With the water column slowly warming and shallow water temperatures starting to rise towards the mid to upper 60s, Mozingo Lake’s abundant crappie population are beginning to enter the post spawn period.  And when post spawn arrives, fishing for Mozingo’s prized crappie can be very challenging.

After completing their spawning ritual, post spawn females will move off the nests seeking cover in nearby vegetation or flooded wood before making their way out towards deeper water.

Even some of the most die-hard crappie fishermen softly admit, fishing during the post spawn can be tough and sometimes even avoided. There are, however, a few pointers to keep in mind when heading out for some Mozingo Lake fishing that just might help salvage a number of this tasty fare.

1) Though the crappie are starting to head out to their summertime deep water haunts, they are most likely starting to stage for their “reverse migration” along steeper drop-off areas adjacent to spawning sites;

2) Three areas to “check-out” for Mozingo’s fleeting crappie population include the mouths of larger bays or coves, around the points of smaller creek mouths and sections of the lake with steeper shorelines.

3) Look for suspending fish over deep water at depths ranging from 3 to 10 feet but realize crappie, unlike other members of the sunfish family that disperse vertically when suspended, tend to remain at one specific depth level  (people often fish under suspended crappie).

Remembering and putting these post spawn crappie fishing tactics just might lessen the challenge during your next Mozingo Lake fishing adventure!