Springtime is the best time for crappies on the fly
There are few fish in North America that rival the tenacity and aggressiveness of crappies right before the spawn. However, if you a planning on fly fishing for crappies anytime soon, you better be prepared. The bite comes fast and furious, but you have to now where to look.
First off, right when the water hits about 50 degrees, crappies head to shallows in great numbers to gorge themselves on all the ice off hatches to prepare for spawn. Most of the time, these fish are schooled up and roaming the shallows near weeds and sandy bottoms. It make take a lot of searching, but once you find a school in four to five feet of water, there could be hundreds waiting for you.
As far as the flies, don’t overthink this when fly fishing for crappies. Anything that is smallish and white or chartreuse will get the job done. For example, any small clauser or streamer that looks like a baitfish will work. If those aren’t available, buggers can get the job done as well. Quick fast strips at first can often trigger a strike, but once you find the fish, you may need to vary presentations to keep the fish interested.
You may want to consider a little bigger tippet than you might expect. Don’t be surprised when a good sized bass sucks your streamer down instead. I’d rather be ready than caught off guard.