Minnesota Pro Tip of the Week: Good time to track down river crappies

Tip by Denver McKinnon

Years of guiding experience: 9.

Favorite waters: Mississippi River.

It’s that time of the year when the crappie bite really turns on Pool No. 4 of the Mississippi River, especially the Lake Pepin portion.

It’s easier to locate them on Lake Pepin, where there is a lot of rock shoreline to work. I like the areas that have a shelf of about 10 to 12 feet, dropping off to about 25 feet of water. They really like that stuff this time of year.

I like a little hair jigs and plastic tube jigs. I’ll fish as small as 3/32-ounce if the conditions allow, but when there’s more current, I go up to 1-8-ounce, and pitching the jigs is best. If I tip the jig, it’s with smaller minnows. Fish close to the bottom, and trust your electronics. If you see a lot of suspended activity around bait balls, you’ll probably get onto a good crappie bite. Once you find a pod, you should be able to get a number of fish for the pan.

McKinnon is a multi-species fishing guide on Pool No. 4 of the Mississippi River. He can be reached at (952) 210-0543.