Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - 18

Crappies
on Ice

by Carl Haensel
photos by the author
When ice forms in Pennsylvania, the fishing can be great.
Two of the premier ice fishing species that bite well and
can be good to target are Pennsylvania's two species
of crappies. Black Crappies and White Crappies are
found throughout Pennsylvania, are closely related and
exhibit similar behaviors. Commonly found in lakes and
impoundments that fish well using ice fishing techniques,
crappies can grow big in Pennsylvania.

Finding fish

When heading out on the ice during the winter, it pays
to maximize the time spent locating fish. While it can be
as easy as heading to your favorite summertime hotspots,
often fish are in different locations during winter. If you
get the opportunity to hit the water at the end of the
season before freeze-up, scouting and fishing your favorite
lake can pay dividends. Look for remaining submerged
vegetation that is green and in good shape. Flats that
contain sparse live weed growth can be crappie magnets
just after ice-up. If you go ice fishing in the middle of
the day and the crappies are not active, do not despair.
Crappies are frequently most active a few hours before
or after sundown. This can be especially true on bright,
sunny days.

18

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * January/February 2020	

Later in the winter, crappies tend to suspend over deep
water and holes, often in the deepest part of the lake or
reservoir that you are fishing. Look for crappies in deep areas
that are near good feeding flats, where fish often move during
low-light hours. Use a high-quality sonar unit to look for fish,
often suspended 2- to 8-feet off the bottom, though crappies
can be found at any depth. If crappies are not feeding, fish
may, at times, be found tight to the bottom in deep areas.
Fishing for fish here often produces perch, Walleyes and
other fish that relate more closely to bottom structure.
Once you have chosen an area, it is important to have a
plan to find fish. Pick a central location for your equipment,
and drill holes moving out in all directions from that point.
Stagger the holes every 15- to 30-feet apart. After you have
drilled some holes, move from hole to hole with your depth
finder, looking for suspended fish. If you see fish on your
finder, drop down an ice fly on a jigging rod to see if the
fish will bite. If you pull up a nice crappie, you are in luck.
Fish often move, and you may need to shift among your
holes or drill an entirely new set of holes to keep up with
shifting panfish locations.

Bait for crappies

When you are looking to entice crappies during the
winter, you will need bait. While you can occasionally catch
active fish on artificial jigging lures and small spoons, it
may be inconsistent. Live baits for crappies fall into two
categories- minnows and larvae. Minnows are a popular
and productive bait for crappies. Small Fathead Minnows
are often called "crappie minnows" due to the regular usage
www.gonefishingpa.com
http://www.gonefishingpa.com
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020
