Catching Early Crappies

Catching Early Crappies

By Todd Reed

The ice is long gone, the grass is turning green, and the birds are singing, all of these are signs for anglers to get out and go fishing. Walleyes, bass, catfish, and pike are fish that really come alive in early spring, but as we flip the calendars to April, panfish, especially crappies become the focus for many anglers. It’s that time of year, so let’s get the gear ready and catch some!

Crappies bite all months of the year, however crappies in the early spring are very rewarding once you find them. Springtime crappies can be a feast or famine type of fishing, once you catch one, there are typically many closer by. Let’s examine where to look for crappies this time of year, what gear you will need to catch them, and how to properly keep, clean and prepare some crappie.

First Find Them!
Crappies are located all across Iowa, from rivers, ponds, small county lakes, state parks and large reservoirs. No matter where you live, you are not far from catching some crappies in the next few days. The best resource you have is the DNR website to find these areas. This site has a lot of information on it, including most every lake in the state and the fish that are living in each lake. These lakes can be sorted by county, so you will find something close to you very quickly. As we all know, all lakes are not created equal, especially when it comes to crappies. Crappies can be very cyclical, meaning that they can do very well for a few years in a lake, then have some bad years in that same lake. Spawning conditions can vary and create some very good years as well as down years. There are many good crappie lakes in the state, especially if you are trying to get enough for a meal. Doing a little homework online will lead you to an area and save you a lot of trial and error. Getting a good working “network” of friends is probably the best route to go. Once you develop some friends that you can trust with sharing information, giving, and taking information can lead to less homework, and more fish. Who doesn’t want that?

Gear-Up
Early season crappies are probably one of the most sought-after fish this time of year. It could be because all anglers can have success doing it. You do not need a boat or kayak to chase these fish down, fishing from the shoreline can be just as effective. When it comes to rods and reels, these do not need to be fancy either. Crappie fishing requires some basic gear, but for the most part most anglers will have enough to get out there and catch a few fish. The best combo for catching crappies is a spinning combo. The rod should be six feet to seven feet in length and be a medium power with moderate action. This rod will give you the flexibility to throw little baits, as well the ability to set the hook without ripping the bait out of the crappies’ mouth. Matching that rod with a spinning reel will allow you to throw light baits at the crappies at greater distances than baitcasters or spincast reels. Spincast reels work well too, it is hard to beat a push button Zebco for a younger child. Spinning reels should be lined with six or eight pound test line. If you are going to be fishing in ultra-clear water, then a six pound test is best. If your lake, pond, or river has a lot of rocks, sticks or logs, then the eight pound test line would be best. Both lines will cast long distances and work very well with spinning or spincast reels. Note, spring is the time for new line, trust me, it is well worth the cost. I prefer monofilament line for casting to crappies. Small leadhead jigs and live bait presentations are the best when fishing from shore. Casting out different colored jigs with plastic tails or tossing out a live minnow under a slip-bobber is so fun this time of year. If you are in a boat or kayak adding a longer rod, twelve-foot or longer as a dipping rod and or a spider rig rod.

Dipping is a technique when you are near or on top of the crappies, or a brushpile they may be hiding in. A spider rig is just like trolling; however, the bait is in front of your boat and more directly down in the water column. All these techniques can be fantastic when the crappies are still away from the shoreline and best accessed in a boat or kayak. Again, jigheads with plastics or live minnows are a crappies dream meal. As you can see, the tackle and gear needed to get out and start catching crappies is pretty simple. Get these items together and get to catching!

Enjoy Your Catch
Have I mentioned that crappies taste great? I am pretty sure if you are this far in the article you already know that fact. They are a delicious fish that can be eaten many different ways. Before we get to eating them, we need to take care of them properly. Once you decide to keep fish to eat, you need to do one of two things right away. You can either keep them alive until you process them, or you must get the fish cold. If you are in a boat, a livewell is best to keep them alive, on the shore that really isn’t an option. A stringer or a fish cage might keep them alive for a while, but not for long periods of time. A small cooler is ideal for the shore angler or the boat angler. If you know you are planning to keep some crappies, plan ahead with ice and a cooler. If the water temperature is fifty degrees or colder, that will be just fine, and ice isn’t necessary. Once you have your crappies on ice or in cold water, the next step is fileting them. Again, keep the meat cold by placing the filets in a bowl of cold salted water with ice cubes. The cold temperature firms up the meat, while the salt will help to reduce blood and preserve the meat. One more step to delicious crappies, cook them up!

Frying them in oil is great, however there are a few other ways I like to enjoy crappies. Crappies make delicious “Crappie Cakes”, as well as “Baked Fish Tacos”. There are many recipes out there, but those are my three favorites for crappies. Before you take your next trip, plan ahead to keep the meat cold, you will see the difference, and taste the difference.

Catching panfish in general is a great way to spend a few hours or a few days. Focusing on crappies this time of year is a must if you want to capitalize on the spring bite. Start shallow and work out from there, lake channels and drop-offs are a great way to discover where crappies are this time of year. Cover a few different areas and narrow down where you are catching them, this will lead you to more and more crappies in the cooler. Just a reminder that anglers are allowed to keep 25 crappies a day in the state of Iowa, but I encourage you to be conscious of the body of water you are on and be a steward. We all fish the waters, take what you need and let the rest go. Some days I may keep a limit of 25, while other days I may keep six for a meal. Do your part to keep our public waters a great place to fish for years to come.