Local professional crappie angler Matt Tuttle is sharing some of the techniques he uses to find and catch crappie on Grand Lake.

In a recent fishing video, Tuttle takes viewers through an early fall outing on the lake and explains how changing light, water depth and available structure can affect where crappie position themselves throughout the day.

Tuttle said boat lifts are a major source of cover on Grand Lake. When fishing around a lift, he focuses on several areas rather than making only one or two casts.

He said corner posts are naturally high percentage locations, but anglers should also work around cross braces and other parts of the structure.

Shade is another important factor.

Tuttle explained that as sunlight reaches the water, crappie often position themselves in shaded areas around boat lifts and other cover. He said the lower light gives anglers another clue about where fish may be located.

During the trip, Tuttle was fishing water that was generally between about two and a half and four feet deep.

Because Grand Lake is relatively shallow, he said a cork and jig can be an effective combination because it allows anglers to keep their bait in the strike zone longer.

Tuttle also demonstrated the importance of adjusting as conditions change.

Early in the day, he found bites around boat lifts. As the sun moved higher and that bite slowed, Tuttle changed locations and began targeting stake beds.

The move quickly produced additional bites.

Tuttle said the fish appeared to move tighter to cover as the sun became stronger, requiring him to thoroughly work the available structure.

Persistence was another major theme of the outing. Tuttle encouraged anglers to cover the entire area they are fishing instead of assuming crappie will always be located on the most obvious side of a piece of cover.

The video was recorded during mid September conditions, when cooler nights and daytime temperatures in the 70s were beginning to signal the fall transition.

Tuttle said during that transition fish may not always be stacked on a single piece of structure, making it important for anglers to continue moving, experimenting with depth and adjusting to changing conditions.