Take It From Me: 5 Tips for Cold Snap Crappies | Ice Fishing in Extreme Cold

So you finally got a day off work, the honey‑do list is done, you call your buddies, you’re going fishing tomorrow. Then it happens — the forecast changes and now it’s going to be stupid cold out. Here are five things I learned during our last trip chasing crappies in sub‑zero temperatures. The full episode is out on our YouTube page now, so check it out.

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1. Dress correctly, dress correctly, dress correctly

The best way to be successful on the water, no matter the weather, is to be comfortable. And if comfortable isn’t an option, at least make sure you won’t be miserable.

When my alarm went off and I checked the weather, it said –39 degrees Fahrenheit.

Here’s what I wore:

Feet: wool socks, thermal insoles, good boots Legs: compression shorts, long johns, jogger sweatpants, Eskimo Keeper Bibs Torso: long sleeve thermal liner, Samurai Hoodie, Aftco Reaper Hoodie, Eskimo Flag Chaser Vest, Eskimo Keeper Jacket Head: stocking cap + hood up Hands: Merino wool fingerless gloves, Fish Monkey mittens

If you’re going to fish crappies in a cold snap, you need to dress like you’re going to war.

2. Make a plan before you go out on the lake

When we went out searching for crappies, we planned to check three of the deeper holes first so we didn’t waste time drilling all over the lake. We set up on the first hole, saw fish on LiveScope, caught a few, and set the shacks up to get comfortable.

After 30 minutes, the fish were gone — and it was time to move.

A plan is great, but it has to be flexible.

3. Be ready to move

I know tip #2 is to have a plan, but sometimes you have to scrap the plan and play the fish. We went out intending to set up shacks, stay warm, and catch crappies. The fish did not agree with us.

We ended up hole‑hopping all day to stay on them. Thankfully we followed step #1 and were dressed to be outside in brutal temps.

Cold snap crappie fishing is a mobile game.

4. Keep the school engaged

Sometimes the hardest part of chasing crappies through the ice is how fast they move. With LiveScope, we could see what direction the school was heading and leapfrog each other to stay in front of them.

When one of us hooked up, someone else was already ready to drop down the same hole and take advantage of the school being “heated.”

Crappies move fast — you need to move faster.

5. Take care of yourself

Normally tip #5 is a joke about me being a big dude and needing snacks. This time I really mean it.

When it’s that cold out, you don’t realize how much fluid you’re losing. I realized on the way home that I hadn’t had anything to drink in 23 hours. My body hurt, my brain wasn’t working right, and I woke up with a “hangover” from not drinking anything.

Hydrate. Eat. Take care of yourself. Cold snap fishing will sneak up on you.