All summer long big crappies can easily be caught along most deep weed edges or, even more so, suspended just outside these weed edges over deep water basins or bottom contact points. Common depth ranges are 12-25 ft. deep for the weed edge bite or the depth at which the fish are actually suspended over the deeper water basin areas. But as September rolls around and the signs of Fall set in, crappie behavior and locations change rapidly. 

Next to the easy Spring shallow water crappie bite, the Fall deep water crappie bite (in my opinion) is even better. Big Fish and big schools of crappies can mean awesome fast action throughout the months of September and October. I look forward to this basic pattern each season and so do my clients who crave crappie fishing action. As September progresses, the crappies turn into mud basin bottom scavengers. The deep muddy basins (20 ft. or deeper) collect large aggressive schools of crappies scrounging for worms/larva/insects stashed in these muddy areas. 

Typically, the crappies do not roam far from where they have been all summer long. The fish simply move deeper to where the mud flats are and exchange their suspending roaming habits in turn for bottom cruising (like a bunch of walleyes) habits. Using your electronics, locate the depth of the lake basin at which the hard bottom turns soft or muddy. Whether it’s a Vexilar flasher or a Humminbird graph, locating the depth at which the mud starts is easily done while searching the bottom of the break (the area where the drop off connects with the bottom or basin of the lake) with the boat. Make sure to keep an eye open for the large schools of crappies typically relating to the bottom. Some “thick” schools  can top off at five ft. off the bottom. These schools of big crappies (12”-15”) can often appear like schools of walleyes — depending on your sonar settings. Most lakes throughout Minnesota have mud starting around 20-25 ft. deep and goes deeper from there. Most of my deep water mud crappies have been caught between 25 and 40 ft of water.     

Presentation is simple. I typically keep it simple by using 1/8 oz. jigs (blue/white/green) tipped with a crappie minnow or a fathead minnow.  A 2” white Berkley gulp twister tail is also a solid bet on the jig. The 1/8 oz. jig tied to Berkley six lb. monofilament has a perfect slow drop rate easy for a crappie to “catch” in the deeper water. Throw in a little wind and wave action and you will appreciate the heavier jig. The monofilament also allows for the perfect amount of line stretch the crappie needs to inhale the bait into their mouth.  Another way to whack a monster Fall crappie is actively snap jigging a white #5 Jigging Rap — tipped with nothing. In both cases, put the bait at the depth where the electronics show the fish. If the school is “thick” then work a combination of depths until a key narrow margin is figured out. Be sure to let the lure slam into the bottom a few times to create some excitement.  

Fall crappie fishing starts now and stays solid until early ice (when location changes again — lol). So give it a try, you’ll be glad ya did. Lotsa Fish and Lotsa fun!  

 Minnesota Fishing Guide Service, www.MinnesotaGuideService.com, www.MinnesotaIceFishHouseRental.com. Capt. Josh Hagemeister, 320-291-0708, 218-732-9919.