Crappie

Crappie fishing around Mora, Minnesota, centers around the area's many smaller lakes and flowages. Knife Lake, for instance, offers ample crappie habitat in its weedy bays and around submerged timber. Spring is the prime time, as crappies move shallow to spawn, but a consistent bite can also be found in the fall as water temps cool. Look for crappies suspended near brush piles and weed edges, and use small jigs tipped with minnows or waxworms under a bobber. A good tactic is to slowly work the edges of weed beds, paying close attention to any pockets or openings. One local tip is to explore some of the smaller, less-pressured lakes north of Mora; these often hold surprisingly good crappie populations. The crappie in this area are generally of good size, with some reaching upwards of 12 inches.