One of my goals by the end of the summer is to catch and fry up a mess of crappie. The problem is that I know absolutely nothing about crappie, other than they eat minnows and insects, and they like to suspend. Where do they live? Is there a particular time or set of conditions where they come shallow (I’m a bank fisherman, so I can’t reach deep water)? 

Being a bank fisherman is going to make it difficult on you. I'm not sure I could catch many from the bank here unless I fished a pond that had a bunch or something. Most of them in our area in the summer months are offshore over deep brush, following creek channels where schools of shad like to travel along. 

 

Somewhere with deep water nearby and some form of cover (pole timber, docks, brushpiles), would be where I'd search with docks topping the list. Small soft plastics on a jighead is the best way to cover water and find biting fish in my experience. I like something like a Bobby Garland Baby Shad in Monkey Milk on a 1/16oz jighead and 4lb test. Just try to cast it around cover and swim and shake it slowly. Really need a sensitive rod and to be a line watcher for that kind of fishing. 

Are there any fishing piers or boat docks?  You're usually looking for cover in deeper water for crappie.  Fishing piers and boat docks are usually good places to start, even if you do have access to a boat.  Doubly so because other crappie anglers will often drop fish condos or tie old Christmas trees to a cinder block and drop them down around there, which will attract them.  

 

If you don't have those available, the next best options would be a dam or bridge.  Again, deepish water (to us bass anglers anyway) and cover.  Bridge pylons are good, as well as the rip rap or rocks that prevent a dam from washing away.  However, don't fish off either if it isn't safe to do so.  So don't go to a high traffic bridge with no walkway and try to fish off it.  It's not worth it.  And don't fish off an active dam or one with traffic (or one that doesn't allow fishing from).  

Spring, during the spawn and warming water period is the best time to find them near shallow cover IMO.

4 hours ago, Bankc said:

 Doubly so because other crappie anglers will often drop fish condos or tie old Christmas trees to a cinder block and drop them down around there, which will attract them.  

Is this a legitimate technique? I don't know why, but the mental image of someone sinking old family Christmas Trees into the local lake with cinder blocks is a bit funny. Sounds like something I'd see a guy doing in my town. 

 

I can see why setting up cover where an area is lacking might be a good idea though. If it works, it works. 

10 minutes ago, Yuddzy said:

Is this a legitimate technique? I don't know why, but the mental image of someone sinking old family Christmas Trees into the local lake with cinder blocks is a bit funny. Sounds like something I'd see a guy doing in my town. 

 

I can see why setting up cover where an area is lacking might be a good idea though. If it works, it works. 

Creating cover like this is an old 'secret'.

 

Problem is - some states/localities have made it illegal for private individuals to do this. MN is one that only the state DNR is allowed to create cover in this fashion. Tossing anything in the water - even a Yule Tree that will eventually rot away is considered 'littering'.

 

If you want to do this - check your state's regulations first.

2 hours ago, bassh8er said:

Spring, during the spawn and warming water period is the best time to find them near shallow cover IMO.

Agreed, they are predictable and more patternable in the spring. I honestly don’t even know of anyone who targets them in midsummer. I know a few people who target them again in the fall when the water cools again.

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

Creating cover like this is an old 'secret'.

 

Problem is - some states/localities have made it illegal for private individuals to do this. MN is one that only the state DNR is allowed to create cover in this fashion. Tossing anything in the water - even a Yule Tree that will eventually rot away is considered 'littering'.

 

If you want to do this - check your state's regulations first.

You've told me all I need to know, I'm from Minnesota myself. I love the Northern fishing up here I have to say, haven't caught too many Crappies though.