Crappie/Bream Archives - Page 23 of 29

May 2, 2026

Floating boat docks will yield a lot of big crappie to Kerr Lake fishermen in May after the spawn and before fish reach summer holding areas.

Shoot Kerr Lake’s on-the-move crappie under docks

Although most crappie fishermen regard early spring and the prespawn period to be the best fishing of the year, guide Chris Bullock of Fountain, N.C., holds May in high esteem for sheer numbers of fish and the pleasure of using a unique approach. […]

Shellcrackers will readily hit night crawlers or red worms fished on small hooks.

The timin’s right for Lake Tillery’s shellcrackers

Tony Garitta

The song Good Timin’ by Jimmy Jones didn’t have shellcracker fishing in mind, but the lyrics certainly apply. “A timin’ is the thing, it’s true. Good timin’ brought me to you.” […]

Guide Joe Dennis caught this big stringer of bluegill on crickets, his favorite baits for these aggressive fish.

Bream bonanza is at hand

Terry Madewell

The flooded cypress and gum tree forests and the abundance of shallow vegetation of Santee Cooper is Ground Zero for some of the best panfish action in South Carolina. Bull bream and super-sized shellcrackers abound, and anglers armed with the basic techniques of how, when and where to fish for this dynamic duo have an opportunity to limit on either species or a combination of both. […]

Stripers begin moving this month into the upper reaches of Lake Marion as they begin their annual spawning run into tributary rivers.

Big-fish time on Moultrie, Marion

Terry Madewell

March is one of the best months for catching multiple species of fish on the Santee Cooper lakes […]

Shooting under docks to get to hard-to-reach crappie is normally best done with a round-head jig that flutters when it falls.

When to tip a jig with a minnow

Phillip Gentry

Jigs are great lures for loading the boat with crappie, but sometimes you’ll increase your chances of hooking slabs by tipping those jigs with live minnows. […]

Guide Dave Hilton said that weather fronts and the accompany high winds can make keeping your boat in postion to fish individual brush piles very difficult, so he’ll often adjust his fishing locations to avoid the wind.

Beat the weather for boat control

Terry Madewell

Weather systems are a recurring consideration in March, and guide Dave Hilton said it’s simply something anglers must anticipate and plan strategy accordingly. […]

New gear reviews

Phillip Gentry

A continued quest for the perfect rod for dock-shooting led Mississippi-based B’n’M Poles to design and create the SharpShooter Deluxe 6. This rod has been field tested by B’n’M’s pro staff for several years before release on the market two years ago. […]

Crappie/Bream

March’s best fishing bets

Phillip Gentry

March’s best fishing bets […]

Pautzke’s Fire Dye will turn live minnows from their natural color to a handful of bright colors to attract gamefish — without otherwise affecting the bait.

Technicolor minnows will outproduce naturals

Dan Kibler

The fishing industry is overflowing with innumerable attempts to reinvent the wheel. The slightest modifications in lure shape, material or color is heralded as “new and improved” and placed on the end cap at your tackle shop, while little attention is given to live-bait improvement other than keeping it alive. […]

Light planer boards like Water Bugz are more suitable for pulling light lures and baits for crappie.

Gaining a little weight isn’t always bad

Dusty Wilson

While most folks stress about putting on a little weight, guide Brad Taylor said that when pulling planer boards for crappie, adding a little weight can go a long way. […]