Top 5 Long-Range Cartridges

by John Antanies - Tuesday, November 17, 2015

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Long range shooting is all the rage these days, whether it is target/gong shooting, varmint or big game hunting. Thirty years ago the list of cartridges suitable for this kind of shooting looked a lot different than today, especially for big game hunting—and that's largely been due to the advent of sophisticated rangefinders, which transformed the art of range estimation into a science that can be bought over the counter. But wind is still a four-letter word in the world of shooting, and the best way to combat wind is to shoot a bullet with a high ballistic coefficient (BC) as fast as possible. High ballistic coefficients not only drift less in the wind, but are less affected by changes in environmental conditions. But recoil and cost do matter, so considering all four variables, what are the best long range cartridges today for our favorite shooting disciplines? Let's take a look.
.220 Swift
The .220 Swift shooting 80-grain bullets is probably the ideal long-range varmint/predator rifle. The Hornady 80-gr. AMAX has a BC of .453, which doesn’t sound great until you realize most .224 bullets have BCs in the 2’s. Launched at 3250 fps, the 80-grain AMAX drifts 5.7 MOA at 800 yards versus 12.8 MOA for a 55-grain VMAX launched at 3800 fps. You read that right: the 80-grain AMAX drifts less than half as much as the lighter pill. At 400 yards the difference is exactly half: 2.4 vs 4.8 MOA.
6XC
The 6XC is the creation of David Tubb, a renowned rifle shooter. The F class and position shooters I shoot with every week love this cartridge. It can launch a 105-grain Berger Match Hybrid Target (BC .545) at 3000 fps. Wind drift at 400 yards is 2.1 MOA; at 800 4.8 MOA (10 mph wind). While there are some factory rifles available, this is at best a custom rifle proposition.
.308 Win
A tough call, because anything the .308 Win can do, the .260 Rem. or 6.5 Creedmoor can do better, with one exception: hunting. My Browning X-Bolt Varmint Stalker shoots Hornady 180 SSTs (BC .480) at 2600 fps. Wind drift is 4.1 MOA and 7.3 MOA at 400 and 800 yards, respectively. Obviously, I could do better with target bullets, but this is a hunting rifle. Still, when I shoot at metal gongs at 500 yards shooting sitting with a Harris bipod and shooting sling, it is rare for me to miss a target the size of a deer’s vitals even in moderate winds. The real beauty of the .308: easy on barrels, allowing you to gets lots of practice calling the wind.

.300 RUM
You won’t find the RUM winning many long range shooting contests, but for general big game hunting, this cartridge is tough to beat. A Nosler AccuBond 200-grain bullet has a BC of .588; launched at 2975 fps the wind drift is 2.0 MOA at 400 and 4.6 at 800. The recoil and cost, of course, are excessive, but the accuracy of this case is stunning.
.338 Lapua
When you absolutely have to hit a target at long range in windy conditions, there is only one way to beat a 300-grain .338 bullet: shoot a CheyTac. The 300-grain Berger Elite Hunter has a BC of .818—I don’t know of any bullet of .338 or less that has a BC that high. Launched at 2700 fps, drift is only 1.6 MOA at 400 yards and 3.4 MOA at 800! My Lapua is Savage 110 FCP—an exceptionally accurate rifle at a very reasonable cost. The .338 Edge is a wildcat that matches the Lapua but uses a standard magnum action. My Stiller Edge with a Lilja barrel is a death ray.



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The 6 Best Bass Fishing Techniques

One of the reasons bass are North America’s most popular gamefish is that they’re easier to catch than most other species, primarily because they are so abundant. But, just because these fish can be found virtually everywhere doesn’t always mean you’’ll be catching a whole bunch on your fishing trip. It’’s more than just throwing your line out there and hoping there’’s a hungry bass that takes it; catching a lot of lunkers comes down to proper technique. Below are critical techniques you should master to maximize your performance as a bass angler.

Pitching/Flipping

When bass are not all that active and are hiding in thick cover, it’’s as if you have to go into stealth mode to catch those shy lunkers. The best methods for getting to thick, shallow water without spooking fish too much are pitching and flipping. They are similar looking techniques, but some occasions require one over the other, especially as it pertains to distance. The key to successful pitching/flipping is practice, a long rod (6.5’-7.5’), and the right soft bait.

Pitching

Pitching is the easier of the two, but is not as precise as flipping. Let out enough line so it’s about even with the reel, and keep your reel open. Lower the rod tip towards the water and with your free hand, grab hold of the lure (worm and tube jigs work best) and pull on the line to add tension. In one smooth motion let go of the lure while swinging your rod tip up. This combination should slingshot the bait towards your target. Be sure to close the reel as soon as the bait lands because bass often strike quickly.

Flipping

Flipping takes more practice, but once you get a good feel for it, you can optimize your presentation and hit your target location more precisely than pitching. Begin by letting out somewhere between 8-15 feet of line and then close your reel. Grab the line between the reel and first rod guide, and then extend your arm to the side as you pull on the line. Raise the rod and the bait will now swing towards you. Using a pendulum motion swing the bait to your desired location while feeding the line through your hand. Tighten up the remaining slack and get ready for a strike. It looks a little awkward, but it’’s a great way to get a drop on some shy bass.

Topwater

For many anglers there’’s nothing more exciting than catching a bass with a surface lure. The sound of the lure, the sight of an approaching fish, and the exhilaration of seeing that big splash when a largemouth finally strikes can be enough to get anyone’s heart racing. Unlike pitching or flipping, topwater lures are meant for hungry, active fish. It’’s a true “lure,” designed to attract attention with noise and dramatic movements. There are several kinds of surface lures, like poppers, jitterbugs, and frogs. Some topwater lures are easy and work best with a slow, steady retrieve, like a jitterbug. Others take some more technique. The aptly named ‘popper’ requires an angler to literally pop the lure as it is retrieved, pausing every few seconds and allowing it to go steady, imitating a wounded fish. The sporadic stopping and moving can drive bass crazy. Another popular retrieving method is called ‘walk the dog,’ commonly used for soft surface frog baits. Walking the dog is where you quickly twitch the rod tip up and down for the duration of the slow retrieve.

Winning Techniques: Topwater tips with hardbaits here.

Crankbaits

A crankbait is all about reflex for a bass. They won’t want to chase it down the same way they would for a surface lure, but even so, noise and presentation is still key to using a crankbait right. Crankbaits are a favorite for many tournament anglers because they cover a lot of water, both horizontally and vertically at a variety of depths. They work best around solid objects, like rocks, logs, and stumps. It is possible to use a crankbait along the side of a weedbed, but generally drop-offs and rocky shoals with plenty of solid cover works best. The more you get to know the feel of the way your crankbait swims through the water and bumps into objects the better you will be at catching bass. Think of crankbaits as a teasing lure. Grab the fish’s attention by reeling quickly, then stopping and allowing the crankbait to slowly rise. Then reel up again and make another stop. This can drive bass crazy. When using a deep diver, you can try the ‘bumping the stump’ technique to tease fish into biting. As you reel in and feel your crankbait strike bottom or a rock, stop and let the lure float a little bit. All that noise and movement will bring bass in and wanting to feast on what they think is easy prey.

Must Watch: Check out Karl Kolonka fishing crankbaots on Extreme Angler TV here.

Spinner Bait

Spinner baits are a little trickier than crankbaits because it can be harder to successfully hook a fish given the design of the lure. However, spinner baits are a great year-round lure that can produce results on any given day on any given lake. Retrieval should range from slow to medium speed, and like the crankbait, works best around some solid structure. There are several different ways to use this versatile lure. One method is to allow the spinner bait to fall to the bottom near a drop off. As it hits bottom, reel up the slack, then allow it to fall to the bottom again. Repeat. For the most part; however, you’’ll be reeling in continuously at different paces. The slower you reel in, the deeper the bait tends to swim through the water. When you reel in at a faster rate, try to not to breach the surface. Hanging just below will create a wake that some fish will find irresistible.

Jerkbait

Possibly the simplest technique for bass fishing and certainly the easiest to pick up is jerkbait fishing. The hard part is knowing what jerkbait to use and when to use it. The lures come in many shapes and sizes that swim at varying depths, but no matter how different they may be, the goal remains constant; imitating a wounded fish. As the name implies, jerking the rod tip with a little twitch as you reel in gives the impression that your jerkbait isn’t swimming at full health. Bass love an easy meal, and that’s what you’’re tying to mimic. While you may find success near weeds or in murky water with crank and spinner baits, jerkbaits don’’t have the same versatility. They are best reserved for clear waters as sight is the most important factor for success with this technique.

Dropshotting

This finesse form of fishing takes a little more effort to rig up than the others, but it’’s a crucial technique nonetheless and should be a part of any serious bass angler’s repertoire. If you’’ve fished with a plastic worm, then you can adapt quite quickly to dropshotting. The major difference is that the weight is below the worm– as you reel up the worm and work its magic, the sinker bounces along bottom, leaving your worm several inches up, free for the taking. The length between the worm and sinker can range anywhere from a few inches up to a foot-and-a-half, it all depends on how muddy the lake floor is and how high you want the bait suspended from bottom. Unlike the other techniques mentioned here, you can drop shot without having to retrieve. You can even just let it go from the side of the boat. The key is moving your rod tip in a way to make your bait dance.

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Crappie When And Where To Catch Them

Crappie When And Where To Catch Them

Well, the Crappie will hit the shallow just in front of the bass. Grandpa and other fishermen will tell you when the Dogwood Blooms, the Crappie are hitting.

I have found this to hold true except when Mother Nature throws you that curve...and everyone has heard me say that.

Normally the crappie will start their Spawn in water temperature in the low to Mid 50's then it is time to hit the lake.

Spring time and fall are the shot at big Slabs and I am talking 3-4 pounders. Down south, Enid Lake in Mississippi hold the World’s record for a crappie caught and I believe it is over 5 pounds.

Almost every state has a lake that holds Crappie and it is the best time to get the kids out when the Crappie are biting. There is never a dull minute; in fact it can wear you out.

Around the MidSouth, I would recommend the following lakes if they have water and that is the big if. 

Mississippi lakes and I rank these for the best and will list them in that order

1. Arkabutla, 2. Enid, 3. Sardis, 4. Lake View, 5. Flower lake,  6. Grenada

ArKansas  

1. Greers Ferry, 2. Island 40, 3. Horseshoe,

Tennessee Lakes

1. Kentucky Lake, 2. Reelfoot Lake, 3. Cold Creek, 4. Pickwick Lake

Ok, now once you get to the lake where do I look for the crappie and by the way, Crappie have another name. They are also called papermouths, and the reason will become real clear to you when you try and set the hook like a bass and rip it through his lips.

The crappie are going to be in Rock, Wood, Grass in the shallows... Hey there are those three places just like the bass again. 

Two years ago when Mississippi had some water, I was hitting one little grass shoot and would nail a three pounder. What is the old saying “do not leave a spot until you have tried them all”.

Check out the boat docks and marinas...and don't forget those honey holes that I mentioned in another article.

After all you built them, now is the time to cash in on them. 

Crappie are not like Bass. They will come in by the thousands and after you have caught what seems to be all the fish; back off and believe me when I say follow this tip. The available crappie supply will restock itself within 1 hour; new fish will move in and they are there for the taking.

Fishing for Crappie can start at daylight and run until midday then again at dusk and night time under a light is also very good.

The only part about night time; I recommend fishing from a pier if you are like me and do not like them wiggly sticks (snakes). They will also be out looking for a meal and I prefer to be in a place that I can run and a boat does not give me enough room to run.

One last thing I must remind you to do; please check with the local Wildlife agency to make sure the size that is legal and the amount you can have in your cooler.

I will try and run an article of what I can find out about the laws forth coming.

Keep the Hooks Wet!

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Why We Love Crappie Fishing

Why We Love Crappie Fishing

Josh Sutton of Wynne, Ark. is all smiles after catching this jumbo spring crappie. These panfish are loved by anglers throughout the U.S., ranking behind only largemouth bass, trout and catfish in popularity polls.

Story & photos by Keith Sutton

It's spring again. Dogwoods are blooming, and crappie are biting in the shoreline shallows of many lakes in my home state of Arkansas. It's a season many anglers look forward to with great glee ... me included. So, recently, I visited one of my favorite crappie lakes to see if I could get a bite.
I was fishing with my son Josh and our friend Todd Huckabee. We had been fishing just minutes when Josh, working a jig beside the bank under a blooming dogwood, hoisted a huge crappie into the boat—a fish that weighed more than 2 pounds. Todd quickly followed with another dandy slab. I got snagged in a brushpile, but soon landed a crappie, too—a 1-pound-plus black crappie full of fight.
Crappie are very prolific and grow quickly. In many good lakes, the average size is about 12 inches long and 1 pound, but in better waters, anglers also catch quite a few from 14 to 16 inches that weigh from 1-1/2 to 2 pounds. Sometimes a skilled or lucky fisherman will catch a crappie that tips the scales at 2-1/2 to 3 pounds or more. Fishermen call those "barn doors," and they are caught only rarely except in blue-ribbon waters. No matter where we fish, however, when crappie are found and a fishing pattern develops, it doesn't take long to catch enough 1- to 2-pounders for supper and usually enough to share with friends and neighbors, too.
When my fun day of fishing with Josh and Todd was over, I took home 40 fillets from 20 fat crappie that filled three quart freezer bags to the brim. I was happier than a dog with two tails.
When I told a catfishing buddy about my trip, he said, "I don't understand why you enjoy crappie fishing so much. Crappie don't hit very hard, they don't put up much of a fight, and they don't get very big. They're hard as the dickens to figure out sometimes—hot one day and cold the next. I'd trade a hundred of 'em for one good-sized channel cat."
Many anglers like my narrow-minded friend don't give a tinker's hoot about crappie fishing. Many others, however, love crappie fishing, and for good reasons.

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Consider, for example, in many states, crappie are found in nearly every lake, and many streams and ponds, too. In-the-know anglers haul them in spring, summer, autumn and winter. Anything these sunfish lack in size, they compensate for with sheer numbers and the typical ease with which they are caught.

Fried crappie are delicious as anyone who has eaten them will tell you. As a result, when it comes to crappie, most people practice “catch and eat” instead of “catch and release.

Sure, trout are bedazzling jumpers. Catfish reach huge sizes. Bass are brutal battlers. For many anglers, however, crappie are the favorites because the certainty of some kind of fishing action is far better than promised battles that never come.
Fancy equipment? No need. It doesn't matter if you use an old cane pole or a $200 ultralight rig. Both catch crappie.
The crappie also is a beautiful fish. Its scales are flakes of polished silver assembled like a delicate mosaic that sparkles jewel-like in the water. The eyes are golden inlays. Showy, oversize fins impart subtle grace.

All these characteristics blend to make the crappie an extremely beloved character. At least 6.1 million U.S. anglers 16 years old and older fish for crappie, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Only black bass, trout and catfish are more popular.

The two species of crappie—black crappie and white crappie—have always been found in waters throughout my home state of Arkansas, but this is not necessarily the case elsewhere. The growth of the crappies' range in other parts of the country during the past century shows how very popular they are.

Crappie are flyweights in the world of fishes, but what they lack in size, they compensate for with sheer numbers and the typical ease with which they are caught.

Black crappie originally were found only in the eastern half of the United States except for the northeastern seaboard. The range of this popular panfish was greatly expanded, however, by introductions into eastern sections of the country where it wasn't found originally, and throughout much of the West and Midwest. Washington received its first stockings in 1890, California in 1891, Idaho in 1892 and Oregon in 1893.
The original range of the white crappie extended from eastern South Dakota to New York, then south to Alabama and Texas. This species also has been widely introduced into new waters as well, and like the black crappie, it now is found in all lower 48 states. It tends to be more at home in the oxbows, large lakes and sluggish rivers of the South, while the black crappie, which thrives best in colder, clearer water, can be found as far north as southern Canada.
Crappie also have been stocked in Mexico and Panama, with populations thriving in both countries.
Another indication people love crappie is the fact that several places lay claim to the title "Crappie Capital of the World." Among these are Weiss Lake, Alabama; Kentucky Lake in Kentucky and Tennessee; Grand Lake, Oklahoma; and Lake Okeechobee, Florida. Folks in Louisiana have gone a step farther and designated the white crappie as their official state fish.
Crappie have, indeed, won the hearts of millions. But some, like my catfishing buddy, will never be swayed. To them, crappie always will be "kids' fish"—too small, too easy and too wimpy to be worthy of attention. For the rest of us, however, crappie always will be special. We love being on the water where they live. We love fishing for them. And we love eating them.
Now I find myself about to savor that last and best part of the crappie-fishing experience—the eating. The sweet aroma of hot peanut oil fills my kitchen as I dredge the fillets from some jumbo crappie in seasoned cornmeal. When each piece is ready, I drop it in the skillet. The fillets sizzle as they cook.
"He has a lot to recommend him," beloved author Havilah Babcock wrote of this extraordinary panfish. "When a sizable crappie is cleaned immediately and dropped for a few scant minutes into a pan of sizzling fat, he is a fillip for the most jaded appetite."
I'm not sure what a fillip is, but as I watch the crappie fillets sizzling in the skillet, I feel like a hungry cat watching a crippled bird. My gastric juices churn. I salivate like a wolf smelling blood.
I bite into one of the hot, golden fillets, and in a sudden moment of clarity, I realize: this is why I love crappie fishing.

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March Crappie Could Be the Best Time

March Crappie Could Be the Best Time

By Steve Welch

Most folks when they think crappie they think dogwoods blooming, water temps in the mid sixties and picking tasty crappie off spawning beds in less than two-feet of water.

Actually the early season can be just as good if not better. We get our first taste of spring in late March and the crappie react to this. They are still in deep water and schooled up making it easy to catch a bunch from just one spot. You can’t do that during spawning time. They are spread out al over the shallow bays and backwaters.

The one difference in March and early April is nice full sun days. With light winds the sun can penetrate deep into the water and the crappie will simply rise up from their deep haunts and suspend sometimes right under the surface in thirty feet of water.

Lake Shelbyville where I make my living as a full time fishing guide has thousands of down trees and standing trees in deep water off river channels. This is where they take up residence for the winter. On dark miserable days they just drop down into that tree and don’t bite very well.

 But on sunny days they can feel that one-degree surface temperature difference and the feeding frenzy is on. Each tree is different because each has branches at different depths. The one thing in common they have is good depth. When they flooded this lake they left several standing trees on channel banks because they knew the lake would be flooded over the top of them. Those trees have every branch they ever had before the lake was impounded.

Since Lake Shelbyville is a flood control lake they drop it six-feet in winter and the standing trees on these channel banks that normally are in too deep of water now are perfect and it is in these trees that I get some of the biggest early season crappie I catch each year.

If I were to go back and keep records of the crappie I have caught on Shelbyville over fifteen-inches. Seventy-five percent of them came fishing very deep in March and early April. Most are very big black crappie and most have adapted to staying deep their entire lives. This is why they got so big; they really haven’t seen many lures.

I love fishing this pattern; my boat is set up to fish deep with three seats up on the nose and the electronics to find their hiding spots. This way of fishing I was introduced to on Kentucky Lake years ago and I simply brought it home with me.

Down there we target channel bends and mouths of huge bays. Most look for man made structure and this works but if you can find natural stumps on the lake they will hold bigger fish. We look for the same thing on Shelbyville. I have side imaging on both the front and back of my boat and four Lowrance HDS systems that can show 2-d sonar, GPS, side and down imaging and they are all networked. You top this off with the scroll back image capabilities and you have a system that just allows you to do so much the crappie don’t stand a chance. The pictures on these units are amazing. They look like an oil painting of a tree with every branch drawn in perfect detail.

I use my side imaging to go down a stretch of bank on a river channel and look for either down trees of standing trees with crappie hiding in the branches. Once I find some I drop a waypoint on them and proceed to hover over them and see how deep the fish are suspended within the branches. You might be in fifty-feet of water fishing a mere ten-foot down trying to come in contact with one of the horizontal branches.

We use my Deep Ledge Jigs, which are heavier to bump into suspended branches and make the crappie bite with a reaction strike. They also have a small number four hooks on them that will straighten if you snag a branch. We use 8/3 Fireline Crystal braided line to give you better feel and the power to snap your jig free from a branch. This system works great on both Shelbyville and Kentucky Lake and this past winter the sauger fishermen have taken a liking to my jigs as well.

In fact everyone likes them so well we now offer them on my website on-line store and at four retail stores around Lake Shelbyville. We also go to the instate fishing shows and run a booth to sell even more of them. My website is called www.LakeShelbyvilleGuide.com and while you are in there you might want to book an early season crappie trip.

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Crappie Temp Cheat Sheet

Of all the factors determining crappie location and activity, none is more critical than water temperature. Experts pitched in to help me create this simple but useful cheat sheet that spells out where crappies will be and what you need to do to catch them in 5-degree water temperature increments year-round.

Water Temperature: 35 Degrees
Overview: Crappies will be deep and sluggish now, but they’re still catchable with the right presentation.
Key Location: Check main-lake river channels for crappies holding tight to bottom cover in 30 to 60 feet of water.
Primary Patternⁱ: Vertical presentations rule in the dead of winter. Fish straight down, using live minnows on a Kentucky rig (see diagram below) or spoons jigged just above the fish.

Water Temperature: 40 Degrees
Overview: Crappies will begin migrating from deep river channels toward major tributaries, where they will eventually spawn. They’ll often suspend in open water now rather than relate to cover or breaklines.
Key Location: Waves of crappies will stage off points leading into reservoir tributary arms, suspending off these structures 20 to 30 feet deep. Some fish will remain on river channel structure in considerably deeper water.
Primary Pattern: Wind-drift 1⁄8- to 1⁄4-ounce jigs on longlines around tributary points. Watch your graph for suspended baitfish schools—crappies are seldom far from a food source.

Water Temperature: 45 Degrees
Overview: Many crappies have started migrating toward their eventual spawning areas. It’s prime time.
Key Location: Target crappies hanging tight to submerged wood on deep channel banks near the entrance to tributaries, 12 to 25 feet deep. Most fish will range from the primary point to about a quarter of the way back into the creek arm.
Primary Pattern: Target-cast grubs to channel bends with wood. Cast, let the grub sink until it contacts the cover, then immediately begin swimming it slowly and steadily back to the boat.

Water Temperature: 50 Degrees
Overview: The prespawn migration is in full swing now, with large numbers of crappies moving into reservoir tributary arms. Stragglers suspending in deep water off tributary points will make their move shallower following a few days of mild, sunny weather.
Key Location: Continue targeting the creek channel migration route, keying on isolated wood cover along channel bends for the largest concentration of fish. Crappies instinctively remain 12 to 20 feet deep now, probably to insulate themselves from the impact of frontal passages.
Primary Pattern: Map out the creek channel with marker buoys, then bump a Kentucky rig baited with minnows or a minnow/tube bait combination along the channel drop.

Water Temperature: 55 Degrees
Overview: Expect the bite to get more aggressive as crappies begin feeling “the urge to merge” and feed heavily before spawning.
Key Location: A few big fish will be in the upper half of tributary arms, but you’ll find numbers of fish in the lower half, still relating to the creek channel migration route. Shallow ditches veering off the creek channel and running toward shallow spawning coves can hold huge fish.
Primary Pattern: Target ditches with grubs and small crank baits; on mild days, crappies may be as shallow as one to three feet deep along these structures. Work the creek channel with grubs, keying on brushy cover in the six- to 12-foot zone.

Water Temperature: 60 Degrees
Overview: Crappies spawn in water from around 65 to 75 degrees, so the immediate prespawn period is a good time to load the boat with oversize fish. Baitfishi schools continue to be a primary location factor now as crappies fatten up before spawning.
Key Location: Hopefully you did your homework while the lake was drawn down during winter and marked the location of brushy cover and stake beds on your map and GPS. Now that the water is higher, crappies will be all over this cover midway into tributary arms, three to eight feet deep
Primary Pattern: Tightlining minnows and jigging tube baits around sunken cover will score heavy crappie catches in murky water. In clear water, back off your target, make a long cast and swim a curlytail grub.

Water Temperature: 65 Degrees
Overview: Crappies will be shallow now; some will be spawning, but many will still be in a prespawn mode. Don’t rush the season—if you aren’t catching quality fish on likely spawning cover, back off and target prespawn crappies instead.
Key Location: Crappies will be in the upper half of tributary arms, holding tight to isolated stake beds and submerged brush piles. Prespawn fish will be in three to six feet of water, but will chase minnows shallower.
Primary Pattern: Tight-lining minnows on long rods is the standard method now, but target-casting grubs and tubes to submerged wood works, too.

Water Temperature: 70 Degrees
Overview: Spawning season kicks in big-time! Male crappies fan out the nest while females hang back waiting for the water temperature to rise a degree or two before moving onto the beds.
Key Location: Spawning takes place on woody cover (stake beds, brush piles, etc.) in the upper ends of brushy coves and creek arms, anywhere from three to 12 feet deep depending on the lake’s clarity.
Primary Pattern: Cast tubes and grubs or tight-line minnows close to cover. If you’re catching numbers of small males, back off and hit deeper isolated stake beds and stumps for the bigger females.

Water Temperature: 75 Degrees
Overview: Some crappies will be done spawning while others are finally moving onto their beds. Postspawn fish will hang around bedding areas for several days until the water temperature rises.
Key Location: Spawners will be on wood from three to 12 feet deep depending on water clarity. Postspawn fish will be on isolated pieces of cover adjacent to spawning sites.
Primary Pattern: Determine the crappies’ spawning mode. If tube baits or minnows don’t produce strikes in thick brush and stake beds, target-cast grubs to scattered wood.

 

Water Temperature: 80 Degrees
Overview: Most crappie fishermen hang up their rods after the spawn, but a shift in tactics can yield fast action on postspawn fish.
Key Location: Before moving to their deep summer haunts, many crappies gravitate to the edges of flats, hanging tight to scattered wood or suspending above the breakline closest to the structure.
Primary Pattern: Troll small diving crankbaits like the 200 series Bandit around the edges of flats in the six- to 18-foot zone, occasionally banging the plugs off stumps and bottom.

Water Temperature: 85 Degrees
Overview: Crappies will be moving out of tributaries via the same creek channel migration routes they traveled before spawning.
Key Location: Slabs gang up on secondary and primary points that drop quickly into deep water. Look for them suspending 18 to 30 feet deep around baitfish schools.
Primary Pattern: Target channel points using a Kentucky rig bumped slowly along bottom.

Water Temperature: 90 Degrees
Overview: In the Sun Belt, water temps in the 90s are common by August. Crappies suspend for long periods now to conserve metabolic energy. River-run reservoirs with a flowing channel usually have better fishing now than slackwater lakes.
Key Location: Channel ledges lined with standing timber or brushy cover offer your best bet now. Crappies are probably suspending 18 to 30 feet deep in 60 feet of water.
Primary Pattern: If fish are suspended high in the water column, slow-drifting minnows or tubes through the school can produce strikes. If they’re tight to bottom, use a Kentucky rig.

Water Temperature: 85 Degrees
Overview: While the lake’s surface temperature cools quickly as the days grow shorter in early fall, deeper water cools more gradually, so expect to find crappies deep.
Key Location: Deep channel cover continues to be your best bet for finding concentrations of fish.
Primary Pattern: Kentucky rigs bumped along cover and spoons jigged over wood.

Water Temperature: 80 Degrees
Overview: Crappies are following channels, or moving shallow to prey on baitfish schools, so expect a pickup in activity.
Key Location: Primary tributary points, where the creek and river channel intersect, can hold a ton of baitfish and crappies now.
Primary Pattern: Target the 15- to 25-foot zone with a Kentucky rig. If crappies are suspended, slow-troll cranks.

Water Temperature: 75 Degrees
Overview: Shadi move into shallow coves and tributaries to spawn, and crappies follow.
Key Location: The first half of reservoir tributary arms will hold large schools of crappies.
Primary Pattern: Target scattered wood along the creek channel 10 to 20 feet deep with grubs and Kentucky rigs.

Water Temperature: 70 Degrees
Overview: As baitfish move farther back into the tributaries, crappies follow, feeding on wandering schools.
Key Location: Check channels, secondary points and flats in the back half of reservoir tributary arms. Crappies hold anywhere from two to 10 feet deep, depending on water clarity.
Primary Pattern: Use a bass fishing approach. Coverⁱ water quickly, casting a grub or small crankbait to every piece of wood you encounter.

Water Temperature: 65 Degrees
Overview: Reservoirⁱ drawdown usually starts about now; dropping water levels push baitfish and crappies out of tributary arms toward the main body of the lake.
Key Location: Crappies use the same migratory routes they took in spring to move back to the main lake. Find them on creek channel cover in the 12-foot zone.
Primary Pattern: Cast grubs or bump Kentucky rigs around creek channel cover.

Water Temperature: 60 Degrees
Overview: Colder nights spell a rapid cool-down. As drawdown continues, many crappies leave reservoir tributaries.
Key Location: Deep points and steep bluff banks at or near the mouths of tributaries hold large schools of crappies in the 15- to 25-foot zone.
Primary Pattern: Drifting live minnows on long rods rigged with heavy sinkers is a proven fall tournament tactic. Lower the sinker to bottom, then reel up to the level of suspended crappies.

Water Temperature: 55 Degrees
Overview: The 60-degree pattern should remain about the same until the lake turns over—assuming it does.
Key Location: Deep points and steep rock bluffs near tributary mouths hold concentrations of fish.
Primary Pattern: If crappies aren’t on the points, drift jigs or troll crankbaits for fish schooled in the open water between the points.

Water Temperature: 50 Degrees
Overview: Turnover usually occurs during the fall-winter transition, triggering a wholesale movement of crappies.
Key Location: Intersection of channels, 25 to 40 feet deep.
Primary Pattern: Crappies are often tight to bottom right now, and they’re going to stay that way through the cold weather months, so bang a Kentucky rig along the channel.

Water Temperature: 45 Degrees
Overview: Crappies have settled into a winter pattern now, setting up on deep channel structure.
Key Location: Channels with brush, 18 to 40 feet deep.
Primary Pattern: Fish the bottom along bends and pronounced drop-offs.

Water Temperature: 40 Degrees
Overview: In hyper-chilled water, crappies are deep and feed only sporadically.
Key Location: Channels with brushy cover or submerged standing timber. Look for crappies 40 to 60 feet deep.
Primary Pattern: Fishing spoons along the channel, or hug bottom with your Kentucky rig.

Water Temperature: 35 Degrees
Overview: Crappies are sluggish, requiring a patient approach.
Key Location: Slabs are on bottom 40 to 60 feet deep along main-lake channels.
Primary Pattern: More bottom rigging—look for the cycle to start anew soon after water temps bottom out.

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Crappies by Degrees

Rising water temperatures send crappies shore ward in stages.

Article by Brian Ruzzo

Catching crappies can be a springtime coin toss. Go fishing during the general time frame when crappies are spawning in the shallows-or are just about to-and they'll take anything that looks like a live minnow. Either the fish are there or they're not, and timing the bite is usually a matter of luck and word of mouth. But there's a better way to ensure success.

Like all other fish, crappies are influenced by water temperature, which triggers their seasonal movements. Anglers who recognize the relationship between temperature and location are almost always in the right place at the right time to catch papermouths.

In 2003, a telemetry study at Kentucky Lake yielded useful and surprising information about crappie movements based on water temperature changes. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources biologist Paul Rister shared the results of the study with Outdoor Life. The conclusions we can draw from the Kentucky Lake study are a useful guide to fishing for crappies at many highland impoundments throughout the South.

We also spoke with Minnesota fisheries biologist Mike McInerny to compare notes and determine what information from the Kentucky Lake study would be useful for crappie fishermen in the Midwest. Here's a closer look at how water temperature influences both Southern and Northern crappie movements.

The Southern Model
According to Rister, during the winter the water temperature at Kentucky Lake (and several other Southern reservoirs) usually hovers near 40 degrees, especially along the main river channels. During these cold-water periods crappies will hold near secondary river channels.

"At Kentucky Lake the main river channel is the old Tennessee River. Crappies gravitate to the creeks that once fed the main river," says Rister. "These secondary channels can reach up into the shallower embayments."

Near the main river channel the secondary channels are as deep as 30 feet. Farther back, the secondary channels might be only 10 feet deep. Crappies will suspend near brush along the secondary channel. The telemetry studies showed two distinct populations of cold-water crappies: those that remain close to the main channel in the 30-foot depths and others that stay in the 10-foot depths closer to the back of bays. Rister can't positively say why the groups occupy their respective winter niches. It might be a natural predilection related to where the crappies were spawned. There is little movement or mixing of the two groups; they're homebodies.

What does this mean to crappie anglers? Once you locate a school of crappies at some point along a secondary channel you will likely find that school using the same spot throughout the winter, until rising average temperatures and longer days trigger movement toward the shallows. In this early pre-spawn period, try spider- rigging multiple poles with tube jigs of different colors. Set the jigs at different depths and use a wind sock to drift along the secondary channel.

[pagebreak] By March, most Southern crappie waters have warmed into the 50s. When the water temperature is 50 to 56 degrees, most crappies will be found staging on flats ranging from 6 to 15 feet deep.

"Whenever anglers start catching fish shallow they often think the fish must be spawning. Actually they're in the pre-spawn feeding frenzy," explains Rister. "During this time anglers should look for flats with baitfish. Structure is not as important as forage."

Spider rigs, combined with wind socks, are still a great fish finder. Simply adjust line depths and drift across the flats until you pinpoint schools of hungry crappies.

According to Rister, crappies begin spawning when the water hits 57 degrees. At Kentucky Lake spawning fish can be found in any shallow-water habitat ranging from 18 inches to 3 feet deep-deeper in clearer Southern reservoirs. Southern crappie should target four specific cover types: buttonball bush, water willow, willow trees, and cypress trees.

To explore bank cover, minnows and jigs are hard to beat because they can be fished vertically. In more open water, try small in-line or safety-pin-style spinnerbaits to locate crappies that are near submerged cover.

Summertime Myths
Most anglers believe that after crappies spawn they move back out to the river channels where they suspend and become extremely difficult to catch. But the Kentucky Lake telemetry study suggests that's not the case.

In 2003 the study focused on Blood Creek, the largest secondary channel on the Kentucky portion of Kentucky Lake. The study was inspired by several complaints filtering in from crappie anglers in the area. Catches were down, yet the state maintained that Kentucky Lake harbored its largest populations of crappies ever. So what was happening?

What biologists found through trap-net studies was that black crappies, which prior to 1997 made up only 18 percent of the catch, were by 2003 significantly outnumbering the whites. Since 1997, black crappies made up 72 percent of the trap net catch, but anglers caught no more than they ever did. While the crappie population was increasing overall-mostly due to an explosion of black crappies-anglers were not cashing in.

The study proved that black crappies remained shallow long after the spawn, while white crappies spawned and quickly migrated offshore. Rister notes many of the black crappies were still shallow in early July, even though the water temperature was 80 degrees.

Rister speculates that crappie anglers were vacating shallow water to chase white crappies, as they always had. In recent years the diminishing white crappie population became harder to find, however, and consequently were more difficult to catch. Fishing shallow for black crappies, even in June and July, could solve the problem of diminished harvests for crappie fishermen at Kentucky Lake, and wherever else the species is dominant or thriving.

"If our transmitters had lasted a month or two longer we would have probably seen the blacks move out to the flats in five to six feet of water and pretty much stay there," says Rister.

The biologist also notes that brush is important because the summertime blacks are habitat-oriented, especially in shallow water. In the fall, black crappies can still be found fairly shallow. While the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources hasn't conducted any autumn telemetry studies, researchers have set out nets during that period for population surveys. Most of the nets are set in 5 to 15 feet of water during October. Rister says the number of black crappies caught in these nets indicates that they are still using shallow water.

Meanwhile, Up North
Not surprisingly, Northern crappies spend much of their time in deep water during winter. In lakes that are frozen over, the water temperature just below the ice hovers in the low 30s. Twenty to 30 feet down, however, the water might be as warm as 39 degrees. Minnesota fisheries biologist Mike McInerny, who is also a crappie angler, says the fish do not seem to be structure-oriented and suspend in open water while waiting out winter. Then crappies begin moving shallow when water temperatures warm.

"I have noticed that we start catching more crappies in our trap nets in the spring once the water temperature reaches about fifty degrees," says McInerny. "Most of our trap nets are set in less than six feet of water."

Cover is not as important to Midwestern crappies in early spring. Instead, anglers should focus on places where the water tends to be warmest-such as the shallows along northeastern banks that are warmed by the sun.

According to McInerny, there's some evidence that suggests the length of day might influence when Northern crappies begin to spawn. In Minnesota and many other northern states (South Dakota, Michigan, Wisconsin, and New York among them), crappies generally begin to spawn in mid-May. The spawn peaks in early June.[pagebreak]

Since spring weather in the northern tier of states is unpredictable, there's no specific trigger point for water temperature. McInerny says crappies can be found spawning in water ranging anywhere from 57 to 75 degrees. As a general rule, expect crappies to spawn in cooler water when air temperatures are cooler than normal for the season. The opposite is true of springs in warmer years.

The Right Cover
Crappies will build nests from 2 to 19 feet deep, depending on the water clarity and species. At southern Minnesota's Dog Lake, which McInerny describes as turbid, white crappies spawn in less than 2 feet of water, while the blacks can be found in 4 to 5 feet. In clearer water, crappies will nest much deeper, especially black crappies.

"One study in Minnesota showed that black crappies chose nest sites near emergent vegetation like bulrush and avoided sites with a lot of submergent aquatic vegetation," says McInerny.

That's easy to explain. Bulrush, along with wood cover and other stemmed vegetation, provides protection from heavy wind and wave action. Stem cover also makes it easier for males to defend the nests. In submergent weeds, smaller fish can hide and raid crappie nests for the eggs.

After spawning, northern crappies can often be found resting along the outside edges of deeper weed beds. At Dog Lake, the deepest weed beds are found in less than 10 feet of water due to turbidity. When he fishes for crappies, McInerny systematically probes the outer edge of such weed beds. "I hit each stem," he says.

During the low-light periods, such as dawn or dusk, crappies will vacate their aquatic shelters to feed. Some will feed along shallow banks, usually by chasing small baitfish.

Other crappies will move out to deeper water to feed on chaoborus, tiny aquatic insects related to mosquitos. At Dog Lake, chaoborus inhabit sediment located in 20 to 27 feet of water. According to McInerny, crappies will suspend above the sediment in 15 feet of water, which is usually where the thermocline sets up in most northern lakes. As the chaoborus emerge and float toward the surface, crappies suck in an easy meal.

In most northern lakes crappies will remain in 15 feet of water or shallower until water temperatures fall below 50 degrees in autumn. Then the crappies search out their winter holes and prepare to begin the cycle again. influence when Northern crappies begin to spawn. In Minnesota and many other northern states (South Dakota, Michigan, Wisconsin, and New York among them), crappies generally begin to spawn in mid-May. The spawn peaks in early June.[pagebreak]

Since spring weather in the northern tier of states is unpredictable, there's no specific trigger point for water temperature. McInerny says crappies can be found spawning in water ranging anywhere from 57 to 75 degrees. As a general rule, expect crappies to spawn in cooler water when air temperatures are cooler than normal for the season. The opposite is true of springs in warmer years.

The Right Cover
Crappies will build nests from 2 to 19 feet deep, depending on the water clarity and species. At southern Minnesota's Dog Lake, which McInerny describes as turbid, white crappies spawn in less than 2 feet of water, while the blacks can be found in 4 to 5 feet. In clearer water, crappies will nest much deeper, especially black crappies.

"One study in Minnesota showed that black crappies chose nest sites near emergent vegetation like bulrush and avoided sites with a lot of submergent aquatic vegetation," says McInerny.

That's easy to explain. Bulrush, along with wood cover and other stemmed vegetation, provides protection from heavy wind and wave action. Stem cover also makes it easier for males to defend the nests. In submergent weeds, smaller fish can hide and raid crappie nests for the eggs.

After spawning, northern crappies can often be found resting along the outside edges of deeper weed beds. At Dog Lake, the deepest weed beds are found in less than 10 feet of water due to turbidity. When he fishes for crappies, McInerny systematically probes the outer edge of such weed beds. "I hit each stem," he says.

During the low-light periods, such as dawn or dusk, crappies will vacate their aquatic shelters to feed. Some will feed along shallow banks, usually by chasing small baitfish.

Other crappies will move out to deeper water to feed on chaoborus, tiny aquatic insects related to mosquitos. At Dog Lake, chaoborus inhabit sediment located in 20 to 27 feet of water. According to McInerny, crappies will suspend above the sediment in 15 feet of water, which is usually where the thermocline sets up in most northern lakes. As the chaoborus emerge and float toward the surface, crappies suck in an easy meal.

In most northern lakes crappies will remain in 15 feet of water or shallower until water temperatures fall below 50 degrees in autumn. Then the crappies search out their winter holes and prepare to begin the cycle again.