Troll for Crappie

Trolling for crappie is one of the very best and easiest ways to catch these tasty fish all year long. A few simple steps can be easily modified for any lake where crappie live.

Steps

  1. Determine the depth the crappie are using. You can do this by looking at your depth finder as you zig-zag slowly along. Crappie hang out in schools and will appear as Christmas Tree shapes or lots of streaks.
  2. Jigs and grubs are ideal for trolling. They are cheap and easy to rig up, and the tails make good swimming movements in the water. Start by tying two 1/16-ounce jigs to your line, about eighteen inches apart.
  3. Most people like to use a different color grub on each jig, and experiment until they discover what the crappie like best that day. Good colors to start with include chartreuse, green, black/green/blue, and yellow.
  4. Get the boat moving at about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}.
  5. Cast your jig and grub set-up out and let out about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of line, then close the bail.
  6. Put the rod in a rod holder or at least set it down and secure it so it can't be pulled out of the boat.
  7. Watch the rod. If the tip starts to twitch hard or the rod bends, pick up the rod and start reeling.
  8. Crappie aren't called "paper mouths" for nothing. Don't horse the fish and use a net if it's a big one.
  9. If you aren't catching fish, you are probably fishing too deep. Crappie feed up, so it's better to be too shallow than too deep.
  10. In-line planer boards like Offshore Tackle's OR-34 Mini Board can be a great way to target open water Crappie. They attach directly to the line and can be used with any style rod. The are basically "directional bobbers" which can be used with any rod type. They are especially good when you need to cover a lot of water and when fish are spooky and shy away from the boat.



Tips

  • When you catch a fish or two, go back over that spot to see if you can get some more. Crappie usually school.
  • A lot of times, crappie fishermen talk to each other as they pass. It's perfectly okay to ask someone who is catching fish how deep they are fishing or what they are using. Just don't cut them off or get in their way.
  • Use light line. Out West, we use 6-pound-test mono.
  • Time of year can help you determine where the crappie are. In the spring when the water temperature gets into the 60's, they start moving shallow to spawn. Check river channels in {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of water or less.
  • Experiment by letting out more line or taking some in, or change colors to see what works best.
  • Small crankbaits are good for crappie trolling, too.
  • Looking for other boats that are trolling is also helpful. Most of the time crappie fishermen are used to having company, but don't get so close that you are a nuisance.

Warnings

  • Crappie have very thin mouths; be careful when setting your hook or you may just end up with a pair of fish-lips.

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