Kent Driscoll pulls some good crappie from a Mississippi lake. He says to look for September crappie to be in a summer crankbait pattern. As water cools, the fish will become more active, still hitting crankbaits. (Photo: Tim Huffman)
Last-Chance Crankbaits
by Tim Huffman
Fall is a good time for being in the outdoors. Weather is cooling off, creating more comfortable environments for fishermen. Water temperatures are dropping, making it more comfortable for fish. Crappie are moving around looking for something to eat. A fisherman using the right tactics will have a lot of action. One good technique for finding and catching roamers is trolling crankbaits.
Kent Driscoll, BnM Pole Pro Staff Manager and 2024 Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame member, says, “Fall is the final season of the year for crankbaits. Temperatures are dropping and cold fronts are more common than in the summer.”
Driscoll says northern lakes cool off first, but southern lakes can go through October or later. He says Mississippi may still in a summer pattern in September. After that is temperature dependent. He suggests flats with a depth of 20- to 30-feet for pulling crankbaits. Fish will be suspended in 13 to 16 feet of water, just above the thermocline.
“Crappie are chasing shad. Just a few degrees drop in water temperatures will turn the crappie on. The more it cools, the more active the fish get. Pulling cranks are so effective because they cover a lot of water to find the active crappie.”
“I use 10-pound test K9 line. I run a wide range of BnM poles, with 20’s (20 feet long) in front, 16, 12 and 8 out the back. I usually have 120 to 140 feet of line out in front, 80 to 110 out the back. I run Bandit and Pico crankbaits, with light colors on bright days and darker colors on overcast days. My speed is 1.6 or 1.7 mph while water is warm. When fish are aggressive, I will run a little faster.”
Driscoll uses the Precision Trolling chart that shows him how deep a specific bait runs, based upon line diameter and line length. Line-counter reels allow him to set the exact amount of line needed.
“When I catch a couple of fish, I start dialing in line lengths and colors to what the fish show they want. I keep tuning in to what the fish are hitting. Color is really important, but don’t underestimate the power of the rattle. Cranks have wobble and action, but the rattle is critical.”
So why is color so critical with crankbaits? “The baits are run right over their heads. Fish make a split decision to hit. I think colors create the right shadow they can see and believe. Color is an important key.
“There are several crankbaits that will catch crappie. I’ve had luck with Shad Raps #5 and #7. Flicker Shads work, too. However, Bandits and Picos have a better price point and are consistent crappie catchers.”
Driscoll September Tips
“Start with deep flats and move closer to a drop-off if needed,” says Driscoll. “You may have to pick a contour at a specific depth and follow that contour line. You cover a lot of water, so vary your depths and structures until you find the fish, then stick with them.
“Another tip is to use a high-quality swivel. It provides good action and fewer problems.
“When baits do something erratic it can trigger strikes. I’ll do what is called “wildcatting” left and right when fish aren’t hitting. (That’s turning to the left for a short time and then back right, causing the baits to slow on one side and speed up on the other, along with changing directions.) I’ll even turn my trolling motor off for several seconds to quickly vary speeds.”
Tips from Other Pros
Dan Dannenmueller, tournament fisherman, CrappieNow publisher and two-time Angler of the Year, says weather in his home state of Alabama usually allows pulling cranks all the way into November.
“The fish really get going on warm days in the fall. I pull Off Shore planer boards because it gets baits away from the boat where we catch more fish. It also allows fishing a wider depth range. It is an easy technique after a person learns what is going on with the boards. And instead of having 80 feet out the back, I can get a bait down with 18 feet of line from the planer board when using a Tadpole weight in front of the bait.
“In late summer and early fall, the crappie will come up and feed on schools of shad. Catch them feeding, pull cranks through them and have a great fall adventure.”
Mitch Glenn, Pico Lures owner, says, “Color is important. I get that question a lot. But there are no solid rules that work for all conditions, seasons and water color. Sometimes crappie want bluegill purple color, sometimes blue chrome, and sometimes something else. Crankbaits work until serious cold weather hits. At that time, the fish usually get closer to cover in cold water so other techniques work better.”
Doug Wynn, Kentucky Lake guide, says, “I usually use mid-60 water temperature as the lower range for crankbaits for me. That’s just the lower limit of where the fish hook themselves easily. My speed for the cooler water is 1.4 mph.”
“This technique is a big crappie tactic,” says Wynn. “We can usually troll until October here at Kentucky Lake. We catch a lot of different species while trolling, so it keeps us busy. But for crappie, the cranks target big crappie so we may not be catching limits, but the fish are quality size.”
Senior writer and recent Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame member, Tim Huffman, has a new 2024 book, Papermouth, Modern Fishing Techniques, available in Kindle or paperback at Amazon, or link from his website, www.monstercrappie.com
