Jack Uxa of Jack’s Guide Service on Lake of the Ozarks shares advice for finding and catching winter crappies on reservoirs. During the colder months, crappies tend to group in larger schools and hold in areas longer, making them easier to target. With the right approach and gear, anglers can experience the finest crappie fishing of the season.
FEATURED PRODUCTS (retail links)
- PLASTIC – Berkley PowerBait Atomic Tubes: Buy at Buy at FishUSA
- CRAPPIE JIGS (all) – Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at FishUSA
- CRAPPIE NIBBLE – Berkley PowerBait Crappie Nibbles: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse | Buy at FishUSA
- ROD – Fenwick Eagle Walleye Spinning Rod, 6’9” Med. Light: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at FishUSA
- REEL – Pflueger President Spinning Reel, size – 20X: Buy at Tackle Warehouse | Buy at FishUSA
- LINE – Berkley Trilene XL, 4-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse | Buy at FishUSA
- Garmin – Garmin GPSMAP Touch-Screen Fish Finder/Chartplotter Combo, 12-inch: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- FORWARD-FACING SONAR (FFS) – Garmin LVS34 LiveScope Plus Live Scanning Sonar Transducer: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
HOW TO LOCATE WINTER CRAPPIES
Winter crappies gather near main lake points, docks, and brush piles. Uxa explains how to find these schools using forward-facing sonar while maintaining the proper distance to prevent spooking the school and make effortless casts. He then discusses where to present his bait relative to the fish — work the top of the school to trigger active fish. Conversely, a tough bite may require bringing your bait deeper into the school when the strike window is small.
BEST SETUP FOR WINTER CRAPPIE FISHING
For Uxa, the best crappie fishing rod is one that’s lightweight and sensitive for detecting subtle bites. Uxa’s basic crappie jig rod setup includes a 6-foot, 9-inch light-action rod spooled with a 4-pound test monofilament line. Pair this with a simple lead head jig and a 2-inch tube. Scent can be a trigger, so consider adding a Berkley PowerBait Crappie Nibble to increase bites, especially on tough days.
ADJUSTING TECHNIQUES FOR CONSISTENT BITES
Adjust tactics as the bite becomes tougher. Experiment with slower or faster retrieves and change jig and plastic colors and profiles. Sometimes moving slightly deeper can help reach fish that have dropped lower in the water column.
BOAT SETUP AND MISC.
- BOAT – Lund 2075 Pro-V Bass XS: Check out at Lund Boats
- MOTOR – Mercury Pro XS 250hp: Check out at Mercury
- TROLLING MOTOR – Minn Kota Ultrex QUEST, 112lb, 36V, 52″: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- AFTCO Hydronaut Insulated Jacket: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- AFTCO Hydronaut Insulated Bib: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
► SUBSCRIBE for more AWESOME FISHING TIPS: https://wired2.fish/YTSub
FOLLOW US HERE:
► https://www.wired2fish.com
► https://www.instagram.com/wired2fish_official
► https://www.facebook.com/wired2fish
► https://www.twitter.com/wired2fish
