Small Lake Crappie Fishing in Summer: Best Spots and Baits to Catch Slabs

Best Spots to Find Crappies in the Heat

I like to break small lakes down into four potential areas that might hold the schools. While these cover types vary from lake to lake, most lakes have all of them or at least two to three. Sometimes there are fish in multiple locations, but most of the time, once I have identified where one school of crappie is hanging out, the rest of the fish will be in very similar areas.

1. Fish the Docks for Shade and Structure

Docks are one of the best places to find schools of crappies and are typically a starting point for me when I hit the water. This man-made structure offers plenty of shade, cover and ambush spots which attracts both prey and predators. The only thing better than a big dock with multiple slips and walkways are the swim docks floating 10 yards out in front of them.

2. Target Laydowns and Submerged Timber

Most lakes offer some kind of natural cover such as laydowns. These fallen trees—some that you can see jutting out into the lake from shore and some that are fully submerged and usually located using sonar— attract all kinds of prey, offer shade and cover, and often hold fish. Make sure to stay far off the target and make long casts to avoid spooking the fish.

3. Scan the Deep Basins with Electronics

If fish aren't positioning on docks or wood, I often relocate to the deepest part of the lake and use my Hummingbird LakeMaster Premium VX mapping, Forward Facing Sonar, and 2D imaging to see if I can locate the fish suspended on bait.

4. Fish Vegetation Edges for Active Schools

If I don't locate them on any of the types of cover mentioned above, I head to the vegetation. Most crappie lakes have some kind of vegetation, from submerged grasses to expansive pad fields, and can hold schools of crappie. The grass offers shade and plenty of foraging opportunities, attracting bug life and bait fish.

Utilizing my electronics I search for little differences that might position a school of crappie—a clump of grass that sticks up higher than the rest or a bit of vegetation that is isolated from the bulk of the growth can be prime locations.

Best Baits and Rigs for Summertime Slabs

I rely on just two different presentations this time of year—a float with a small jig head with soft plastic or a heavier jig head with a minnow-style bait.

1. Slip Bobber Setup for Shallower Fish

Crappies almost always feed upwards, so suspending a jig and soft plastic under a float allows the bait to hang above their heads, tempting hungry crappies to come and take a look.

• Thill float
• 1/16oz jig head
• Yamamoto Scope Shad

Pro Tip: I always cut the 3” Scope Shad down to about 2” for a perfect fit that creates the profile of a bug or minnow.

2. Jig and Minnow Presentation for Deeper Crappies

If the fish are deeper, I will take the float off and just cast the jig.

• 3” Roboworm Alive Shad
• 1/16oz or 1/8oz head

Pro Tip: I switch between the M.M III color on cloudy, darker days, and Baby Bluegill or Hologram Shad on clear, sunny days.

Key Takeaways for Summer Crappie Fishing

• Focus on small lakes to find crappie faster.
• Depending on what the lake offers, check docks, then laydowns, then deep basins, and finally vegetation edges for schools.
• Fish a jig and soft plastic under a float for suspended fish and slightly heavier jig and minnow for deeper crappies.
• Quality electronics, including forward-facing sonar will help find suspended fish.
• Once you’ve located fish, adjust bait color to match weather, water clarity and fish mood for more bites.

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