The Fall bite

I hit local waters frequently and have pretty good ideas where to be when . This time of year crappie go on the march . Shorter days and cooler temperatures make them move from summer haunts towards spots they like to winter .
Many a summer spot will be almost completely be void of crappie during the fall and winter months just as a spawning area is after the spring fling . So I would say this about that . Follow the fish as they transition and you can stay on them . Remember what they did in the late winter and late spring and run it in reverse .
Keep in mind this tidbit of information as well . Black crappie move first in these parts just exactly like they do in the spawn . They often go real shallow during the run as well in the fall . So if you lost your black crappie as I know some in these parts have , you need to look in the shallows . Especially rocky stuff they like in the spring and mouths of rivers and streams in laydowns along the banks and in deep holes.
The run has begun and don't let the transitional fish hurt your feelings , they might not be where you think they are this week and be there in herds next week . Look where you are sure they couldn't possibly be just yet and fill your quota .
Ketchn's tip of the week :highfive

Thanks for the tip. Hoping to get some this weekend.

Great advice, I have found them on the move here in FL. Got into a good mess last night, the activity is definitely increasing and the bite getting more aggressive.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Where did you say they were? I just want to drop my jig in THE spot.....LOL
Sure it's fun chasing these fish......
Good info....

I never know where they are bro , I just suspect where they are and hope my suspicions are correct :Rofl

I'm going to hit the slips this afternoon. If the wind is not to bad I may even try the bridge.

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Originally Posted by ezgoing

I'm going to hit the slips this afternoon. If the wind is not to bad I may even try the bridge.

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I know the light east wind was diddly, so did east equal least or not :Rofl

Good info post. I found some today in the shallow rocks.

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Originally Posted by Ketchn

I know the light east wind was diddly, so did east equal least or not :Rofl

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Turned out to be a decent day for me and a great day for the minnow fishermen at the bridge. The two I could see from the pillar I was fishing were catching 2-3 for every one I caught. But I caught enough to keep me happy. :)

minnows are typically the way to ketch lots of fish Ez , my buddy took some fishing guides from devils lake up north out to a spot I like and he asked me a million questions before they went .
I told him buy a half pound of minnows and look on the shallow side of all the cover in that lake .
He told me them guys thanked him over and over and kept 33 crappie 12 inches and up .
Told me they boated well over 150 in 3 hours !
One thing for certain if I ever guided someone with me in hopes of hurting crappie I would for sure bring shiners along myself .
I hurt a many a crappie on my way to using just jigs with minnows myself . :highfive

Good info sir. Lately I abandoned my usual spot that produced crappie all summer long to the other side, where I caught them in spring before spawning. I’ve yet to find a big school but the one I caught were a lot bigger than the one that hang in shallow all summer long.

I have been frequenting a bridge at a limited access lake not far from the house, actually been going, when I can fish, their most of the summer. mostly small fish right over the side and they were white crappie. the last couple times though I notice not so many white crappie but more and more black crappie, and they starting to get some size to them too...least wise a third the size of what we been catching in the summer. I'm wandering if an old sonar unit would work if held at an angle say to 30 degrees to the side instead of just where it reads straight down, as long as the sonar unit is in the water??? guess I'm gonna find out. Yep, looking for fish, but also for bottom contour and structure a bit further than 5' out from the bank. I'll post some pic's of this bridge later, but it has cement walls that the top is approx. 8'-9' from the water, and has a couple points that,s about 30' from the bridge top to the bottom. An acquaintance measured some time back and marked the out side of the bridge. If you don't know where to look, you just don't know as it's not readily known, any way, I guess I'll break out my ond fishfinder 250 and go to checking. This Particular lake has NO size limit on crappie with a limit of 30 per day. I guess because of the limited access many of the fish are not getting very big. Signs posted No Wading, NO swimming, NO boats, kayaks, canoes, or any floating devices to hold people. NO bank fishing south of of the bridge.

I don't understand that as back prior to 1970. I'm told, there was a dock their that you could rent a jon boat at with elec. trolling motors, and even a boat ramp, even though there is no sign of it today...I know the city bought the lake and a lot of the land around it,but has limited access to it....
I go there as I have been using the crappie around that bridge to hone my confidence on catching crappie on soft plastics...