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Crappie and Panfish Articles & Guides

Expert fishing articles, pro staff gear breakdowns, and technique guides from FishUSA anglers.

Jason Sealock · October 1, 2026

Mastering Fall Crappie Fishing: Patterns, Best Lures & Locations That Produce

Fall can produce the best crappie fishing of the entire year — bigger groups, well-fed fish, and cooling water temperatu...

Jason Sealock · September 30, 2026

Fly Fishing for Bluegill: Gear, Flies, Tactics & Tips

Bluegill are one of the best fish to chase on a fly rod — plentiful, aggressive, and forgiving for beginners while still...

FishUSA Staff · August 13, 2026

Best Fish Attractants: Proven Scents, Gels, and Cures That Trigger More Bites

Scent can be the final trigger. Scent is often the final trigger. The right attractant masks human odor, mimics natural...

FishUSA Staff · July 20, 2026

Summer Crappie Fishing: Where to Find Them, What Works, and When to Go

Summer crappie fishing comes with its own set of challenges and rewards. As water temperatures rise, crappie move to dee...

FishUSA Staff · March 26, 2026

Crappie Fishing with Slip Floats: Best Tips, Rig Setup, and How to Fish Them

Few things in fishing are more exciting than watching a float twitch, pause, and disappear under the water. That moment...

Jason Sealock · March 4, 2026

Matching Panfish Diet with Artificial Lures

I think panfish are assumed to just be easy to catch at all times of the year because of their prevalence. However, like...

FishUSA Staff · February 12, 2026

Redear Sunfish vs Bluegill: How to Tell Them Apart and Catch More of Both

Redear sunfish and bluegill share the same waters, eat some of the same food, and look similar enough that plenty of ang...

FishUSA Staff · February 11, 2026

Best Panfish Lures: Top Picks for Bluegill, Crappie, Perch, and More

If you’ve ever watched a school of bluegill peck at your bait like they’re “testing” it, or marked crappie on sonar only...

FishUSA Staff · December 26, 2025

Ice Fishing for Crappie on Small Lakes: Location, Gear, and Tactics

When winter locks up your local waters, ice fishing for crappie on small lakes might be the most overlooked way to stack...

FishUSA Staff · December 17, 2025

Early Ice Fishing for Bluegills: Location, Safety, and First-Ice Tactics

When the first safe ice forms and the lake goes quiet, early ice fishing for bluegills can be as hot as panfishing gets...

Jason Sealock · December 15, 2025

Shellcracker Fishing 101 - Where To Find And How To Catch Redear Sunfish

Panfishing offers a great way to introduce folks to fishing while also being a great way to feed the family. And avid pa...

FishUSA Staff · December 1, 2025

Florida Crappie Fishing: Expert Tactics, Best Lakes, Seasons, and Regulations

Florida’s “speckled perch” scene is unmatched—teeming with vegetation-rich shallows, massive reservoirs, deep basins, an...