During the fall, crappies begin to move deeper into the lake. As winter then begins to set in, they move deeper and deeper down. They prefer to be in the lowest third of the lake. How far down they go depends on the size and layout of the lake, and how far North the lake is. On average, they tend to swim 20 to 30 feet down, in natural lakes. They often find basins and holes in a larger, natural lakes. The further North you go, the further down a crappie will head. Some may travel down as far as 50 feet.