Best Time to Catch Crappie [Seasonal Breakdown]


Crappie is a rather popular type of fish. They are freshwater fish and are known to be pretty easy to catch if you find them in a school. Even beginners can catch these fish if they go at the right time of the day and year!

The best time of day to catch crappie is 90 minutes after dawn and 90 minutes before dusk. Nighttime fishing during the warmer months of the year and midday fishing in the colder months also seems to work best. The best time of year to catch crappie is from early March to mid-May.

Whether you’re an experienced fisherman or you’re new to this hobby, it’s good to know and understand when the best times are to go fishing for certain species. This will give you the best shot at catching some fish.

Best Time of Day to Fish for Crappie

In general, the best time of day to go fishing for crappie is right after sunrise and just before sunset. Typically during the warmer months, these times will be best. The nighttime hours can also be a good time to fish for crappie during the warmer months because that’s when the water is finally cool.

On the other hand, during colder months, the times change a bit. During this time, it’s better to fish at midday when the air temperature is warmest. This warmer weather will attract crappies to feed.

There are a few times in the day that can generally be potentially good for catching crappie. These are during the early morning, late afternoon, and at night.

Early Morning

In the early morning, crappie fishing is normally very good. The best time to try to fish for crappie is from dawn until about 2 hours after sunrise. Because of the cooler water temperature, crappie will leave their cover to go chase down their preferred prey (minnows and insects).

During the night, crappie will usually move to shallower water while chasing bait. They will usually be a lot closer to the shore in the morning and will move further out into deeper water as the sun gets higher.

Late Afternoon

You can also have some pretty successful crappie fishing in the later afternoon until the evening, typically right up until dusk. The best time to try to fish for crappie in this time range is from about 2 hours before sunset until just a little after sunset.

Crappie do pretty well in reduced light conditions because they have better visual abilities than their prey does. This is why you’ll find them in areas when there seems to be less light.

Late afternoon water is a lot cooler than the middle of the day, so crappie will likely be willing to leave their cover to look for food. As the sun gets lower in the sky and begins to set, the sunlight isn’t as strong, and fish will begin to venture out of the shade to feed. This makes it easier to catch crappie because most of them are out and about at this time.

At this point, crappie will start moving closer to the shore again. Usually, around sunset is when you can find crappie in water with a depth of around 10-15 feet (or even shallower). Insects will begin to be active just above the water surface, which can also increase the feeding activity of the fish beneath.

Nighttime

Nighttime fishing for crappie can be very successful and rewarding. Crappie will usually feed well into the night as long as there is food and enough light for them to be able to detect prey. On dark nights, it’s harder for them to hunt for food, but on nights with a full moon, they have a good chance of finding prey near the surface of the water.

Moonlight can only penetrate a few feet of water, which means that crappie will most likely be feeding within the top 4 to 5 feet of water.

Some fishermen will use artificial lights to draw in crappie. You can use the light to bring in insects and provide light for crappie to be drawn to. When this happens, you will more easily be able to catch crappie because you have drawn them closer to you with the light.

Best Season or Time of Year to Fish for Crappie

You can catch crappie at any time of year, but the time of day that is best for fishing will change because of the differences in temperature in each season. The best season to fish for crappie is in spring, from early March to the middle of May.

Spring

The best time of day to fish for crappie in the spring is in the early afternoon. This is because the beginning of spring is still cold, and the water is still cold like it was in the winter. This means that the fish will behave similarly to the way they do in winter. You’ll want to fish in the warmest parts of the day, as this is when the fish will be active.

As the weather gets warmer, you’ll be able to start fishing for crappie in the early morning, late afternoon, and at night.

Summer

During the summer, it is best to fish for crappie when the day is cooler and the fish are more active. Crappie aren’t very active during the middle of the day because the water is too warm for them. The best time to fish during the summer is in the early morning, late afternoon, and during the night, especially on nights that are well-lit by the moon.

At the cooler times of the day, crappie will come to shallower waters and will be much closer to the shore. During the day, however, they will be much deeper because the water is cooler, and they can take shelter from the sun.

Fall

In the early fall, the crappie will behave similarly to the way they do during the summer. Some of the best times for catching crappie during the fall will be at sunrise and sunset. During the fall, crappie will be eating more than normal to prepare for the winter months when there is less food available.

Later in the fall season, you should fish for crappie in the warmer parts of the day as the water becomes warm enough for them to come out. Midday and early afternoon are times when the crappie will become active because the water temperature is warmer.

Winter

During the winter, you should go fishing for crappie in the midday and early afternoon. This is when the crappie will all be feeding because it is the only short window of the day when it is the warmest. During the winter, however, crappie will be a bit slower and will rarely go out of their way to chase a lure. You need to bring the lure right to them if you’re going to have any luck catching crappie in the winter.

Other Crappie Fishing Resources

Aaron Warner

Aaron Warner is an avid angler with over 15 years of experience. He has participated and won fishing tournaments all over the country and enjoys fishing for bass, trout, walleye and other species.

Recent Posts