I am not a big crappie guy, but really want to do more of it this year. I've done alot of reading up on the subject - and it seems there are two common themes on early/first ice crappie location. First, is that first/early ice crappies can be found suspended over the deepest hole in the lake, or a locally deep hole. Second, is that the crappies will be buried in any green weeds.

So - can anyone shed some light here - which is the more consistent spot - will they be found in both places simultaneously, or only suspended in deep water in lakes that don't have good green weeds or ????

Any help on what to look for as far as helping me where to look would be greatly appreciated!!

My experience is suspended over a deep hole. I will watch closely what others say on the subject.

In my favorite crappie spot, they are in green weeds right now in about 10-12'.

I would check both places. Some lakes I find them suspended deep and some I only catch them shallow near weeds. Most lakes I try both spots, but preferr fishing them shallow if they will cooperate there.

I have found them in both places, it seems that most of the time however I find them in the shallower 13-17ft range...they are also usually more cooperative there than in deeper water...

Would you mind me going with you to that spot sometime??

I think that the deeper suspeneded schools quite often are not very active, not all the time but that as been my general experience. I find the most active crappies shallower, and tend to be bigger.

Thanks - that helps! Now, for the guys fishing in that 10-17 FOW range - is that on a weedline, inside turn type deal, or a local depression within a larger flat, etc?

I caught crappie last year in 18 FOW. It was a depression in the lake with it getting shallower around it. found them suspended from 10-12ft deep.

I always fished deep water up north, is just how it was done. Since moving closer to the metro, i found that there are a lot of deep suspended fish, but for me, it is a lot of sorting to get some size. I will go out and pull a few to eat, just keep what i catch, but it is hard on them if you throw them back, and the crowds tend to go to the deep holes. So mainly i fish shallow weeds, 6-12 feet. And is sort of like summer, lots of weeds, but not all hold fish, so is some looking(work) to it. The plus is few if any people around, and bigger fish, and every type of fish. Patience is key too, it may be a HOT evening bite, so no point in going out at 1:00. Depends on the spot. Morning, mid day, could be anytime. Oh, still go out at 1:00, just bring tip-ups and suckers.

I catch my fair share of crappies in shallow,around 12' where there are green weeds remaining, but also do particularly well in a deeper hole-20', adjacent to a point,on a local north metro lake. I like to arrive early, around 1 or 2,get setup,maybe a tip up out, pull in some blugills,then once the sun hits the horizon,the flasher seems to come alive, and the action lasts for hours. Cant wait to get out there!

Just back tonight. Brought home a dozen crappies. All of them were between 8 1/2 to 9 1/2 inches. Caught them in 20 feet of water. Wasn't in the deeper part of the lake. Nothing special about the spot. When I find the crappies they aren't always in the large holes. My preference is to keep around the 20 foot mark and go out about 2 hours before dark and fish until about an hour after dark. Like Blainbob says. As soon at the sun starts to dip down the flasher lights up like a christmas tree. I drill alot of holes and do alot of hole hopping until I find fish on the flasher.

this early i generally try to look to the inside and outside edges of the weedbed where there is deep water nearby.

I agree with broman,you can drill a lot of holes over an area,and move every 10-15 minutes if you get no action.You can move from a hole that produces nothing to one less than 10 feet away and be on the fish. You gotta stay on top of the school as they move around. I find myself fishing back at the same holes seeral times in a concentrated area<

Yeah, my buddies were laughing at me yesterday as I moved from one hole to another to another with my flasher and rod. But..... I did find the hot hole and called them over. We drilled a second hole 30 feet away and they then iced 3 crappies themselves.