Fishing for Crappie

By Colorado Division of Wildlife

April 30, 2004

Snow, rain and cold slowed fishing in many parts of the state last week and abruptly halted what looked like the beginnings of a promising crappie bite at John Martin Reservoir. But it should resume soon with the return of warmer weather so let’s talk crappie, a fish whose tastiness makes up for its lack of size.

In large reservoirs, mature crappie only reach 9 to 12 inches at the age of four. In small ponds, they run even smaller. But they run in packs. That means, if you locate a school and start catching crappie, chances are you will catch one after another in quick succession. And while the fish are tolerant of warm, muddy waters, they don’t taste like mud at all. Their flesh is firm, white and flavorful.

There are two species of crappie in Colorado, white and black. White crappie, which are more prevalent, have six distinguishing dorsal fin spines and silvery-olive sides shading into a darker olive green on the back with eight to nine dark vertical side bands. Black crappie look very similar but have dark blotches on their sides and more spines in their fins.

Crappie spawn in spring, generally in water 3 to 8 feet deep, near brush piles, stumps or rock outcroppings such as the riprap at the base of dam walls. As summer progresses the move into deeper water, 15 to 25 feet, but still prefer the same structure as largemouth bass. They can be caught on small jigs, flies or popping bugs. A bobber with a small live minnow hung 5 to 8 feet below the surface is the best bait method.

John Martin had several weeks of sensational crappie fishing last year and Brush Hollow was a favorite of belly-boaters catching crappie on flies. Pueblo and Adobe Creek also have good populations of crappie, though the water level in Adobe Creek is very low and crappie there will only be found in a few deep holes.