QUESTIONABLE CRAPPIE CONDITIONS

I awoke this morning . . . early . . . questioning my crappie confidence. After a quick brush of the teeth and start of the coffee pot, I immediately checked the weather forecast. The inevitable blowing wind made my brew cold and left me wanting to find my warm pillow.

Despite my doubt, I knew . . . if you love crappie fishing and have a spare second . . . now is the time of year.

The early spring and warm water temps have ramped up Minnesota fish activity. The last I checked, the Department of Natural Resources was contemplating moving the walleye opener week earlier, which is something I have never witnessed in my young fishing life.

Again, if you are a crappie angler, now is the time to hit the water. For me, nothing is better than a stringer of silver shining in the sun alongside the boat.

We made the long travel to our favorite Minnesota crappie lake and the sweet sound of the boat motor cranking warmed me right up. The fishing wasn’t rocket science for us. If you get in the right spot, a simple slip bobber rig dangling a minnow with the same name as your target will work just fine.

Some say that crappie fishing this way is the lazy man’s sport. I say that it’s just what a guy deserves after a long week on the job . . . some relaxation and fishing.

We found a calm corner out of the blistering wind and let the lines loose. While the white caps rolled around the nearest point, our bobbers took the decent to the depths. Not a hook set, but a simple raising of the rod was the best bet to reveal your prize.