Last week I discussed how the rainy and cold weather had slowed the crappie bite in Lake Oconee, but eventually the crappie will begin their annual migration to areas where they will spawn. Webster’s dictionary defines migration as the movement from one place to another. To be successful in the pursuit of crappie in area reservoirs like lakes Oconee and Sinclair, anglers must understand migration as it applies to crappie.

Crappie are in constant migration as they move from place to place depending on water temperature, location of baitfish and their urge to spawn. As mentioned last week, the weather can play havoc with the crappie’s migration and certainly that has been true this winter, as we have had very cold and rainy weather.

The crappie allow the weather and water temperatures to define their movements. Generally the crappie will move from their shallow spring spawning grounds (this movement is referred to as post-spawn period) to offshore areas in the main lake in early summer and will remain there throughout the summer and into the fall. During the cooler weather of fall they may actually return to relatively shallow water to feed on threadfin shad that have also moved to shallow water.

As winter and colder weather arrives, the crappie move back to deeper water where they generally will stay until the first warming weather of late winter or early spring. With the first hint that winter is ending with slightly longer days with more sunshine and the water temperatures rises a few degrees, the crappie will make their first movement toward their spawning grounds (this movement is referred to as pre-spawn period).

Then around late February (we hope) or early March the crappie will move to shallow water (this movement is referred to as the spawning period) to spawn and then the migration cycle starts all over again. Whatever stage of their migration the crappie are in, they will always be found around their primary food source, the threadfin shad.

Anglers who understand the crappie’s migration movements will be able to catch crappie throughout the year. In times past, anglers thought of only catching crappie when they were in shallow water to spawn.

Even with the crazy weather we have had recently, most crappie anglers will tell you that the early crappie season is about to officially kick off, weather permitting. Weather changes may derail that movement several times over the next month but the migration toward spawning areas is surely about to slowly begin. All that is required is a few warm stable days to raise the water temperature just a couple degrees.

We are entering pre-spawn period now and the crappie are in the center of large coves and along flats adjacent to river channels. In some cases, they are in close proximity to where they will actually spawn. The crappie are now in deeper water but within a short swimming distance of where they will spawn.

Some early season anglers will go home empty handed while other anglers who can figure out exactly where the crappie are located in their migration will go home with a mess of tasty crappie. Now let me hasten to say that locating the crappie is only the first piece of the puzzle.

Locating the crappie right now is certainly the most important piece, but once you find the crappie, an angler has got to find something that the picky biting crappie will bite. During the early crappie season, the crappie minnow will often out perform jigs day-in and day-out. The current muddy water conditions makes finding something the crappie will bite even more challenging.

Now I know some crappie anglers who would not dare use a minnow, but I am a believer that you fish with what catches the fish. I know that once a crappie angler decides how to catch crappie there is generally no convincing him/her that there are other ways that will also work. You seldom find two crappie anglers who have the same exact techniques for catching crappie. Just like the pushing and pulling techniques I talked about last week.

However if you were to analyze the different techniques there is one condition that will always be the same. Put a lively minnow or a brightly colored jig in front of a crappie and that crappie is generally going to bite. Some anglers are just better at understanding the crappie’s migration movements, locating the crappie and then presenting the meal.

Good fishing and see you next week.