Sometimes good weather can be your enemy, inspiring more competition on the water. But crappie guide Kirby Hamm says, “I don’t get mad at people who share the same passion that I do. Many of us have encouraged others to get in the sport to make it stronger and to enjoy what we enjoy.”
Conquering Tough Spring Conditions
by Tim Huffman
Spring is a time of ever-changing weather and water conditions. What do you do when the waves are high, or, when a spring cold front moves through causing a tough bite? Three experts suggest a few tips and ideas for the days when fishing isn’t ideal.
High Winds
Matt Foster, content creator, host of The Crappie Blog, calls southeast Missouri’s Lake Wappapello his home water.
He says, “High wind is relevant to the lake you’re fishing. For example, it doesn’t take much east wind at Enid to be extremely bad. My home lake is broken up into arms and coves, so even a 20-mph wind won’t prevent a fisherman from finding a protected place to fish. So, a decision based upon wind is relevant to the lake you fish.”
Foster said, “When available, look for areas with wind protection. Boating across the lake to get to an area might be a little rough, but if it leads to places you can fish, it’s worth it. A protected area allows you to control the boat and presentations.”
Foster says every technique can have challenges in the wind so presentations will likely need adjusting. For example, use a heavier jig when casting. Switch to a jig and slip-float for better casting and a slower presentation. Stick your pole tip into the water when jigging so wind won’t whip your pole tip or blow slack in your line.
“I’ve always heard, ‘Wind from the east the fishing cease; wind from the west the fishing is best.’ That probably has some truth, but I’ve caught fish on an east wind and had trouble on a west wind, so don’t let preconceived thoughts stop you from going fishing when you have the opportunity.”
Foster’s last tip for fishing wind is to pay attention to wind-blown banks.
“You may not be able to fish them if wind is too bad, but they can be good the next few days. Wind blows zooplankton and other things into the bank, baitfish feed on these, and crappie come in to feed on the shad. Give them a try.”
Rising Water
Foster says the worse condition is falling water, but rising water isn’t always good either.
“I’m looking for fresh water coming into the lake when water is rising. On my home lake, a two-inch rain will run water out of a normally dry creek. It pushes sediment, zooplankton and other stuff usually called trash, into the lake. Baitfish will move in to feed on that stuff and bring in the big crappie. It’s what most fishermen run from, but I’ve had good success fishing it.
“In April, fish will be spawning in southern Missouri. Many fish will remain in the same spot they were in before the rise. For example, if fish were in six feet deep water, a four-foot rise will make the spot 10 feet deep. They may suspend at a different depth, but they will be in the same location.”
Whether fish move to water coming into the lake, stay in the same spot or decide to follow the water up on the bank that was once dry, it’s certain they will have more water so they will spread out making them more difficult to find.
Falling Water
Kansas guide Kirby Hamm, (a.k.a. Crappie Kirby and host of the YouTube show, Fish, Eat Live) says, “I try to keep it simple. Crappie are like us because they need to eat to live. I won’t change my overall fishing in falling water. Every day it’s a matter of searching for fish and applying the right technique. I cast, shoot, jig and throw slip-bobbers a lot this time of year. My short rod is a B’n’M Sharpshooter 6-foot, Gamma copolymer 6-pound-test, and a 1/8-ounce Crappie Magnet jig. When fishing gets tough, I immediately consider bait size, color and presentation. First, I change colors, then go down in bait size, and slow the presentation or do whatever it takes to trigger a strike. Falling water is a tough condition but keep it simple and do what the fish tell you.”
Cold, Muddy Water
Kris Mann, four-time Crappie USA national points champion, says, “Runoff water from rains and wind blowing across flats can cause mild stain to ‘It’s so muddy you can walk across it.’ It produces a situation that fishermen dread. April in the central states is time for staging and spawning crappie. Muddy water creates turmoil for those fish.
“I’ve seen fish get super-shallow in the water column. I think the fish are having trouble seeing in the muddy water, plus the particles on the surface will warm quickly with sunshine. The fish can like what we call “nasty” water. When you think there is no need in going out, it can be some of the best fishing. Therefore, a fisherman needs to fish shallower than normal out in open water. Think three or four feet deep in the chocolate water.”
Mann says crappie like to be shallow during spawning time, but the cold water will likely push them away from the bank until the water warms back up.
Cold Front
“April cold fronts usually send fish down,” says Mann. “The biggest thing is a change in barometric pressure that makes fish very finicky, especially during the spawn. Water is cold, they can’t go where they want to be, and they don’t want to hit. A fisherman needs to downsize and go slow. Be patient.”
Fishing Pressure
“On my home lake there use to be three of us who fished regularly in the winter,” said Hamm. “Today, fishermen have learned you can catch fish all year long, and now with forward-facing sonar making it much easier, the overall increase in fishermen during the year has probably multiplied 100-times from what it once was. Fishing pressure makes fishing a little more difficult because others will be on spots you want to fish. It means you must run a little further and do more looking. Tactics may need to be altered to catch fish.
“However, I try to stay positive,” he said. “I don’t get mad at people who share the same passion that I do. Many of us have encouraged others to get in the sport to make it stronger and to enjoy what we enjoy. The more fishermen we see, the stronger all fish-related companies are doing, so the stronger our sport becomes overall.”
Final Thoughts
Spring conditions can be difficult. Cold fronts, bad water conditions and a sluggish bite forces a fisherman to work. However, there’s nothing wrong with a challenge. The experience will make you a better fisherman.
Senior CrappieNOW writer and Legend of the Outdoors Hall of Fame member, Tim Huffman, has several books, including his newest, Papermouth, Modern Fishing Techniques, available in Kindle or paperback at Amazon, or link from his website, www.monstercrappie.com
