Hayden Jeffries has been a powerhouse in crappie tournaments in recent years and
now enjoys guiding clients. He tells CrappieNOW writer Ron Wong that he loves the
Fall and Winter bite, and that, “The colder it gets, the better the bite gets.”
(Photo courtesy Hayden Jeffries Fishing)
Hayden Jeffries’s Fall/Winter Secrets
by Ron Wong
With the stifling heat we all experienced this summer, the cooler weather draws hardcore anglers to the water like a magnet. But with hunting seasons underway, the crappie crowds are much smaller than the spring bite.
Professional crappie angler and guide, Hayden Jeffries, says it is prime time to hit the water.
In crappie tournament circles, Jeffries and his father, Dan Jeffries, have been topping the leaderboard in one tournament after another in recent years. Hayden is well-known as a master in the use of forward-facing sonar, especially on his home lakes in Mississippi.
We had the opportunity to spend some time on Ross Barnett Reservoir talking with 24-year-old Hayden.
“I love crappie fishing during the fall and winter,” he said. “The colder it gets, the better the bite gets.”
Ross Barnett Reservoir – known locally as “The Rez” – is a flood control lake with changing water levels throughout the year, although sometimes by not more than 2-or-3-feet.
As the surface temperature continues to drop in the fall, the crappies will move from the flats to the deeper creek channels where they will group on outside bends of the creek especially where cover is present. As the water temps continue to fall, the fish will continue to move towards deeper water. In the upper part of Ross Barnett, the deepest water will be the river channel with the best cover in 14-to-17 feet of water.
Hayden said, “The colder water stacks the fish where you can get a limit in a hurry and with some big ones.”
Hayden uses his electronics to scan for brush piles or stumps and for bait fish. Once he finds it, he fishes small and light. He prefers using 4-pound test fluorocarbon to cast 1/32nd ounce jigs. And he tries to stay as far away from the fish as possible.
He does say the cover that sticks up high in the water column will normally hold the best schools of fish.
If the fish get finicky to lures he can cast to them, he slowly works his way closer to jig it with a 12-to-14-foot pole and a heavier 1/16th ounce jig head. He likes to use 14-pound test fluorocarbon when straight line jigging. Reason being, you’ll be fishing in the cover and need to set the hook and get them out of the brush.
Hayden says the same techniques apply in any other the other popular North Mississippi lakes – or many other southeast lakes as well.
Cold fronts and rain are part of the Fall season.
Hayden says crappie are not fond of current or a quick change in watercolor. During the Fall and Winter he will seek slack water and clearer water on the lake when necessary.
Some other key Fall/Winter tips include:
- In cold water, smaller baits are better for generating bites
- Fish slower, soak a bait with no movement, what many folks call “dead-sticking”
- Don’t hesitate to tips jigs with a minnow when the fish are real finicky.
- Use shad-colored plastics in clearer color and bright colors in stained water
- With lower water levels in the fall and winter, be cautious when navigating
Ron Wong attended Memphis State University (now U of M) on a music scholarship playing saxophone. He spent four years in the U.S. Navy, retired from FedEx after 34 years. An avid fisherman and journalist, Wong co-hosts the weekly radio show Outdoors with Larry Rea which airs on Saturday mornings from 6-7:30 a.m. on ESPN790.
