Crappies on the Fly

Sauk Lake Crappie

Crappies are pretty easy targets throughout the spring and summer months.  A fly rod offers many advantages to presenting the perfect fly to these delicious little panfish.  Here are 5 tips that will have you hauling in the crappies from the docks like it's going out of style.

1.  Small flies catch more fish:  Crappies love minnows, but they are opportunistic feeders and will sample any bug or aquatic insect that happens their way.  Some anglers tie flies similar to those tied for bass.  While the bigger fish will hammer those large flies, you'll catch both large and small fish on downsized rigs.  I prefer small wooly buggers, soft hackel nymphs (hares ear or partridge and orange) and dry flies/terrestrials when they are aggressive.

2.  Keep the fly in the strike zone:  This requires you to have a good understanding of the environment in which the fish is currently holding.  How deep is the water?  Are the fish suspended, or on the bottom?  Is there structure or vegetation surrounding the fish?  Crappies are always looking up for their meals.  Fish below them, and you won't have much luck.  That's why I rarely use a lot of weight when fishing crappies with the fly.  Even when they are holding on deeper structure, a small amount of weight will get the fly down slowly while allowing you to entice those fish for as long as necessary

3.  Find cover, find fish:  This is fairly obvious, but crappies (along with many other fish species) love cover.  Not only does it protect them from predators, but it offers shade in the summer a perpetual possibility for food.  Overhanging/downed trees, docks, weed lines and underwater structures (manmade or otherwise) all have great potential for holding schools of crappie.

4.  Add movement to your flies:  Adding on to tip number two, a slow sinking fly is made more effective by materials that possess movement under water.  Marabou, soft hackels, ostrich herl, anything that will undulate as it slowly drops toward your target will be very enticing to a crappie.  They won't be able to resist just one bite.

5.  Anchor up:  Once you find some fish, you may be able to stay on them for a while.  Anchor up and start casting.  You'll be surprised at how many fish you can pull out of one hole.  Patience will pay off in this regard.

Remember these tips on your next crappie fishing adventure, and you'll have some nice hero shots and a few slabs for the frying pan.

Yoi Tsuri (Good Fishing!)