Cooling temperatures get crappie feeding
When the calendar turns to November, Capt. Travis Bradshaw of Pigpen Guide Service gets more excited than usual about the crappie fishing on Jordan Lake.
“Every season has its merits, and the crappie fishing at Jordan Lake can be outstanding year-round. But one thing I really like about November is the cooling water temperatures trigger some pretty heavy feeding,” said Bradshaw (919-669-6989).
He doesn’t catch his biggest crappie of the year this month, but he said some true slabs will start showing up before Thanksgiving.
“These fish are just beginning to fatten up for winter, and we’ll catch some 2-pounders and better this month. January and February are probably the best months for really big fish,” he said. “But in November, the action is generally faster, and you still have the potential to catch a few giants.”
Deep water ranging from 15 to 40 feet is where he finds most of his fish this month. That may seem like a wide range, but he narrows it down each day by using his electronics. And when checking his electronics, it’s not really crappie that he’s looking for.
“I don’t mind finding crappie on my graph, but what I really want to find is schools of baitfish,” he said. “Because crappie will stick somewhat close to those bait schools, and when they’re ready to feed, I’ll be there waiting for them. I’ve found plenty of pods of crappie and couldn’t get a bite, because they’re not in a feeding mood. When they are, they’ll find the baitfish.”
Live minnows are Bradshaw’s bait of choice, and he likes to have a variety of sizes if he can find them. He fishes them on drop-shot rigs and on small jigs, and uses as little weight as needed to get them down in the water column.
“This time of year, you’ll see a lot of fluctuations in weather patterns, so you’ve got to be flexible in your approach each day,” he said. “Just because you caught them in 35 feet of water for three straight days doesn’t mean they’ll be at that depth on the fourth day. That’s why it’s so important to use, and trust, your electronics,” he said. ■
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