Afternoon fishing success?

I'm a proud son of the south, but one thing we southerners don't handle well is cold weather. Many of you wouldn't consider what I deal with much cold at all and I understand that. We have some mornings around freezing but some nice afternoons in the mid 50's. I've fish a few afternoons in the later spring but never this time of year. Would I do any good to be out there the last three hours of light? Would the fish be in the same areas and depths? Last week they were deep in the river and creek channels. Would the warm afternoon bring 'em up any higher? Do we have any afternoon fishermen/women here?

Edit: I'm going anyway, I guess I'm looking for some encouraging words and/or tips! :)

I say get after em when you can! I mostly fish afternoon (2:00-3:00) till dark cause that's when I can go. I figure 2.5-3.5 hours of fishing is always better than no hours of fishing. You have to learn how to figure em out fast.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

If the water temp hasn't changed drastically they should be in about the same area. Around here in Missouri on the lake I fish this time of year the fish are in deep water and schooled up pretty thick. They'll move specific locations from day to day but remain in the general areas. I have to find them each time I go by driving around while watching the electronics and not fishing till I find em.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mmirg

I say get after em when you can! I mostly fish afternoon (2:00-3:00) till dark cause that's when I can go. I figure 2.5-3.5 hours of fishing is always better than no hours of fishing. You have to learn how to figure em out fast.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

---

Good advice!:ThumbsUp
Bob

That last hour or so the water gets so slick. Makes it tough to go home. I say get after em.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Since mid December up until a few days ago when it got down into the single digits I fished every day that it reached 40 degrees or better and have caught twice as many crappie as the rest of the year combined fishing two 5 acre lakes. Usually fish from 1 pm until the bite stops or the hands go numb from the cold winds we have been getting here. All I've been using is a 1/48 chub head tied with gadwall flank feathers on a #10 sickle hook tipped with a tiny piece of Berkley power wiggler in white, chartreuse or pink under a 3/4" weighted float. Attachment 416971Attachment 416972Attachment 416973

I'm not a crappie fishing expert, but most of my best catches have been in the last two hours of daylight and into the dusk for as long as I can see well enough. It is my preferred time if crappie are the target. Can't speak for location since I'm not in Texas and I haven't even been fishing this year yet. Where I am the weather has been consistently colder than normal for the past three weeks and I doubt the fish have moved much from wherever they were two weeks ago.

Thanks guys. There were deep in the river channel last week, and we've had cold weather since then so I would guess they are still deep. I'll find out soon. Looks like we will get near 60 today and a cold rainy day tomorrow.

Hang in there, use the advice you get on here and apply it. You may or may not do well that day, but by the grace of God you get to enjoy time on the water in solitude with a friend or family member and that's priceless. Every time out we should be able to gain a little nugget of knowledge which will make us stronger for the next trip.

Good luck and remember just because you did not do as well as you hoped doesn't mean it was a bad day.

Steve

I'm in Dallas and I fish alot of east Texas lakes. I found those fish like to suspend 16-18ft in 25-30 foot of water. I look for timber along river and creek channels. Keeping my hands warm in the cold is my biggest challenge. I have not found a fool proof method yet. Those ice fisherman in the north have my respect.

Hooo boy! I went and did what I usually do and it didn't work. And like a dummy, I kept with it, trying different colors and depths. What I didn't do was move and explore different spots.
I ran into a guy at the boat ramp as we were loading up and he was pre-fishing for a bass tournament today. He said he got sidetracked by a bunch of crappie and caught two dozen on some small bass worms because he dind't have any crappie gear. I saw where he was fishing, he told me that was the spot and how deep he found them. I was about a mile off the X today. :banghead
He did say Livescope is absolutely the ticket for crappie fishing. We discussed some techniques and he gave me some pointers about what he had learned using Livescope and the fish's reaction to lures.
So catching was hard for me today, but I did learn something. I really need to move around and explore more rather than depending on a very few old reliable spots.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gone Fishin'

Hooo boy! I went and did what I usually do and it didn't work. And like a dummy, I kept with it, trying different colors and depths. What I didn't do was move and explore different spots.
I ran into a guy at the boat ramp as we were loading up and he was pre-fishing for a bass tournament today. He said he got sidetracked by a bunch of crappie and caught two dozen on some small bass worms because he dind't have any crappie gear. I saw where he was fishing, he told me that was the spot and how deep he found them. I was about a mile off the X today. :banghead
He did say Livescope is absolutely the ticket for crappie fishing. We discussed some techniques and he gave me some pointers about what he had learned using Livescope and the fish's reaction to lures.
So catching was hard for me today, but I did learn something. I really need to move around and explore more rather than depending on a very few old reliable spots.

---

I'm going to have to do the same on my usual go-to lake. Now all I'll have to do is convince my fishing partner we need to explore new areas. :banghead :biggrin

26 crappie and 2 bluegill at 3 foot deep in 12 foot of water between 2 and 3 pm yesterday say yes sir ....go do it ...
and if they aint biting the good news is the bird show , never seen so many fish eating birds as of yesterday on one lake .:banghead

For you Grainraiser. These work well to keep your hand warm during the colder days. One in each pocket and you're good to go. No gloves needed.


Amazon.com


My daughter uses these:

Amazon.com

They usually seem to settle down in the afternoons. I know not everyone scopes, but it seems like theyre super active around first light and and hour or so after sun up, then when boat traffic gets to be an issue if it is, where you're at, they hunker down, then settle into a nice consistent pattern after lunch.