When snow starts to fall most of us have a tendency to curl up inside beside the fireplace,
or a heater as the case may be. But our friends at Bobby Garland say, once it is safe to travel,
don’t ignore some great cold weather crappie opportunities. (Photo: Richard Simms)
Crappie Basics: Cold Weather Tips from Bobby Garland
by Richard Simms, CrappieNOW Editor
If you put away your crappie fishing gear when the weather gets cold, you’re missing great fish-catching opportunities. Especially if you know what crappie are likely to do when the weather turns bitter.
Here are several key bullet-points the folks at Bobby Garland believe you need to consider:
- During winter, when the water is cold overall, any area where the water is just a couple of degrees warmer will often hold active crappie. Watch your electronics for any changes in water temperature.
- If the sun is shining brightly, consider its warming influence, especially during afternoons, keeping in mind that shallow flats – especially those in bays or pockets – warm faster than deeper areas. Other influences for faster sun warming include stained or even dirty water, riprap banks and a southern exposure.
- Of course, the most dependable “hotspots,” if a public-access lake happens to have one are waters near warm-water discharges from power plants.
- In wintertime, afternoons tend to be better than mornings. The reason for that is simple: Days are warmer than nights. The water tends to cool overnight and warm through the day.
- Longline trolling with a Bobby Garland Hyper Grub or Stroll’R is an excellent winter approach because it allows you to cover water to find fish and to control the depth.
Capt. Richard Simms is the Editor of CrappieNOW magazine as well as owner of Scenic City Fishing Charters. Formerly he was a game warden for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency before becoming a photographer and PR guy for TWRA. That lead to a 30-year career as a broadcast journalist and freelance outdoor writer. Follow Capt. Simms other writings on his Facebook page. You can also e-mail Capt. Simms at Richard@ScenicCityFishing.com.
