Summer crappie locations

Too many anglers associate crappie fishing with spring, then
give up in the summer. Via some common sense, and a little help
from your electronics, you can find crappies during the
summer.

There’s a myth that crappies strictly school and suspend during the
summer when they actually can be belly to the bottom this time of
year.

Start by searching deep water. Sunken islands are good places,
along with rock piles, and deep weed points. Check out deeper water
near the spawning grounds you targeted a month ago.

Crappies also can roam a main basin (not just bays!) on their quest
for food. Electronics are very valuable in this search. Motor
around some of these structure locations and monitor the bottom,
though crappies also will suspend.

Your crappie search should start with lakes that offer a good size
profile of fish. Look for lakes with a solid walleye population. If
you’re looking for big fish, then consider larger bodies of water.
Rule of thumb: Lakes with good walleye and bass fishing often have
good crappie fishing.

If you find suspended fish, you’re going to see a school and you
may have to assume that you’re seeing crappies. (It’s obviously
easier if you’re on a good crappie lake).

It may take 30 to 45 minutes to find fish, but that’s time well
spent, because otherwise we’re working dead water and wasting
time.

Crappies will relate to a deep weedline on some mid-age lakes, say
10 to 17 feet. These typically are good walleye lakes with solid
natural reproduction. Avoid dark and shallow lakes.

Crappies do bite in the heart of summer, and if they’re not, then
you’re just not looking in right spots!