Many anglers target panfish each winter through the ice. Crappie are one of the most popular throughout the upper parts of North America. These fish have very specific winter feeding locations and habits.
Location
The best bottom to locate Crappie in the winter time is a mud or silt bottom. The reason for this is the food that Crappie consume. Even though they are often caught on small minnows, a large part of their diet is invertebrates and crustaceans that live in a mud bottom. The depth you find Crappie at can vary on the average depth of a lake. In smaller lakes and reservoirs that are relatively shallow, Crappie will often be found in 5-12′ of water. In larger lakes that have a good mix of deep and shallow water they will most likely be found in the 15-25′ depths.
Strategy
Given that even large Crappie will feed heavily on small organisms near the bottom it makes sense to either fish a small 1/16 or 1/32 oz jighead tipped with either live maggots, wax-worms or mousies.
Italo Labigan video, Largemouth Bass great way to introduce to fishing.
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Italo Labignan video, 1/2 Pike TipNJig Ice TV shpw.
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On my winter trips to Florida one of my favorite saltwater fish to target near pier and bridge abutments is the toothy Sheepshead.
These fish are equipped with human-like teeth that are designed to break oyster shells and barnacles and also to crush their favorite food…crabs!
Small crabs about the size of thumb-nail are ideal rigged on a #4 thin, sharp hook. You don’t want to use to heavy a hook as you need special care in hooking up the crabs without cracking the shell apart. These are gently lowered close to a pile where Sheepshead are feeding. Fishing depth depends on conditions. If its clear water and sunny I fish near the bottom. If the water is stained from a moving tide and its overcast I vary my fishing depth.
Sheepshead don’t hit-and-run. Bites can be very subtle and often your crab is gone without you feeling a thing, so have lots of crabs with you!
Italo Labignan – Sportsman Channel Canada Here’s the Catch! TV Series, exclusive release “Saltwater Bluefish Action.”
Mon, 6:30am
Thurs. 5pm
Fri. 4:30am
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