Black Crappie Common Names: Calico bass, strawberry bass, crappie, spotted crappie. Description: Anal fin almost the same size as the dorsal fin.  Color pattern of irregular dark splotches on a light background.  Best method of identification: black crappie has 7 or 8 spines in the dorsal fin.   White Crappie Common Names: Crappie, silver crappie, bachelor, newlight. Description: Anal fin almost the same size as the dorsal fin.  Color pattern of dark splotches arranged in vertical bands on a pale background.  Best method of identification: white crappie have 5 or 6 spines in the dorsal fin.

   Both white and black crappie are found throughout Ontario lakes.  However, it is the bays with stickups, river and creek channels, bottomland lakes, and rock rip-rap areas that generally produce the better catches as they like an abundance of cover that also offers shade.  There are no striking differences in the habits of these two species; however, it appears black crappie seem to prefer stump or heavy brush areas more than white crappie.  These species spawn in April and May.  Fishing success deteriorates during the summer months as they move into deeper water.  Anglers who can locate crappie in their deeper haunts will find that these fish can be caught even during the summer.

       Minnows and jigs, or a combination of the two, are the most popular baits.  Both can be fished in a variety of ways.  Long shanked wire hooks, No. 6 to No. 2, are the most common sizes used by minnow fishermen.  Fiberglass extension poles 8 to 12 feet long, fly rods, and cane poles are the types of rods generally used.  These are rigged with monofilament line, with a tensile strength of  8 to 15 pounds, so crappie can be pulled from the brush upon hooking or so the line is strong enough to pull free from snags by straightening out the wire hook.

Techniques

• Crappie in any particular body of water are the first panfish to use the rivers as feeding grounds They usually begin this 1-2 weeks prior to iceout. However crappie don't move into rivers to spawn, they come to feed up before the spawn. They head back into the lake to spawn on the rocky shoals near soft, muddy and shallow water.
• Depending on Weather and water conditions, live bait will work, on the other hand tubes and grubs presented under a sensitive slip float can out produce live bait. A rule of thumb is, the colder the weather is the better live bait works, the milder the conditions, the more plastics, and small crankbaits work. I usually always fish with 1-1.5" tubes presented under a float at Holland, and the hottest colour is pink/white. But, always buy some minnows just in case, and stick with one colour the whole trip. Some neutral colours also work well when fishing is slow. Colours like smoke, black, and white.
• Floats with tinsel jigs about 1 foot down tipped with a small minnow.
• Usually use a jig and grub combination. I like using a black jig head and with grub. Also had alot of success in the spring catching them on a fly rod using a small light coloured trout fly.
• I use the jig and minnow when the fishing is slow. If the crappie are bitting well, I switch to a jig with a 1 1/2 or 2 inch grub. I have had some luck with yellow jig heads and lime green grubs. White and yellow produce sometimes.
• Try using a slip float. By allowing the jig to slip through the float you can acheive action on your jig without moving your float out of place (deadly around docks or other structure). Also, choice of jig style makes a big difference. In early spring I like a 1 inch curly tail grub under a slip float for active feeding fish. Later in the spring, when they start to spawn, a tube or tinsel jig and less jigging action produces better.
• In Maine, Crappies like white and or chartruse maribou streamers. They like many different colors, so if white doesn't work try another color. I've had good luck on a Sourdahunk nymph which is nothing more than tan chenille wrapped on a 6x long hook; wrap from the bend to the hook eye. Try other colors as well, it's cheap and works.
• At Waterford Ponds: Find yourself some very small minnows and try them about 3' below a small float. If it is a calm day, look for rising fish and cast to them. You should also try any brush overhanging the water. If you are going to try jigs I recommend small green or white under a float.
• I have fished for crappies in Rice Lake as well as in the river up to lock 19 in Peterborough. They are very well established in the Peterborough area and I have been using a small jig, which I tyied myself, under a slip float. This method has produced great catches for me. As far as Rice lake I have caught large crappie at the north end at the stumps using the same method.
• If crappies are inactive, the float method is definitely the way to go. However, a slow steady retrieve with tiny tube jigs works too.

Where to Find Them

• Great spring crappie fishing at the mouth of the Maskinonge river (Cook Bay) in the spring. Try there for crappie and perch and bonus pike. Usually fish hang around summer locations.
• I have fished for crappies in Rice Lake as well as in the river up to lock 19 in Peterborough. They are very well established in the Peterborough area and I have been using a small jig, which I tyied myself, under a slip float. This method has produced great catches for me. As far as Rice Lake, I have caught large crappie at the north end at the stumps using the same method.
• Try the Trent Canal, below the first lock just off hwy. #12 at Gamebridge (a few km north of Beaverton). It was great last spring!
• South side of Lake Simcoe around Cook's Bay is a good place to catch Crappie. Lake Couchiching is also a great place for them.
• Holland Landing is where you'll find them up until the end of June (just in time for opening Bass). A good spot is the railroad bridge on hwy#11, north of Newmarket & east of Bradford especially if you don't have a boat. From there all the way up the river to Cooks Bay (If you have a boat) is also very good.
• I've been fishing Rice Lake quite exclusively for the past few years and recently i've noticed an increased population of black crappies in the lake. I've caught a couple myself and have heard from some of the marina operators that good sized crappies have been consistently caught using small bass crankbaits. Some of the locals there have been using small size minnow stickbaits such as the small Rapala countdown lures to consistently nab crappies in the 3/4 to over 1 lb range.

How to Get There

Waterford Ponds
The boat ramp is on Mechanics street. If you come in to Waterford from Brantford turn right on Mechanics street, go about 2 Km up the road until you cross a set of train tracks and come down a hill which opens to ponds on the left and right. Turn in the parking lot on your right. If you cross the bridge you went too far. The boat ramp is in the parking lot but is not visible from the road. The ramp is basically gravel and shallow but is ok for bass boats or up to about an 18 foot aluminum.

Halfway Heaven Marina
Right at the end of 404 in Newmarket. Go down to the end of Bathurst You could also head strait up Younge St. to Hollands Landing; Bathurst is about a mile south of there.

Holland River
Take Highway 404 to the end of Davis Road and make a left so that you are going West. When you hit Highway 11 (Yonge Street) make a right turn so that you are going north. You will be in Bradford; watch for a bridge over the Holland River and for a bait store on your right hand side. Fish on the north side of this bridge.

Keswick
Take Hwy 48 (Markham Road) north to Ravenshoe Rd. (#32). Go west until #12, then right (north) to Keswick. Canals are at foot of Irene Street. Maskinonge River is right in town of Keswick (you'll go over it on #12).