Lake Anna, Virginia
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  • Kid friendly

Crappie fishing on Lake Anna

Crappie are the easygoing day on Lake Anna: light tackle, steady action and a cooler of some of the best eating fish that swim. It is a favorite for kids, new anglers and anyone who wants to take dinner home.
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Trips & rates

Best months

March to April and October to November. Good year round.

How we fish

Minnows and jigs around brush, docks and bridges. Light tackle.

Boat

Pontoon, up to 5 anglers.

Trips

Half day, 4 hours, from $400.
Full day, 8 hours, from $600.

Harvest

Fill the cooler, within Virginia limits.

The easiest way to fill a cooler

Crappie school up around cover, which makes them a numbers fish once you find them. We fish minnows and small jigs around brush piles, standing timber, docks and bridge pilings, using electronics to find the schools and stay on them.
The pace is relaxed and the bites are frequent, so it is a great first trip for kids and anyone new to fishing. It is also one of the best value days on the lake when the goal is a full cooler and dinner on the table.
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Season by season

Crappie bite all year on Lake Anna, but spring and fall are the peaks, when the fish move shallow and the coolers fill fastest.

Spring

March to April, peak
The best of the year. Fish move shallow to spawn around wood, docks and the backs of creeks, easy to reach and quick to bite.

Summer

May to August, slow
Crappie pull out to deeper brush and bridges. We fish them tight to cover on electronics, best early before the heat and boat traffic.

Fall

September to November, good
Cooling water pushes bait and crappie back toward the shallows. Another strong window, with steady action on jigs and minnows.

Winter

December to February, fair
Fish stack up deep and tight. Slower, precise fishing over brush and channel edges, but the schools can be big when you find them.

How we fish for them

Crappie are a light tackle, cover oriented fish. These are the methods that keep the action steady and the cooler filling.

Minnows under floats

The simplest and most productive crappie method. Live minnows set at the right depth around brush and docks, ideal for kids and first timers.

Jigs on light tackle

Small jigs worked slowly through cover. A fun, hands on way to fish once you get the feel for the bite.

Dock shooting

Skipping jigs far back under docks where crappie shade up. The guide will show you the cast and where the fish hold.

Brush piles and electronics

Finding schools on sonar over sunken brush and bridge pilings, then holding on them for numbers of fish.

Crappie trips

Half day if you are fishing with kids or short on time, full day when you want more time to find the bigger schools.
Crappie

Half day

4 hours

$400

for 2 anglers
$450 for 3, $500 for 4, $550 for 5 anglers
  • Pontoon, up to 5 anglers
  • Light tackle and steady action for kids
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Crappie

Full day

8 hours

$600

for 2 anglers
$650 for 3, $700 for 4, $750 for 5 anglers
  • Pontoon, up to 5 anglers
  • More time to find larger schools and bigger fish
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Fishing lessons

2 or 3 hours

A great first trip for kids

$250

2 hours, 2 people
3 hours from $325
  • Learn casting, rigging and reading water
  • Relaxed pace, ideal for new anglers
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Crappie trip questions

Is this a good trip for young kids?
It is our most kid friendly trip. The pace is relaxed, the tackle is light and the bites come often, which keeps children engaged. The guide handles bait and casting as much as needed. Kids must be accompanied by an adult.
Absolutely, that is part of the fun. Crappie are excellent eating and harvest is encouraged within Virginia size and creel limits. Bring a cooler and we will send you home with dinner.
Crappie trips run from our pontoon and take up to 5 anglers, so they suit families and groups. Everyone fishes together at an easy pace.
March to April and October to November are the peaks, when fish move shallow and bite readily. We catch them year round, though, so ask us about your dates.

Fill the cooler on Lake Anna

Half day from $400, up to 5 anglers, all tackle included. A relaxed day and dinner to take home.
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