species have been hitting in water that is around 55 degrees which in some state triggers crappie to spawn.