Next to Spring, Fall can be the most productive time to be out on the lake fishing for Crappie. The water is cooling off and Crappie feed more and more aggressive. Crappie fishing in the Fall is some of the most enjoyable and fruitful fishing of the year.

As the water cools off in the Fall, hungry Crappie move from their deep water Summer hangouts to the cooler water of the shallows as they follow baitfish toward the shore. It's not uncommon to find Fall Crappie as shallow as 1 or 2 feet deep along a bank in the Fall. Once the first few cold fronts of the year move in, start looking for Fall Crappie near the first drop off away from the bank.

Fall Crappie can be caught with a variety of tactics in the Fall. One method I use to find Crappie when they're scattered is using a Spider Rig. A Spider Rig consist of multiple rods rigged up to fish different depths. When you find Crappie hitting at a certain depth with this method, you can then set all your rods to the depth Crappie are feeding at and take advantage of their aggressive nature.

As most of you know, the best time to go fishing in the Fall is just prior to a major cold front. This is the time you can find Crappie very shallow filling up their stomachs on everything from Shad to insects.

Post cold front Crappie can be hard to get to hit your bait. I typically use smaller jigs and minnows. If the weather warms up after the cold front, look for Crappie to become active as soon as a week after the passage of the cold front.

If you're having trouble finding Fall Crappie after a cold front. Slow down your presentation and use smaller jigs or minnows. Post cold front Crappie won't chase bait very far, so make sure you put it right in front of their face. If you find them holding over a break or drop off, use a tightline approach to target feeding Crappie.

Typically the cold temps after a Fall front doesn't last long. As the days warm up, you'll find the Crappie moving back shallow again. If the water is still a little cool, then start your search on a South facing bank and work your way out.

South winds can blow baitfish against the shore, presenting easy pickings for hungry Crappie. Use a Spider Rig or a Float and Jig rig to target these fish and fill your live well! Floats and jigs can be fished faster than minnows, plus since there is not rebaiting, you can keep your jigs in the water longer, catching more fish.