Far from the most common panfish in New York’s waters, crappies nevertheless have a devoted following among fishermen. Why? Maybe it’s their mysterious nature; crappies appear to be everywhere in some lakes during springtime, but come summer they seem to disappear into the haze. Ask even the most experienced angler where they’ve gone and the answer tends to be, “well, they’re out there somewhere.”
Of course, crappies have a lot of other things going for them. They’re bigger than your average panfish: the state record tops 3 lbs. They’re hard fighters, especially on light tackle. They’re a blast to catch on jigs and little spinnerbaits and, yes, they are delicious. Good-looking too.
If you’re planning on going out after crappies in New York State this year, spring is the best time to be on the water. Throughout the month of April, crappies head to shallow water to feed and spawn; water anywhere from one to twelve feet deep may hold crappies in spring. They typically bite readily at this time of the year, and are often accessible from shore. Look for crappies around brush, reeds, fallen timber and other weedy and woody cover. Spring crappies often gravitate to bays and marshes, and are usually found in the warmest available water, wherever it may be on any given lake.
Live minnows under bobbers are the bait of choice among many anglers, and with good reason. Crappies are seldom able to resist a 1- or 2-inch minnow wiggling on an Aberdeen hook. Soft plastics can be killers too; try a small tube or other soft plastic bait on a 1/16- or 1/32-oz jighead. Yellow, chartreuse, white and hot pink are usually productive colors. If crappies are particularly active – as they often are on unseasonably warm spring days – they may also strike Beetle Spins and other downsized spinnerbaits, or small cranks and jerkbaits.
Dainty crappie baits are best fished on light to ultralight tackle with around 6-lb line, or 8-lb if you’re fishing around dense cover. Anything heavier and it becomes a real chore to hurl those little jigs and minnows out to where the fish are.
Crappies become a little tougher to catch in summer. Once they finish spawning, crappies head for deep water where they usually spend the warmer months following schools of baitfish. They sometimes turn up around shallow and mid-depth weed beds, stump fields and brush piles, especially at dawn and dusk, and they will still engulf minnows and jigs. They may hang around a spot for a week or more, or may be gone after a single day, off to find food elsewhere.
A lot of fishermen pursue crappies through the ice as well. In winter, crappies in New York’s lakes and reservoirs are often found in the areas that support green vegetation all winter long, especially spots with a mix of weeds and rocks and quick access to both deep and shallow water. Tiny teardrop jigs with spikes or wax worms are good winter baits.
Crappies are widespread in New York, but some lakes are better than others. Overall, Black Lake may well be the best crappie lake in the state. Butterfield Lake is a lesser-known fishery but still a great ice fishing lake for crappies. Chautauqua Lake is no slouch either. Several of the Finger Lakes, including Conesus, Honeoye and Keuka, are known to give up big crappies. Bays and sluggish tributaries of the Great Lakes can be to spots too; Little Sodus Bay, Goose Bay, Chaumont Bay and Oak Orchard Creek in particular are well worth checking out.