Was thinking about this today and I am sure it differs with the States and their vastly different climates.
Right now, the crappie are gorging themselves getting ready for the winter. I would think February/March to be when the crappie are heaviest.
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Was thinking about this today and I am sure it differs with the States and their vastly different climates.
Right now, the crappie are gorging themselves getting ready for the winter. I would think February/March to be when the crappie are heaviest.
Up here in PA, late November is my favorite time. Lots of big crappies in the box.
March my man
Whenever your pre-spawn period is, would be my guess ... especially for females.
I think you got it right, about half way thru Feb. and on well into March with large minnow....:fish
All my fish are trophies.:dono
Could be anytime of the year
Fish eat all summer long and store up weight to survive the winter. In winter their metabolism slows and they lose weight, body is eating fat stores. By spring they have lost weight and eat again to beef up for spawn.
We ice fish with the smallest lures/baits, spring we use baits that mimic the minnow spawn, and we use the largest baits in the summer when minnows are the largest.
Best month to catch the biggest fish. Late summer-early fall. Before the lake turns over.
The world record white crappie 5.3 lbs was caught in July 1957
The world record black crappie 5 lbs was caught April 2006
Like you, I value every fish I catch and I am thankful for them. In context for this newbie, I posted what I did cause I am simply curious.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cane Pole
Kinda hard to tell I know of several over 3lb caught in January and I know of a few caught in July almost 4 lb. most my bigger fish have been in February - March.:twocents:popcorn
If weight is how you deem a trophy then I would say late Feb thru March on the big four here, down at Washington it will be a couple weeks earlier. I don't look at weight so much myself, a 17 inch fish is a trophy whether it weighs 3.5 pounds or 2.75, a stud is a stud no matter the time of year. I consistently catch fish over 16 inches in the summer time and accasionally get over the 17 inch mark.
My fishing partner (my lovely wife of 25 years) and I havefished for crappie even before we met, but just recently took the plunge to buya boat. Since then, we have managed atrip at least once a week to somewhere. We’ve fished our ‘home lake” at Fort Rucker, Lake Jordan, Lake Seminole,Point A, Alabama River, and several small state run lakes. Both of us share a passion for fishing andalways have but just recently started solely pursuing crappie.
Eventually, we’ll catch a “trophy” – I suspect it will beher. She has always managed to catchbigger fish than me – must be living better..:)
She caught this bass in my father’s small 25 acre pondseveral years ago. It was promptlyreleased.
April, females are full of eggs.
Each state and geographic location is going to deem a trophy differently due to several different factors.
For my personal goals or "mountable trophy" is the 3lb or bigger. I have come very close right here on my home waters of Ky lake and on some of the lakes in Mississippi.
From my experience, fall and early winter can sport some very nice hefty fish. But it truly seems that the January to March feeding frenzy really puts the weight to these fish as they prepare for the spawn. Regardless, as stated prior, trophy is in the eye of the fisherman. We need to thank the good Lord above for this beautiful species and our states DNR for managing it so that we can continue to pursue that trophy!
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one of my largest fish was managed in May and full of eggs .....but I have had a few earlier that were very nice and some in the fall that were very nice as well ....
all said if you want weight ....a big ole female in the spawn before she starts to lay is probably gunna be the heaviest time of the year for her ...
that could be from maybe Feb. all the way to May here in Texas
It is a short term goal for me. Would love to catch a lunker crappie. I just don't think there are many 2+ pound fish in my home lake. Haven't fished Eufala yet and I think there are big crappie there. Jordan, the Coosa river chain, and maybe even the Pea river is promising.
In my humble opinion, nothing wrong in chasing big fish.
JJust the facts!
JJust like my wife. She almost always catch the bigger fish.nonono
In Mississippi, I've always caught my heaviest fish during February and March.
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February and March for sure full of shad and eggs
The eggs of the female don't weigh that much if your counting on that to boost the weight. Most any 17 inch Ms. crappie will be close to a 3 pound fish. I've caught several 17/17.5 crappie that weighed 3 plus, and a 18.5 inch that weighed 3.3/4 lb. last week of Feb. Some lakes like Arkabutla, Ms. the crappie are kinda short but thick, and heavy, they look the shape of a football..lol
My biggest crappie came in March 16.5 and 17 back to back.
Caught my largest black crappie in late October a couple years ago. It was 3.25lbs. Any crappie is blessing...even the shorts.
IN LAST OF FEB 2015 WIFE GOT A 3.1 CRAPPIE AND EARLY MARCH OF 2016 I GOT A 3.76,HAVE CAUGHT MANY 3 LB IN APRIL IN NC AND VA AT KERR LAKE,SHE MADE THE FEB CALENDER AND I HEARD THAT I MADE A SMALL PIC ON THEIR FOR THIS YEAR,