| Crappies are one of the best tasting fish I have | | | | protection. Casting near these areas in the |
| ever eaten, I like them better then trout. The | | | | summer and warmer months will often be very |
| meat is pure white and is firm and full of good | | | | productive for catching a mess of crappie. In the |
| mellow flavour. Crappies are a panfish, similar to | | | | fall time of the year, they move towards the |
| bluegill and sunfish. When I was a young man, a | | | | shores and become more aggressive again in their |
| lot of local fishermen called crappie, ' calico bass '. | | | | feeding and biting. This aggressive feeding and |
| Luckily for us fishermen they are considered a | | | | biting continues throughout the cold winter |
| panfish and are not restricted in most areas, like | | | | months, which makes crappie a great fish to |
| other bass are when it comes to fishing laws. | | | | catch while ice fishing in the winter. |
| Here in Pennsylvania we are allowed to catch 50 | | | | The best time to catch crappies is during the |
| crappies a day with no size limitations. | | | | daylight hours, with early morning after sunrise |
| Crappies are ' little hellions ', they are full of | | | | and in the late afternoon towards early evening |
| energy and despite their small size they can make | | | | hours being the best times. Crappies love |
| a normal fishing rod bend to the breaking point | | | | minnows with a passion, and when it comes to |
| and cause a reels drag to become active, the | | | | live baits there is no better choice than a small |
| energy and taste are two reasons why crappies | | | | minnow. If you don't have or cannot get live |
| are such a great fish to catch. | | | | minnows, then use jigs or any such lure that looks |
| Crappies come in two types or varieties, there | | | | as realistic as possible to a live minnow. But when |
| are black crappies and white crappies. Crappies | | | | you use an artificial minnow make sure you keep |
| live throughout the U.S in many ponds, lakes and | | | | the lure pretty active, so it simulates a live |
| streams, I guess if other panfish or even bass | | | | minnow as much as possible, if the fake minnow |
| can thrive in the water, then crappie can also. | | | | just sits still, crappie have been known to look and |
| Crappie look similar in size and shape to other | | | | then just pass by, they seem to prefer live |
| panfish, except they are a lot more silver colored, | | | | minnows and bait instead of dead ones. Crappies |
| with black spots, and they have upturned noses. | | | | have a abnormally soft mouth, so be aware that |
| They are actually a very nice looking fish, and the | | | | if you jerk your rod too hard, to set the hook, |
| silver or shiny color shimmers in the sunlight. | | | | you can rip it right out of the crappies mouth, |
| Crappies can be caught year around. In the spring | | | | resulting in losing the fish. |
| and fall months they move near the shore areas, | | | | There is Computer Software that is made for |
| and in the summer they move out in more | | | | crappie fishing as well as catching any type of fish. |
| deeper and cooler water. They are probably the | | | | After keeping a few past records of fishing trips, |
| most active in the early spring months when they | | | | this software will help you to easily calculate what |
| move towards the shores to spawn, they | | | | days will be a great fishing day ! The software is |
| become very aggressive and tend to bite and | | | | called: ' Fishing Buddy ', you can download and try |
| attack anything that is cast or moves near them | | | | the software for free from this website address: |
| or the nest, making it pretty easy to get a | | | | By Robert W. Benjamin |
| stringer full of crappies in a short time in the | | | | Copyright © 2006 |
| spring season. The nests look like hollowed out | | | | You may publish this article in your ezine, |
| depressions or dishes in the mud or gravel on the | | | | newsletter or on your website as long as it is |
| bottoms of the ponds and lakes. If you walk | | | | reprinted in its entirety and without modification |
| slowly around the edges of the water, you can | | | | except for formatting needs or grammar |
| see these nests and often see the crappie in and | | | | corrections. |
| near them. Once you spot one of the nests, | | | | Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software |
| casting your bait near it will usually produce a | | | | business on the internet for over 5 years, and |
| quick strike. | | | | has been producing low-cost software for the |
| In the summer or warmer months, they often | | | | past 25+ years. He first released software on the |
| hang around stumps, trees, and other debris | | | | AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late |
| areas and underwater structures for shading and | | | | 1970's-80's. |