Covering water with confidence, Kent Driscoll (front of boat) plays the
odds in September with spider rigs and live minnows. (Photo: Keith Sutton)
Cracking the September Crappie Code
by Keith Sutton
September can be a puzzle for crappie anglers to piece together. It is a month marked with shifting water temperatures, fish movement and changing feeding behavior. To some, it’s a frustrating time to fish. To others, it’s prime time—a month of big numbers, heavy stringers, and the chance at true trophies. The difference lies in knowing how to read the changes and play the game.
I’ve gathered expert advice from several top crappie anglers across the country to help you catch both numbers and size this September.
Cover Water for Numbers
Kent Driscoll, B’n’M Poles Pro Staff Manager
Driscoll emphasizes maximizing your odds by covering water.
“September is transition month for crappie as cooler temps arrive and crappie start moving from their summer homes to their fall locations,” he explains.
Driscoll recommends spider rigging with eight 16-foot B’n’M Buck’s Graphite Jig Poles (BGJPs) and straight minnows on 1/2-ounce Capps and Coleman minnow rigs. He targets small bays or pockets, following creek channels from the mouth toward the shallows. Stumps and manmade structures along these routes attract fish.
“Vary your speed from 0.5 to 0.7 mph and set your poles at multiple depths until you start catching fish and developing a pattern,” he says.
Target Big Fish with Finesse and FFS
For trophy crappie, Driscoll switches gears. Using Garmin LiveScope, he targets individual big fish with a B’n’M 16-foot Black Diamond jig pole. He pairs a 1/2-ounce egg sinker with a 16-inch leader to a 1/16- or 1/8-ounce Crappie Magnet jighead, using Chartreuse/Black or Mardi Gras tubes.
“I run my trolling motor on high at 1.0 to 1.5 mph, sweeping the LiveScope back and forth, looking for big crappie only,” he says. “You have to skip over a lot of little fish to catch the big ones.”
Pulling Jigs for Consistent Action
Stephen Sullivan, B’n’M Pro Staff, Batesville, MS
Sullivan loves pulling jigs in September. He fishes the Big Four Mississippi lakes (Arkabutla, Sardis, Enid and Grenada) using B’n’M Pro Staff trolling rods and West Point rods paired with line-counter reels spooled with 6-pound K9 Hi-Vis line. His go-to rig features a 1/8-ounce Crappie Magnet Fin Spin jighead with a Slab Curly 3 to 4 feet above another 1/8-ounce Eye Hole jig on the end. Both baits get a boost from Slab Bites in the eye holes for scent.
“I pull along ledges and points near main creek channels, usually in 8 to 15 feet of water,” he says.
Sullivan staggers rod lengths (8 to 16 feet) and line lengths (35 to 100 feet) while trolling at 0.8 to 1.2 mph.
“Dark colors on cloudy days, bright colors on sunny ones,” he advises. It’s a highly effective way to locate and catch active crappie in September.
Power Trolling for Numbers
John Mayo, JH Guide Service
A lifelong Mississippi crappie angler, Mayo favors power trolling in September when chasing numbers. He uses 16-foot B’n’M BGJP rods with 3/4-ounce Capps and Coleman minnow rigs. His rigs feature a Crappie Magnet jighead on top with a minnow and straight minnow on the bottom.
“I cover as much water as possible, running 0.7 to 1.0 mph,” Mayo says. He focuses on creek mouths and river channel edges, adjusting depths to find fish throughout the water column. “Early in the morning, fish will be shallower, but they move deeper as temperatures rise,” he notes.
FFS-ing for Big Ones
When big fish are the goal, Mayo relies on Garmin LiveScope with a Garmin 8616 and a Panoptix LVS 32 transducer. He fishes at 2.0 to 2.5 mph, scanning out to 60 feet and using a B’n’M 18-foot Black Diamond rod. He uses a 1/4-ounce weight pegged above a 1/8-ounce Eye Hole jig with a Crappie Magnet Slab Magnet.
“In stained water from recent rains, bigger fish often suspend high in the water column early in the day,” he says. He checks creek mouths and river channels in 6 to 10 feet of water, watching for elusive ghost images on LiveScope.
“Larger white crappie will start stacking on structure like submerged stumps and brush tops, he says. “Don’t overlook them.”
Slip Bobbers and Structure
Corey Thomas, Lake Days Guide Service, Dale Hollow Lake
Thomas targets both numbers and size using a refined approach.
“September is one of my favorite months. Fish are often between 13 and 16 inches and usually found in the 25- to 35-foot depth range,” he says. He focuses on flats adjacent to the main river channel, particularly near structure.
Using the B’n’M 75 Series Combo with Stan’s Slip Bobbers, Thomas pitches small minnows from 30 to 50 feet away in Dale Hollow’s usually-clear water.
“Side imaging is essential to cover water and find fish, but once you find them, you can limit out quickly,” he says.
Mix It Up with Jigs and Minnows
Jason Cook, JH Guide Service
Cook explains that with southern water temps often still above 80 degrees in September, summer patterns persist. He trolls main lake points, ledges and deep flats using B’n’M 16-foot BGJP rods and Capps and Coleman minnow rigs, swapping one hook for a 1/32-ounce Crappie Magnet Double Cross jighead with a Crappie Magnet body. Tipped with minnows, each rod features a different color until the fish show a preference.
“I troll at 0.5 to 0.9 mph, usually settling around 0.8,” Cook says. “Any faster and your minnows roll.”
Precision Targeting for Trophies
For big fish, Cook turns to forward-facing sonar. Pitching two 1/4-ounce Crappie Magnet Fin Spins 12 to 18 inches apart with bright Slab Curlys or Hammers, he uses the B’n’M 75 Series Combo and 6-pound Gamma Panfish line. He casts to visible big fish on sonar, adjusting retrieve speed to keep the jigs just above them.
“If they follow but don’t bite, I downsize to an 1/8-ounce jig or hair jig,” he says.
In windy conditions or for less accurate casting, Cook prefers underhand pitching. And when fish stop chasing, he switches to a drop technique using an 18-foot Black Diamond rod with a 3/4-ounce egg sinker and bobber stops.
“The key is keeping the jig just above the fish’s head,” he explains. “It takes practice, but the rewards are worth it.”
Final Thoughts
September may bring challenges, but it also offers golden opportunities for anglers who adapt to changing conditions. Whether you’re trolling for numbers or targeting giants with pinpoint precision, these expert tips will help you turn a tricky month into one of your most productive of the year.
Keith Sutton is editor of our sister magazine at CatfishNOW.com. He’s been an avid crappie angler for more than half a century, pursuing his favorite panfish on waters throughout the United States. His fishing stories have been read by millions in hundreds of books, magazines, newspapers and Internet publications. In 2021, he was inducted into the Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame.
