Getting ready to wade for crappie

A good pair of waders, an 8- or 9-foot rod and a box of jigs is all that’s required to get on some big slabs at Grenada this month.

National Crappie Champion Steve Coleman is hooked on wading for crappie.

“It is more addictive than golf, turkey hunting, bow hunting, or any other sport I have ever tried,” he said.

At Grenada Lake, wading season typically begins the first to second week of March and often lasts well into May. The best conditions for wading are when lake levels are abnormally high and water filters into the thickest of brush. Look for stands of ironwood, buttonbush and even young growth hardwoods.

“On bushy structure, fish as close as possible to the trunk of the bush,” Coleman said. “The best ones will have four or five stems coming up from the trunk. Crappie love to spawn in the middle of these up-shoots. Any hardwoods that have massive wild grape vines hanging into the water can also be super spots.

“At the onset of the rising water, smart weed patches and sesbania will be the first hot spots to try. These types of undergrowth are most productive in the very back of a bay or creek arm in conjunction with a creek channel or even a tiny run-off ditch.”

It’s important to remember that any type of break in the terrain will act as a pathway for crappie to follow — both into the shallow jungles and back out into the safety of deeper water. Also, any type of influx of water flow, such as run off from spring rains or a naturally occurring creek, will concentrate crappie.

“Many times I have found a hot area and caught a limit of fish in a location as small as your living room,” said Coleman. “A good rule of thumb is to not fish deeper than waist deep. Typically most of my fish are caught with the water depth being about mid-thigh deep when fishing in areas with good tree cover that causes an entire area to be shaded even on a sunny day.”

The crappie pro offered that the preferred areas to wade fish for crappie at Grenada are the North Graysport, Butputter Creek and Red Grass areas. In any of these locations, he suggests that aspiring waders look for areas that others overlook.

“Find that little ditch that you’ve got to pick your way back through the briars to reach and you’re likely to find a whole school to yourself,” Coleman said.

About Phillip Gentry 403 Articles
Phillip Gentry is a freelance outdoor writer and photographer who says that if it swims, walks, hops, flies or crawls he’s usually not too far behind.

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