How to Fish French

French fishing FAQ

How do you catch Crappie on French in Spring (Pre-Spawn)?

Water temp 48-58°F. Pre-spawn crappies are transitioning from deep winter haunts to shallower staging areas, often suspending near the first break adjacent to spawning flats Fish become increasingly active during warming trends, making frequent feeding movements up in the water column, especially during afternoon periods Key locations: Protected coves with gradual slopes leading to spawning flats; Deep breaks adjacent to shallow flats, especially in 12-18 foot range; Transition areas between the deep basin and shoreline structure. Best techniques: Crappie Spider Rigging, Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19'), Hover/Mid-Strolling. Primary forage: Small minnows and shad, Zooplankton concentrations, Emerging aquatic insects. Best bait colors: Chartreuse Colors, Purple Colors, Pink Colors.

How do you catch Crappie on French in Spring (Spawn)?

Water temp 58-68°F. Moving into shallow bays and protected areas during spring spawning phase, actively seeking warmer water temperatures Staging in pre-spawn areas near spawning flats, becoming increasingly active as water warms Males arriving first to prepare nests in 3-8 foot depths, with females following as temperatures stabilize Key locations: Protected shallow bays with stable bottom composition for spawning; Transition areas between spawning flats and deeper water; Areas near woody cover or brush in 4-8 foot depths. Best techniques: Crappie Dock Shooting, Bobbers, Crappie Sniping (Casting/Single Poling). Primary forage: Small minnows and fry gathering in warming shallows, Emerging aquatic insects, Zooplankton concentrations in warmer water. Best bait colors: Chartreuse Colors, Purple Colors, Pink Colors.

How do you catch Crappie on French in Spring (Post-Spawn)?

Water temp 62-72°F. Post-spawn crappies are transitioning from shallow spawning areas to early summer patterns, actively feeding to recover energy Fish are suspending in loose schools near structural elements, particularly in the compressed feeding zones created by low water clarity Key locations: Deeper edges of spawning bays where 8-15 foot depths meet shoreline structure; Suspended schools near points and inside turns of coves in 12-18 foot depths; Brush piles and woody cover in 10-15 foot range. Best techniques: Crappie Long Lining (Pulling/Trolling), Crappie Spider Rigging, Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19'). Primary forage: Small baitfish and fry, Zooplankton, Aquatic insects. Best bait colors: Chartreuse Colors, Purple Colors, Pink Colors.

How do you catch Crappie on French in Summer?

Water temp 68-78°F. Crappies will form loose schools in and around cover, primarily suspending at the thermocline level during summer Most active feeding periods occur during dawn and dusk, with fish moving shallower during these times Due to turbid conditions (1.1m Secchi), fish will typically suspend higher in the water column than in clearer lakes Key locations: Main lake points with adjacent deep water access; Deeper coves with submerged vegetation or woody cover; Suspended over main lake basin near the thermocline. Best techniques: Crappie Spider Rigging, Crappie Long Lining (Pulling/Trolling), Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19'). Primary forage: Young-of-year baitfish, Plankton, Small invertebrates. Best bait colors: Chartreuse Colors, Purple Colors, Bold Striped Patterns.

How do you catch Crappie on French in Fall?

Water temp 48-62°F. Crappies are actively feeding to build energy reserves for winter, forming loose schools around primary forage areas Fish are transitioning from shallow feeding areas to deeper winter holding locations, often suspending in the water column Key locations: Deep basin edges near the 20-28 foot contours where they stage for winter; Remaining vegetated areas in 8-15 foot depths that still hold baitfish; Points and breaks adjacent to deep water that provide access to multiple depth zones. Best techniques: Vertical Jigging Mid Depth (10-19'), Crappie Spider Rigging, Hover/Mid-Strolling. Primary forage: Young-of-year baitfish schooling in remaining vegetation, Zooplankton concentrations in the water column, Small invertebrates in transition areas. Best bait colors: Chartreuse Colors, Purple Colors, Bold Striped Patterns.

How do you catch Crappie on French in Winter?

Water temp 38-42°F. Suspending crappies forming tight schools in deep basin areas, typically 7-8 feet off bottom in 25-28 foot zones Most active during low-light periods, with feeding windows compressed due to turbid conditions Schools are mobile but concentrated, requiring systematic searching to locate Key locations: Deep basin areas with 25-28 foot depths where schools suspend; Transition areas between deep basins and structural elements; Areas where wind-driven currents concentrate plankton and small baitfish. Best techniques: Vertical Jigging Deep (20'+) with light line and sensitive rod, Damiki Rig worked slowly through suspended schools, Drop Shot with small profile baits held at fish level. Primary forage: Small minnows and shiners suspended in water column, Zooplankton concentrated in turbid layers, Young-of-year panfish in deeper water. Best bait colors: Purple Colors, Chartreuse Colors, Pink Colors.

How do you catch Crappie on French in Ice?

Water temp 34-39°F. Suspended crappies schooling tightly in deep basin areas, holding 7 feet off bottom in 28-foot zones Schools are mobile but concentrated, requiring search patterns to locate active fish Key locations: Deep basin areas in 25-30 feet of water; Transition areas between basin and secondary drop-offs; Deep holes adjacent to remaining green weeds. Best techniques: Ice Fishing Spoons - work small spoons with subtle jigging motions, Ice Fishing Jigs - particularly micro-sized presentations, Vertical Jigging Deep (20'+) - maintain contact with suspended schools. Primary forage: Small Minnows, Zooplankton, Micro invertebrates. Best bait colors: Purple Colors, Chartreuse Colors, Bold Striped Patterns.