Catching That Crappie Wave

Every year, starting late winter, well-into late spring and even early summer, crappie begin their spawn. The wave starts here in the deep south and will continue as far north into Canada. It is perhaps the favorite time of year for crappie anglers. It's that time of year when even the novice of novice fishers can catch numbers of spawning fish. Just like clockwork, the spawn occurs here in the southern regions of the United States and progressively moves like a giant wave of crappie fishing heaven. Typically starting late January to mid February, the flurry begins and spreads north through the middle states from middle March through April. The wave continues north through April and May. So if you are a crappie enthusiust, and have time to travel, you can ride this crappie wave all the way to Canada. This may be a little far fetched for most of us, but it is possible to catch part of the ride by traveling a few hours north of where you are fishing. Perhaps the best example here in South Louisiana has happened this past week where the crappie went into a full spawning mode. People were catching limits of nice fish. By this time in March, the North Louisiana lakes will be getting that wave of spawning fish. It is the best time for those trophy lakes in Mississippi, such as Grenada Lake. There are many really great crappie lakes throughout the country to travel to. Perhaps the best thing about spawning fish is that they are usually very aggressive and easy to catch. It may be the best time to catch a trophy fish. Those fish that are full of roe will weigh as much as 7-8 ounces more than they would another time of year. A two and three quarter pound fish may weigh well over three pounds when its full of eggs. There are a range of factors to consider when traveling to places for spawning fish. The spawn is dictated by weather, water temps, and moon phases. If you are planning to travel, it is always a good idea to look at all these factors. There is never a guaranty, but if you do research on a particular area you would like to fish, it may pay dividends. So if you are looking to catch great numbers of aggressive crappie or maybe that trophy 3 pounder, riding that crappie wave may be the best way to do so. Good luck fishing. Hope to see you on the water.

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