Catching winter crappie can be challenging. Cold-water crappie may bite so gingerly they are almost undetectable. Add to that the fact that winter crappie stay near deep cover and structure where they often are difficult to find, and it’s little wonder many anglers who try for crappie during this season give up in frustration.
Despite the aggravations, however, crappie fishing when it’s cold offers special rewards. For one thing, cold-weather crappie have a tendency to gather in large, compact schools. So where you catch one fish, chances are excellent you’ll catch several more. It’s not unusual to find a dozen or more on a single piece of cover. Bigger fish seem to be the norm this season as well. Young-of-the-year crappie have grown, and adult fish have added weight after months of feasting on abundant shad, minnows and other forage. The average size is larger as a result. When a big crappie is caught, chances are good the ones with it will be sizeable as well.
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