Three Ways to Tell It’s Crappie Season – Plus The Real Answer

Whether it’s spring, summer or fall you may be looking into getting outside. While hunting has designated seasons for most game animals perhaps you don’t know the season regulations for fishing.

Well for crappie there are three things that can help you answer When is Crappie Fishing Season?

So when is crappie, or croppie if you prefer, season? If you have some time, there is water in the lake and you have a rod handy; then you guessed it, it’s crappie season. All jokes aside, crappie can be legally caught in nearly any area during every month of the year. Even winter crappie fishing can yield great results. 

If There Are No Season Restrictions on Crappie, What Season Is Best

While the “best” season is often debated, there are several preferred times of the year for crappie fishing depending on what type of angler you are.

By and far the most popular time for crappie fishing is during the spawn. This normally occurs between late February and early May depending on the temperatures in your area. Obviously with those areas being further north having spawns that occur closer to May. 

During the spawn it is not uncommon to catch dozens of slab sized crappie in a single area, they are often in shallower waters and in a feeding frenzy.

Summer crappies are mainly popular due to the fact that many people have the summers off and children are out of school, which makes this a great time for hitting the waters in search of mouth watering crappie.

Fall crappie is a favorite time for those anglers who prefer quiet waters. The summer rush is over and fewer people are on the lakes. It is not uncommon to be one of only two or three boats out during week days in the fall. 

Winter crappie fishing is reserved for those outdoor enthusiasts who don’t mind the chill in the air and just want to get out on the water. While crappie don’t bite as aggressively during the winter, it is still possible to catch them in numbers. 

Conclusion:

Any time of the year is legally open season on crappie. For the absolute most thrilling catch most anglers prefer spawn during early spring.

However, do not let that deter you from heading out to the lake whenever you get a chance and want to try your hand at catching a mess of crappie. 

Here is a quick guide on where to look for crappie at various times of the year.