Crappies can surprise winter fishermen by being in relatively shallow water when conditions are right. However, most fish will be in mid-depth or deep water. Here are a few proven rigs and techniques for successfully catching them in deeper water.

Single-hook, vertical jigging

Crappies are less aggressive in cold water. They won’t chase a lure, so it’s important to put your bait right in front of them and keep it there. Vertical jigging is a good way to do this.

Equipment varies based on depth and water color. Spinning outfits are good in deeper water or in lakes with stained water. In clearer lakes or when fishing mid-depths, use a pole about 10 to 12 feet long. The length gets you bait away from the boat to spook fewer fish.

Use line as light as possible, with water clarity, cover and potential crappie size being determining factors. The clearer the water, the lighter your line must be. Four-pound-test line may be required in some lakes, but 6 is usually a good choice. In stained waters, 6 is good with 8 good in lakes with heavy crappies. Some experts choose 10- to 15-pound braid with a leader of light fluorocarbon. Braid gives more sensitivity, and the leader provides less line visibility. Choose the best line that works for you.

Baits are personal choice providing the crappies like them! Minnows are always a good pick because nothing else provides the look, action and smell of live bait. For deep water, try a 1/4-ounce sinker, one to two feet above a minnow on a hook. A sinker closer to the hook restricts minnow movement, giving the bait less opportunity to swim around a limb and causing hang-ups. Placing the sinker further away gives more freedom for the minnow to swim around. The disadvantage of a minnow rig is more hang-ups due to an open-wire hook. At times, however, nothing else will draw bites from lethargic crappies.

Jigs are the easiest baits to use. They can be worked in and around cover, it’s easier to get them unhung, and colors can be quickly changed. A 1/16-ounce jig is a slow-falling bait but usually draws more bites than a larger 1/8-ounce jig. This is one time of year when tungsten jigs are worth the additional cost, because it provides a smaller head than a lead jig. Bodies should be small or medium in size. Use a small jig tipped with a very small minnow.

To summarize, when vertical jigging in deep water, it’s important to be patient and present baits slowly. Give crappie time to see, decide and suck the bait in. Keep lines as light as possible. Small baits are often best.

Slow-trolling double-hook rigs

Slow trolling is an old method but still catches fish. Often called spider rigging and uses multiple poles placed in rod holders. The purpose is to provide more baits and options to increase chances of a bite. For example, you can use three long poles, each rigged with two baits. Double rigs often incorporate two minnows, but they can also feature a minnow on top and a jig on bottom, or a rig with two jigs. Place baits at different depths to find the most active zone; then place them at the same depth, just above the height of crappies shown on electronics. The depth of cover often determines how deep baits should be; typically, fish just above snags.

Slow trolling and spider rigging are not the same thing. Spider rigging features poles stuck out all around the boat. Slow trolling positions poles out the front of the boat so all baits can be placed into a brush pile or ledge, with baits focused in one spot.

Crappie poles are often 12 to 16 feet in length. The further baits are from the boat, the more bites you will get. However, for every additional two feet in pole length, the difficulty of handling a pole almost doubles. Long poles become difficult to transport, handle and get fish to the boat. Therefore, occasional fisherman will likely do best with 12-foot poles, while more serious crappie chasers who spend time on the water will catch more fish and be able to handle 16-foot poles.

Double-hook rigs include a hook fished on the bottom, moving up 16 inches to a 3/8- or 1/2-ounce egg sinker, and then up 12 inches to a leader with another hook. Hooks can be #2 or #4 minnow hooks, or 1/32- or 1/16-ounce jigs.

To summarize, slow trolling moves baits by controlling the boat with a trolling motor. Electronics are critical for knowing where to position the boat and when to stop so baits can be held still in a good spot. Double-hook rigs can increase catch percentages because there are multiple baits in the water.

Forward-facing sonar

Garmin’s LiveScope forever changed fishing. The system allows you to watch both fish and your bait in real time so you can place your bait right in front of a fish. Fish reactions can be seen, with quick adjustments in baits and presentations possible to match the wants of crappies on a particular day. It’s deadly. Today, other companies have their versions that provide great underwater detection.

Cold, deep water usually calls for vertical presentations with a jig pitched out in front of the boat and allowed to slowly swing down to the fish. Dropping straight down is another option. Fishing becomes a video game of placing the bait a few inches above the fish and setting the hook when it is seen taking the bait. If the crappie slowly swims away, you can follow it until it stops, with a bait presented to it again.

Another advantage, especially when competitively fishing, is to pick the largest fish among several in one spot. Your bait can be presented directly to the large fish. Because small fish are more aggressive, they still might get the bait before it reaches the bigger fish. The disturbance may or may not spook other fish in the spot.

Jigs are the most popular baits, but minnows can be used. Hair jigs are popular for this tactic, with several different rigging styles popular for deep water. A 1/8-ounce jig can be used, but a jig that large is not recommended in cold water. A 1/8- or 1/4-ounce sinker above a small 1/32-ounce jig is a top rig for winter. The weight gets the bait down quickly and it can be seen on the sonar. The light 1/32-ounce jig floats down slowly under the weight and is a good size for crappies in cold water.

Forward-facing sonar requires a financial investment and time on the water learning to use it. Becoming an expert with it requires experience. A long, 14- to 16-foot pole is typical, with 18-footers becoming more common. Baits aren’t dropped into the water until a fish is spotted. It’s efficient fishing that provides excellent results.

Looking for some new fishing techniques to try this season? You’ll find plenty of suggestions in every issue of MidWest Outdoors. Subscribe on our website.