Catch Panfish All Year: A Guide to Seasonal Patterns
Any angler can catch a bluegill during the spring spawn. But the mark of a true panfish expert is the ability to find and catch a limit of big crappie in the dead of winter, or a mess of perch in the dog days of summer. The secret isn’t a magic lure; it’s a deep understanding of the calendar. Panfish, like all fish, are predictable. Their location is almost entirely dictated by two things: water temperature and the location of their food. Let’s break down the panfish’s year so you can find them in any season.
Spring: The Shallow Water Spawning Rush
As the water warms into the 60s and 70s, panfish of all species make a massive migration to the shallowest, most protected water they can find. This is their time to spawn. It’s the easiest and most exciting time to catch them, as they are concentrated and aggressive.
- Crappie: Look for them to move into shallow coves and around any piece of shallow wood cover—laydowns, brush, and dock pilings—often in just 2-6 feet of water.
- Bluegill: As we covered in our guide to bluegill, they will be in the very back of pockets, fanning out spawning beds. This is the prime time to find huge numbers of big, aggressive “bull” bluegill.
Summer: Beating the Heat in Deep Water and Thick Cover
This is the pattern for a hot August day in Texas. When the surface temperature gets uncomfortably hot, panfish do one of two things: they go deep, or they go into the thickest shade they can find. The smaller fish might stay shallow, hiding under docks or in thick lily pads. The bigger, mature fish, especially crappie, will often suspend over deep structure like main-lake brush piles and bridge pilings, 15 to 25 feet down where the water is cooler and more comfortable.
Fall: Following the Baitfish Bonanza
As the water begins to cool in the fall, it triggers a major feeding response. The panfish know winter is coming, and it’s time to fatten up. During this time, crappie and perch will form large, roaming schools and suspend in open water, chasing massive clouds of shad and other baitfish. This is when trolling with small crankbaits or “spider-rigging” with multiple poles can be incredibly effective to cover water and locate these moving schools.
Winter: The Deep, Slow-Moving Schools
When the water gets truly cold, a panfish’s metabolism slows way down. They expend as little energy as possible. They will retreat to the deepest water in the lake, often gathering in huge, tightly-packed schools in deep basins or along steep creek channel edges. They will hold very tight to any available structure, like a deep brush pile. This is the prime time for vertical jigging, as you need to drop a small jig right on their nose. The bites will be incredibly light, so a sensitive touch is key.
Putting it All Together
Stop fishing your memories of where you caught them last spring. A true angler fishes the season they are in. By understanding these simple seasonal movements, you can stop guessing and start finding fish on a consistent basis, all year long.
Understanding these movements is the key to mastering the species we introduce in our Guide to Panfish Fishing.
-Captain Sal
