Gord Pyzer

Where to find hot action all summer long for slab crappies Catching a crappie the size of a dinner plate is fun at any time of the year, but perhaps never more so than during the heat of summer. Strangely, though, most Canadian anglers don’t target summertime crappies. Instead, they’ll flock to springtime shallows when crappies come up to spawn, then count the days until the fish bunch up in deep pockets during the fall.

When springtime walleye get lockjaw, it’s time to keep things simple to get the action started Pared-down presentations shine when bad weather or too much fishing pressure make for a tough bite Sure, chasing the latest and greatest new walleye techniques can be fun and exciting, but when the bite becomes overly cruel or challenging, never underestimate the power of keeping things simple instead.

Fishing the top few feet of warm water in the open expanse of bays is an overlooked prespawn pattern. (Photo: Gord Pyzer) This article originally appeared in the May 2025 issue of In-Fisherman. The good old days, fishing for crappies at the northern edge of their range, are right now, as more lakes, rivers, reservoirs, pits, and ponds are hosting the wonderful sportfish. And the crappies are big and plentiful.