Central NC Crappie

chevync20

Twelve Pointer
Last year was the first year I really focused on crappie fishing and not whatever is biting. I have found that one area I struggle with is finding fish on the edges of transitions of temperature and movement. So 45-55 degrees especially. For the most part, I fish Harris and Jordan. I went out this past Saturday morning and the first three hours, nothing. Moved to deeper water and found a few scattered. I fished for 6 hours or so total. The wind really made things difficult and it was really my first time this year fishing Jordan considering all the rain and high water for the past six months.

I guess what I am asking is, when the water is 50, how do you begin looking?

Do you start in deep water and work your way more shallow?

How long do you give an area with no action to produce before moving on? maybe I am wasting time in an area when I should have moved an hour earlier. I guess what I am asking, is it better to really fish a spot hard, or make a couple of passes and move on?

Is it better to longline or spider rig at this time? I like the spider-rigging aspect, but when does it make the most sense to pull instead of push?

I ran all 8 rods up front with varying jig heads and color combinations until something worked. Managed to catch a few in 19-25' FOW at 51-53 degrees but no real pattern. Is that a product of all the flooding or is that the norm? Typically when water starts to creep around 60 degrees, I find them shallow but struggle in the colder waters.

I am not looking to steal spots, just trying to understand crappie fishing better overall.

If what I am asking is out of line, I understand. I wanted to wait until most had finished tournaments before posting anything. Thanks in advance.
 

quackNcluck

Six Pointer
Learn the approach of longlining. Its very effective for scattered fish. Are you spider rigging? If so just keep paying attention to water clarity and bait. Thats what the fish are after when water temp reaches 50-55. Also do not know what areas you are working....flats/ledges/bends/points etc. but knowing what depth certain areas are along with water clarity and temperature you should be able to run trial and error and locate a school
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Also at times like that pay real close attention to color of what you catch them on. I have seen it many times when we were fishing side by side and one of us were catching fish and the other were not. If you get a fish or two on a certain color that may be the indicator that is the color of the day and go with it.
 

Loganwayne

Ten Pointer
Do you have decent electronics? It really is a game changer. I look for a spot then cruise over it, if I don’t see any fish or structure or something that may hold fish I move on. That’s not to say there isn’t fish there. I find a lot of fish at transitional depths on a point or mouth of a creek around this time of year. If you find fish and go over them a couple times and you don’t hook up, change colors and then if nothing move on.


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Crappie_Hunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Creek mouths and creek channels are usually your best starting points for early spring pre spawn. Deeper water adjacent to large spawning flats are also really good as well. If you want to get serious about it, than like others have mentioned, good electronics are a must. You can see exactly where the fish are holding.

As far as tightlining (spider rigging) vs trolling, both have their merits this time of year and both can be effective. If fish are suspended and scattered a guy trolling will do better because he can cover so much more water. If the fish are at a specific depth, in a small area a tightliner will wear them out.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Chevync20,
All your questions depend on the lake you are fishing. even harris and Jordan will be different on the same day in terms of depth and location being used by the crappie.
the good thing is that all the details on crappie have been worked out for you. A simple goggle search will reveal more info than you can absorb on tackling pre spawn crappie.
based on what I heard Saturday wasn't jordans best day so don't beat yourself up too bad.
 

chevync20

Twelve Pointer
Scout for turkeys if you hunt them and get all your fishing gear in order for when it gets easy in about another week or two.

I actually have a Turkey permit for Jordan on the second weekend of the season, so my fishing trip this past Saturday was fishing, but also looking turkey in that area.
 

chevync20

Twelve Pointer
Do you have decent electronics? It really is a game changer. I look for a spot then cruise over it, if I don’t see any fish or structure or something that may hold fish I move on. That’s not to say there isn’t fish there. I find a lot of fish at transitional depths on a point or mouth of a creek around this time of year. If you find fish and go over them a couple of times and you don’t hook up, change colors and then if nothing move on.


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My rear unit is a Garmin 93SV. My front unit on the trolling motor is a Humminbird Helix 5 SI. I really like the Garmin and hoping to get a larger one for the front like the rear. Kind of upgrading as I go, but the 9" screen does help me a lot. Maybe get another Garmin and network them in.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
I actually have a Turkey permit for Jordan on the second weekend of the season, so my fishing trip this past Saturday was fishing, but also looking turkey in that area.
well I can help you there. :) Pm me if you need advice. old advice on the turkeys. :)
 

chevync20

Twelve Pointer
Chevync20,
All your questions depend on the lake you are fishing. even harris and Jordan will be different on the same day in terms of depth and location being used by the crappie.
the good thing is that all the details on crappie have been worked out for you. A simple goggle search will reveal more info than you can absorb on tackling pre spawn crappie.
based on what I heard Saturday wasn't jordans best day so don't beat yourself up too bad.

I completely understand the differences between the two lakes. I like Jordan Lake and seemed determined to figure it out.

I have read and read until my mind is numb on tactics where to look. I guess what I struggle with is what many struggle with, finding pre and post spawn fish. Ultimately, I want to fish earlier in the year and through the summer. I know some days are better than others and nothing beats time on the water but is limited in some cases on time and days, I pick and choose on what information I can gather and make the most of it. Kind of why I asked here. I know many of you are a very good fisherman in this area and your wisdom helps greatly. I do not ask to steal information but to learn why I catch fish or why I do not. I guess I am hard on myself on days that do not produce but understand that is a part of the game. I take a lot of notes on each trip and try to develop patterns to use in other seasons and trips to know what worked and when. I really started focusing on crappie last season. Prior to, I fished them with bobbers on single lines when they were shallow but now set up to spider rig or longline. Its been a lot of learning and adapting. I have loads of fun and remain patient with it, Just trying to get as much as I can while the getting is good.
 

Loganwayne

Ten Pointer
My rear unit is a Garmin 93SV. My front unit on the trolling motor is a Humminbird Helix 5 SI. I really like the Garmin and hoping to get a larger one for the front like the rear. Kind of upgrading as I go, but the 9" screen does help me a lot. Maybe get another Garmin and network them in.

Cruise around with down scan and side scan for a while and get a fill for an area. And find the fish then start fishing .


Go to areas where you’ve caught them before when they are shallow then work out deeper, find a creek or lake channel and structure and you will most likely find the fish that you caught last year shallow.

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