How deep should crappie beds be?

The fish usually begin gravitating to brush piles in 10 to 15 feet of water during late spring, soon after the spawn winds down. They move progressively deeper as water temperatures continue to warm. This sometimes forces anglers onto wide open water to seek out brush piles at depths of 25-35 feet.

Where do you put the brush piles for crappie?

“The brush piles in 10 and 30 feet of water would be more in the backs of the coves and creeks, from 10 feet deep out to the center of the cove in 30 feet,” he said. “The brush piles in 20 and 40 feet should be coming out of the coves, out along the main banks in areas like Georgia Little River and the Savannah River.”

How do crappie trees sink?

“Sink the tree upside down,” he said. “If you sink it the regular way, it folds in on itself and the fish won’t get up inside of it. If the tree is upside down, the water will pull the limbs apart to allow fish to get in between them.”

How long do brush piles last?

Depending on the size and type of material used, a brush pile may remain functional for 10 years or more. Well-made rock piles would certainly last much longer.

What’s the best way to manage crappie populations?

Crappie are very prolific with the tendency to over-populate. Bass enjoy having them for dinner, but Thornhill says the key to managing their numbers is through harvest. “Catch and release fishing doesn’t work too well in farm ponds because the populations get unbalanced and you have stockpiling of different fishes,” says Thornhill.

What do crappie need to live in a pond?

“Crappie are sight feeders, so you want clear water, visibility of 2-1/2 to 3-feet or so,” says Thornhill. “You also want to have established, rooted vegetation in the pond, at least up to 20% of the surface area because crappie need a place to hide.

Where do crappie live?

Darren Thornhill is a fisheries management biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation. He says crappie are meant to live in large bodies of water such as reservoirs.

How do you know when to harvest crappie?

“Typically we tell land owners to harvest crappie as they catch them regardless of size up to their daily limit. The bass help keep them in check but you do want to harvest crappie.” Constantly pulling out small crappie can be a sign that there are too many of them.