Late Season Ice Fishing For Crappie

Crappies are one of the most sought-after species through the ice for several reasons. First, they are delicious. Second, they are willing biters, and third - they tend to travel in large schools. Unfortunately, though, ice fishing for crappie later in the season can lead to a disappearing act.

The reason for that disappearing act is simple – they are moving toward their ice out spawning grounds, which are often far from where anglers are catching them in the early ice period.

Late Season Crappie Ice Fishing Tips

To locate them, try finding one of these common structures when ice fishing for crappie during late ice season on your local lake.

1. Brush Piles/Cribs

It’s no secret that crappies love brush, so brush piles, log fish attractors, and cribs should be Numero Uno on your list of places to look. Cribs and brush located in shallower water, close to the mouths of spawning bays, and near current are particularly good as the winter nears its end. These places can be hard to locate in the winter, so if you find one in the summer, mark its location and come back in the winter.

2. Suspended Over Channel Edges

Late ice crappies are also notorious for suspending, and one of the most common places they suspend is on or around the river channel in a reservoir system. Creek or river channels are natural fish highways, and crappies move to them in late winter to start their migration toward their spawning grounds. Locate the channel with a contour map, and set up a spread around the edges with tip-downs or tip-ups set with crappie minnows. The schools are often very mobile, so when they come through expect fast action punctuated by long lulls.

3. Marinas

Many marinas feature deep water with vertical structure in the form of permanent docks or lifts. Panfish relate to them more and more as the winter draws to a close, so spending some time in these areas is a no-brainer. If you can find a marina with some hard bottom, which is what crappies use to spawn once the ice comes off. Don’t be afraid to drill your holes right next to the dock pilings – sometimes they’re right underneath them.