Crappie Fishing John on Crappie Fishing - Crappie are, in my opinion, one of the most fun fish to catch and certainly one of the best tasting fish. They swim in large schools and are found throughout most of the U.S. and into Canada. Crappie prefer fairly warm water and are normally found in nearly all types of cover. They average 6-11" fully grown, however with enough food and cover they can reach lengths up to 17". A large crappie is referred to as a "Slab". In most waters, crappie with a weight of 1/2 to 1 pound are considered good fish. In other waters, crappie are not considered large until they hit the 1 1/2 or 2 pound mark. They can, under ideal circumstances, reach weights of up to 6 pounds. Black Crappie vs. White Crappie There are two sub-species to the common crappie. The black crappie, which gets its name from its slightly darker appearance, and the white crappie. The black crappie is usually white or gray with dark gray or black spots covering most of its sides.

It has 7-8 dorsal spines on the top of its back. The white crappie tends to be lighter in color and often has distinct vertical bars of gray extending down its sides. It has 5-6 dorsal spines. Both of the sub-species have nearly the same feeding patterns and spawning time. I have heard the black crappie prefers clearer water, where the white crappie tolerates muddier water better. They are both terrific in the pan, I might add. Crappie Baits Crappie are versatile feeders, eating most types of insects, worms, and small crayfish and minnows. This variety of forage makes choosing baits for crappie fairly simple. Just about every angler has one bait that he or she swears will outfish any other. This is because that person probably uses that particular bait much more than any other. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however, because having confidence in your bait is almost as important as having a bait at all. As a rule of thumb, if the fish are eating it, keep using it. When the fish seem to stop eating it, don't keep using it.

If the fish aren't biting, you can try three things: Try a different presentation. That is slow down, speed up, twitch, or change your retrieve in some way. Try a different color lure. Crappie are especially famous for being color picky. Simply switching from a green jig to a yellow one can make the difference between a few bites and a stringer of slabs. Change baits completely. If you have been using minnows all day and have caught no fish, try switching to a small spinner or jig. The fish could want something with more or less action than your bait produces, so you must experiment until you find what they want. Most baits will catch plenty of fish provided they are presented to the fish in the right way at the right time. That means choosing a lure is about 50% trial-and-error and 50% your preference. Though minnows and worms are often very effective for catching crappie, I rarely use them because of their cost and/or effort to catch them. The three types of lures that I use most and I recommend to all crappie anglers are: 1.

Maribou Jigs- These are the small jigs that have little furry bodies and puffy, feathery tails. They come in many sizes and tons of colors,are very durable, and are fairly cheap to buy (I catch them on sale at Wal-Mart for $.25 for a four-pack). They can also be easily made at home with some yarn and pipe cleaners. These jigs are perfect for finesse fishing picky crappie, vertical jigging over structure, or suspending under a bobber. I prefer a 1/16 or 1/32 oz. jig. When choosing a color, I follow the table below. 2. Curly-tail Grubs- These are the soft plastic baits that have curly tails on the back that produce lots of action when jigged or retrieved steadily. They come in many sizes, but I like a 1 1/2"- 2 1/2" grub for crappie. Rig them with a 1/8- 1/64 oz. jig head, depending on conditions and preference. Follow chart below to choose a color. 3.

Spinners- These are my personal favorite lures to use when crappie fishing. This is because they are very versatile, effective, and fairly weedless. When I say versatile, I mean you never know just what you are going to catch on them. I have caught 16" bass, 9" bluegill, 21" catfish, and 13" pike while crappie fishing with a spinner. The spinners I use and have the best results with are the smallest sized ones I can find. The 1/16 oz. Beetle Spin is the perfect size. Wal-Mart caries several sizes of the individual spinners, but the absolute smallest ones are the best. I have also found that gold blades seem to produce slightly more strikes than the normal silver. I strongly recommend trying the tiny gold blades the next time you are on the water. Here is a breakdown of the types of spinners I use: A. Small Willow Leaf Blade- This is a very effective type of blade and seems to work well on most species. Try rigging it with a 2" tube bait or curly tail. B.

Small Silver Colorado (circular) Blade- This blade type produces a lot of vibrations and can be fished very slowly. Rig with 2" tube bait or, for even more action, add a curly tail to it. This combo is great for very stained, dark water. C. Small Gold Blade- My Favorite! A tiny, gold, Colorado blade with a 1/32 oz. jig head and a hot-colored, 2" tube bait is a dynamite lure for nearly any freshwater species. I suggest going to Wal-Mart and picking up a 2-pack of these tiny gold spinners. You will be glad you did! D. Beetle Spin- These come in tons of colors, sizes, and brands, but they have never let me down. The 1/8 and 1/16 oz. sizes are perfect for crappie as well as other fish. They are also a good choice. Choosing Colors Now that you know which type of lure to choose, what color should you use? Well the answer to this is simple, yet terribly difficult. Often you must try many different colors before you find the one that will catch the most fish.

However, here is something to go by: Clear Water: In clear and lightly stained waters, the most important thing to remember is to match the natural food items. When fishing with a minnow type lure, such as a tube bait or a shad shaped lure, try to use natural looking colors such as silver, smoke, gray, etc. When jigging near or on the bottom, try using browns or dark greens. Dark/ Stained Water: In stained or muddy waters, the keys to attracting strikes are vibration and brightness. Because dark water filters out much of the sunlight, often the best fishing is during mid-day or bright sunlight times. The fish can see better with more light penetrating. Vibrations also thoroughly help crappie to find forage in dark water, so a lure that produces these is usually a plus. Spinners, grubs, and jigs that are kept moving are usually good choices. Choose bright colors! Try using chartreusse, hot pink, white, yellow, hot green, etc. Sparkles are also good. Cloudy Days: Cloudy, overcast days limit the amount of sunlight that reaches the fish. Try using colors that are slightly darker than you would normally use.

Browns, greens, and even black are good colors to try on cloudy days. One of my personal favorites is a 2" black curly-tail grub with a yellow or chartreusse tail. The fish seen to pick up the combination of light and dark very well. I also use a small gold spinner with this grub. Bright Sunlight: Sunny days are usually fairly simple days to choose a lure color. Try the brightest color you have first. Chartreusse, white, yellow, and hot pinks and greens are favorites of mine. Try small silver or gold spinners to produce extra flash as well. Night Fishing: Crappie fishing at night is said to be quite productive, though I have never tried. Because of the lack of light at night, try jet black lures, or combinations of black and other colors. Try following these basic guidelines the next time you are choosing a lure and color and I think you will be pleased. However, remember this is just a guideline. If these techniques do not produce fish, try something totally different. Crappie Tactics Crappie are fairly active year round, but fall and spring offer the hottest fishing. The warming spring water temperatures triggers a feed-a-thon amongst fish.

Crappie spawn when the water temperature reaches about 52-60 degrees. Just before spawning (when the water hits about 48-51 degrees), they move into shallower water and feed aggressively. This is known as the pre-spawn period. Most crappie move into shoreline cover such as fallen trees and shallow coves during this time. The females will then lay their eggs and move to slightly deeper water while the males stay in the shallows and guard the nest. If you catch several smaller fish in shallow water, try moving to the nearest dropoff and you may find the larger females feeding. These pre-spawn and spawn periods of spring often offer the best fishing of the year. The cooling water of the fall also offers good crappie fishing. When the warm summer waters begin to cool down, the fish begin feeding aggressively in order to fatten up for the winter. Schools of big slabs can be caught easily during this "fall feed-up". Crappie are fish that love structure, so key in on ares with prominent cover. Rock piles, shallow coves, stumps, points, fallen trees, and submerged brush are all favorites.

Many anglers sink Christmas trees, old bushes, tires, and even wooden pallettes to create homes for big fish. Vertical jigging is a good method to fish submerged cover. A 1/32 or 1/16 oz. jig dropped into brush and twitched will produce many fish if the conditions are right. Try swimming a small spinner through stump fields or along fallen trees to locate the slabs. When you identify the depth at which most of the fish are holding, try suspending a jig or minnow at that depth under a small bobber. This is an effective way to keep your bait in the desired depth for a much longer period of time. Crankbaits For Crappies - In-Fisherman Crankbaits For Crappies Share on Google+ Pockets of popularity you might say. Everyone knows crappies eat crankbaits—at times. That’s not good enough for most crappie anglers, who remain largely dependent on a connection to livebait and the variety of techniques that go with it. But, one of In-Fisherman’s fundamental teaching points applies as much to crappies as to any other fish.

It’s often best to begin with aggressive strategies and let fish tell you whether to temper those strategies to something less aggressive. In crappie circles, anglers typically begin with tentative tactics, assuming, before they get a judgement from the fish, that such strategies are sure to work best. These anglers believe that because finesse tactics are so prevalent that those tactics must be so good that they are going to produce fish no matter what mood the fish are in. I admit that where spider-rigging can be used in conjunction with jigs, rigs, and livebait, it’s usually hard to beat. And where spider-rigging can’t be used, because multiple lines aren’t an option, I also admit that straightforward jigging methods usually produce some fish. The crappie is, after all, a fish of comparatively laid-back character. But not always. Crappies are cranked way more often than most anglers realize—and anglers don’t give crappies a chance to tell them how cranked they are. Fish often seem tentative when they’re presented with tentative strategies—because they’re not interested in those strategies when they’re in a more aggressive mood.

In not using aggressive tactics to begin with, we often minimize catches by not maximizing strategies that pay off in producing more fish. When crappies are cranked you catch more of them with aggressive tactics. So begins this tale. Searching for a Clue Sometimes casting cranks is a great way to get a feeling for what’s happening and where at least some of the fish are before you make more refined judgements about how to proceed. I’m at Grenada Reservoir in Mississippi April 7 one spring. It’s the home of giant white crappies and I’m there to shoot TV. But I really don’t have anyone that I know there that I can call to talk to about conditions—don’t have anyone that can tell me exactly what’s going on. Should be prime spawning time. I was there two years previous, but the water was very high and most of the fish were pushed shallow into flooded bushes and floating debris. This time the water’s high, but not extremely high. Where might the fish be? More precisely, where might the big fish be? I snoop on crappie101.com and see some of the best local guides are catching fish so long as the weather’s decent—but no details about fish location.

I drop the boat in and start looking. People are wading and fishing in flooded brush, per usual at this time of year, dipping and dabbling livebait and jigs with long rods. Don’t see anyone spider-rigging, which is a common tactic, but that’s probably because it’s so windy that day. I try fishing shallow and the fish are scattered and average, not exactly what I’m looking for. I pull out a #4 Glass Shad Rap and start probing basins just outside backwater spawning areas. Most of these basins run 3 to 4 to 7 feet deep. The Shad Rap runs 3 to 4 feet down on 6-pound Sufix 832, a braid, depending how high I keep my rod tip. I’m just casting, making slow retrieves, and covering water looking for fish. I start seeing some fish on the locator and finally catch a big fish, maybe 2.5 pounds. Then another nice one. And another. Many anglers hesitate to use cranks because compared to a typical crappie jig they seem too big—even immense. But I open the mouth of a 2-pounder that has completely eaten the Shad Rap.

This fish could eat 4 Shad Raps at the same time. A 3-pound fish could eat a baseball. As badly as I want to continue casting cranks, looking for a 3-pound fish, we quickly have enough footage for a nice TV segment, so the next day we move on to other things. The fish in those basins are set up perfectly for spider-rigging. So I do that to shoot another segment and then shoot yet another one concentrating on a discussion of crappie spawning behavior. So, here’s an instance—typical in my experience—where a crank quickly helps me find fish and allows me to consider how to proceed. The 2.5-pound fish also is the biggest I catch during the three days, which isn’t unusual when crankbaits are part of the equation with crappies. Cranks tend to get the big bite many times even though they can also be the best option for lots of fish, as my next story illustrates. To add further perspective to my experience at Grenada, I say this: The cranks got me started, but with the water as dirty as it is, I also soon see that spider-rigging is the way to go for lots of fish.

It’s also likely that spider-rigging should therefore account for so many fish that overall it produces more big fish than cranking might have in a couple days of fishing. We’ll never know for sure. GALLERY: Crappie Crankbaits <h2>Koppers LiveTarget Smelt</h2><a href="" target="_blank">livetargetlures.com</a> <h2>Koppers LiveTarget Smelt</h2><a href="" target="_blank">livetargetlures.com</a> <h2>Rapala Rattlin’ Rap</h2><a href="" target="_blank">rapala.com</a> <h2>Yo-Zuri Hardcore Shad SH60</h2><a href="" target="_blank">yo-zuri.com</a> <h2>#4 Rapala Glass Shad Rap</h2><a href="" target="_blank">rapala.com</a> Depth, Speed, Vibration It isn’t just diving cranks that do a job on crappies in certain situations. The key factor in deciding on a crankbait style is always first, where are the fish. How deep are they? Depth control is paramount.

Speed control and the way you’re working the lure is secondary, but also vital. All the other factors—lure size, color, profile, vibration pattern, and so on—you tinker with after the first two factors are in check. I agree, however, that lures for crappies shouldn’t be too big. I also agree there are traditionally productive colors crappies like in various water-clarity situations. I think the vibration pattern of a lure is more important than the other factors most of the time. Depth, speed and how you’re working the lure, then vibration pattern—before considering size, shape, color. The problem is that vibration pattern is dependent on the lure style you choose, so it’s hard to factor it in, other than as a matter of switching crankbait styles. Case in point. I usually spend time each year fishing Lake Fork, Texas. I like the challenge of bass fishing there because so many people fish it. But I also fish for crappies on occasion.

On reservoirs like Fork, Rayburn, Toledo Bend, and many smaller waters in Texas; and on traditional reservoirs in Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee—even Florida—at times during prespawn, spawn, and post-spawn the fish are up shallow over hydrilla inside cuts in creek arms, canals, and bays. Most anglers on Lake Fork fish along slowly with minnows suspended below floats. Of course they’re catching fish, but . . . Early on I fished with either a spinnerjig like the Blue Fox Panfish Spinner Jig or with small bass-style spinnerbaits. I thought I was pretty foxy, outfishing everyone because I could move along so much faster than they were. The fish ate the spinner lures well. It was a quicker way to catch fish once I found them—but the main point was that I was finding so many more pockets of fish than everyone else because I was fishing so much more aggressively. Then I reconsidered my own tactics. If aggressive was good, was I being aggressive enough? I tied on a #3 CountDown Rapala. What a slaughter the first afternoon I fished the lure.

It was just make the cast—a really long cast, if necessary—and count the lure down 3 or 4 seconds, then start reeling steady. The fish kept piling on. When the weather goes sour those fish drop into deeper adjacent water and you have to temper back and pitch jigs to key spots. So, again, cranks aren’t going to do it all the time. But they often can be the way you should at least start. Over the last couple years in several situations like that when I’m catching fish I’ve experimented with other small cranks to see what the fish like best. Countdown style lures remains a hot number, but another option that really whacks and stacks is a little lipless crank like the #4 Rattlin’ Rapala. Again, just make long casts and crank the lure in steadily. It’s an option for fish holding in less than about 4 feet of water, or holding less than about 4 feet down over deeper water. It’s also impressive how many big bass eat these small lures.

Suspending Stickbaits I talked with fishery scientist and top-notch angler Lonnie King, from Ottawa, Ontario, about cranking crappies early, after he mentioned doing so well this past year with stickbaits. His first point for crappie anglers is to put into perspective what’s happening environmentally during spring that makes crappies a target for the cranking option. “Crappies start to push shallow as soon as the weather stabilizes and begins to warm,” he says. “Some push into bays, others into the back ends of coves and into canals and marinas. In reservoirs they move farther and farther into creek arms, and finally into cuts in creek arms. “Admittedly, stability rarely lasts long during spring, so the fish are always dropping back deep during poor weather—not all the way back into the main-lake basin, but usually in deeper areas (basins or drop-off areas) adjacent to the shallow places they use to feed. It’s all about feeding, not spawning early on. So the fish are up and then they’re down. They’re moving in and they’re moving out.

“Given the number of potential places fish might be,” he continues, “the best way to find them usually is with crankbaits. As you mentioned, jigs also work great, but fishing with them is slow by comparison to what we can accomplish—the kind of water that we can cover—with a crank. “It’s the same scenario you addressed earlier when you gave the example of finding fish at Grenada. Just like you, I move steadily along as I search. It isn’t like power-fishing with spinnerbaits for bass—I’m not moving along that fast.” King adds perspective to our discussion because his favorite cranks are suspending stickbaits, a class of cranks I haven’t often had a chance to fish. He’s talking lures like the LiveTarget Smelt and the #4 and #6 Rapala X-Raps.The Smelt is 2.75 inches long and weighs 1/8 ounce. The X-Raps are 1.5 and 2.5 inches and weigh 1/16 and 1/8 ounce, respectively. By comparison, my favorite #3 CountDown Rapala is 1.5 inches and weighs 1/8 ounce.

The CountDown sinks at a steady rate, while the suspending sticks dive to a given depth then suspend when they’re paused. “When I’m searching I make long casts and crank the lure down quickly,” King says. “Then I pause a couple seconds, pull the lure forward slowly and steadily another four feet or so, and pause again. Then I reel the lure along steadily another 10 feet to get it into a different trigger zone, before repeating the pause-retrieve scenario. I think suspending lures often are key because they hold at depth, giving crappies time to move to get the lure.” Competitive fishing has honed todays specialized bass and walleye boats. Lately, the growing popularity of crappie... Rods, Reels, Line King and I agree that no-stretch, thin-diameter lines like Sufix 832 and Berkley FireLine, typically testing 6 pounds, are perfect for fishing with cranks, providing you match them with the right rod and reel combination. The rod should be from 6.5 to 7.5 feet long, light power, and have a slower, rather than faster, action.

It’s the length in combination with a soft tip that allows the angler to load the rod with the small lure and propel it a good distance. Many of these rods are marketed as trout rods, and they can be expensive graphite models, or less-expensive composite blends of graphite and fiberglass. King also likes rods made for drop-shotting. They typically are light power but have a faster action. They have enough tip bend to send lures packing into the distance with a wrist snap. Monofilament works well, too, and is easier to work with for most anglers. Standard break strengths include 3, 4, 5, and 6 pounds. The problem with braided and fused lines for many anglers is that they are so thin that knot tying is a problem. The uni-knot works; so does the Palomar. Knots like a 3-wrap improved clinch knot also work with doubled line. Stange: “The best option is to add a 3-foot section of 8-pound fluorocarbon or monofilament leader at the end of the fused line. This requires attaching the lines together with back-to-back uni-knots (double uni).

Make at least 5 wraps on the uni-knots, and the tag end of the fused line must be doubled with a spider hitch before doing the knot. It sounds difficult, but isn’t once you practice. One cool place to learn about knots is the website netknots.com. Don’t go ultralight with the matching reel, because they have such small spool diameter as to cut casting distance as the tightly coiled line-loops flow from the spool. I’ve spent years fishing with Pflueger Supremes to do our TV show, an absolutely smooth, reliable, reel for around $100. They market the Supremes in typical fashion. The ultralight version is the 25 class. Then there’s a 30-class (walleye size), a 35, a 40, and so on, with each reel getting a little larger and heavier—and with each reel offering a bit more spool diameter. You want the 30-class reel in this numbering scenario. There can be no promises in fishing beyond that which we offer here—the promise that fishing for crappies with cranks lends mightily to any angler’s arsenal that already includes traditional techniques.

Besides often being extremely productive, it’s tremendous fun. And many days it’s the best way to catch a giant fish. Bluegills, Perch, CrappiesDo most fishermen know what panfish are eating? Tweaking Crankbaits for Crappies In-Fisherman Editor In Chief Doug Stange has been fishing with crankbaits for more than 40 years. “I always remove the split ring from a crank when I can, in favor of securing the lure with a small snap like the #1 Berkley Cross-Lok. The problem with a split ring is that it makes even a well-tuned lure run slightly left or right when wire at the edge of the gap in the ring presses up against the nose eye of the plug on the retrieve. If you tie direct, make sure you cinch up the knot to the gap in the ring where it’s a single layer of wire—not where it’s doubled. “Even the #1 snap is too much for the tiniest cranks, like a #2 CountDown Rapala.

There, a loop knot does a good job.” CountDown Rapala—One advantage of the CountDown Rapala is that it’s actually two lures in one, according to Stange. Right out of the box, it has a tight wobble that often works well. At times, though, a wider wobble works better and this can be accomplished by using pliers to pinch the nose-eye slightly flatter. Then bend it down ever so slightly. At this point, check to see that the lure isn’t running slightly left or right. If it is, bend the eye slightly away from the direction it’s moving errantly. Stange: “This little tinker allows you to run the lure slower and with a wider wobble. Lots of times this is the key to success with this fantastic lure.” Suspending Stickbaits—It doesn’t take much for the little sticks to be affected by the addition of even the #1 Berkley Cross-Lok snap. We usually run with a loop knot for these lures. But where King and many other anglers fish the problem is pike. They love to eat these little sticks as much as crappies do.

King uses the lightest titanium wire to make short leaders, which he connects directly to the nose-eye of the lure after removing the split ring. Titanium wire resists the kinking common with stainless-steel wire. Offbeat Tactics That Catch Big Crappie - Game & Fish Offbeat Tactics That Catch Big Crappie by John E. Phillips | June 7th, 2004 0 Share on Google+ Listen to the wrong anglers, and you just might think that fishing jigs and minnows around brushpiles is the only way to catch big crappie. But trust us — there are other methods! I never met more of a crappie-fishing angler than Skeeter Skelton, a friend who could catch crappie when no else could. He employed a technique that you’d have to see to believe.

When I first fished with Skelton about two decades ago, and asked him if we would fish for crappie with minnows or jigs, he answered, “No – knitting thread.” I asked what he meant, and he replied, “Knitting thread is what we’re going to use to fish for crappie.” If you’re confused, think about me as I tried to make a decision about whether to carry a cane pole, a bait-casting outfit, a spinning rod or some other type of tackle to fish with knitting thread. But I learned the wisdom of Skelton’s crappie-catching technique that day when he and I fished together. Skelton always searched for what he called “hidden trees.” “Look for stumps on the banks where a tree once was, broken-off trees and/or holes where the tree roots were blown down by a mighty wind,” Skelton explained. “From the holes and the stumps, you should be able to guess about how big the tree was. Then figure out approximately where the top of that tree would be if it fell into the lake.” Skelton fished successfully for crappie in the days before the depthfinder by identifying those invisible trees.

Once he determined the approximate position of the treetop in the water, he’d pull out a variety of his homemade jigs. “Those store-bought jigs are so expensive that I’ll go broke buying them,” he said. “I’ve bought a split shot lead mold from the Herter’s catalog. I pour up 1/8-, 1/4- and 1/2-ounce split shot from the lead I pick up around town. Next I get some wire crappie hooks and several different-colored skeins of knitting thread. I cut the knitting thread into various lengths, put three strands of knitting thread and the hook in a shot lead and crimp the shot lead closed. I now have a knitting-thread jig, and if I lose it, I’ve lost pennies instead of quarters.” Skelton needed to fish only with inexpensive jigs, since he generally fished 15 to 20 treetops each morning and the same number in the afternoon. “Crappie will be in one of those treetops,” he explained.

“All I’ve got to do is find out which treetop they’re in, and then, once I start catching them, I just change out the color of my knitting thread until I take a good mess of crappie from the same treetop.” Every time I got hung-up in a tree limb, Skelton would call, “Break it off – it’s just knitting thread. I’ve got plenty more where that jig came from. If we run out of our knitting-thread jigs, I’ve got the makings for thousands more right here in the boat. If we each don’t break off 50 to 75 jigs in a day, we’re not fishing where the crappie are.” On that day, he and I caught a total of more than 100 crappie, but only kept the ones that weighed 1 1/2-pounds or better. We filled up two coolers – his and mine. Even today when I crappie-fish for a day, I always carry some wire hooks, split shots and one or two skeins of knitting thread with me. Then I’m prepared if I run out of my expensive crappie baits.

Here’s a look at some other offbeat ways to catch crappie. JUGGING GOLDFISH When we think about goldfish, there comes immediately to mind the image of children amused by watching the shiny orange creatures swim round and round in a fishbowl like one in Dr. Seuss. But some anglers buy these staples of the home aquarium to fish for crappie, believing that using goldfish instead of minnows catches them bigger slabs. And crappie will indeed bite goldfish more readily than they do some other baits, perhaps because of the bait’s high visibility, especially in stained water. Further, goldfish do seem to live longer than minnows do. Today, some crappie fishermen use quart bleach bottles to catch crappie, just as other anglers jug for catfish. Tying monofilament on the necks of the jugs, they suspend either goldfish or live minnows on hooks or 1/24- or 1/32-ounce crappie jigs on the lines; then they allow the jugs to blow across the mouths of creeks, river ledges and shallow-water coves where the crappie may spawn during the spring.

When the crappie take the jigs, they tip up the jugs, and the angler brings in the crappie. Be sure to check the regulations where you plan to fish before using this method. CHUMMING Try chumming, a technique usually associated with saltwater angling, to improve your crappie fishing. Anchor over a likely-looking spot and sprinkle cornmeal around the boat every few minutes; soon, minnows will begin to gather to feed on the chum, and the minnows will attract the crappie. This technique works even better if you can start the chumming a day or two before you start fishing. The crappie will be lined up for you then. EGGING To attract minnows and, thus, crappie to your fishing area, crush your breakfast eggshells, take them to the lake, and sprinkle the shell pieces overboard in a circle around the boat. The pieces will flutter seductively down through the water and draw in first minnows and then crappie. Whether the pieces of shell look like the scales of just-eaten baitfish or the crappie just like the fluttering motion is of no real consequence.

Whatever the reason, it’ll help you catch more slabs. FLY-FISHING FOR CRAPPIE Few people fly-fish for crappie, so some may find this an unusual approach to catching crappie. But you can have great fun taking crappie on your fly rod. Use a 4- to 6- weight outfit and weight-forward floating or fast-sink tip line and attach a 4- to 6-foot leader tapering down to a 6- to 8-pound tippet; fish with a small streamer fly in sizes 2 to 6. You may have to crimp a small split shot on the leader a foot in front of the fly for extra weight. Cast the fly near deep points, bridge pilings and flooded timber, along dropoffs and to the edges of weedbeds. Then retrieve with short, sharp strips to work the fly at 4- to 12-foot depths. SHOOTING DOCKS During the spawn, crappie often spawn so far under a dock that you can’t cast to them.

To solve this problem, use a small 4 1/2- to 5-foot light-action spinning rod and 4- to 6-pound-test line. Leave about 3 feet of line hanging down from the end of the rod. Pick up the line closest to the reel with your index finger and hold the line with your finger as if you were preparing to cast. With your other hand, take hold of the jig between your thumb and index finger, the hook pointing away from you. Pull the jig back so that the rod bends. Aim the rod under the dock and release the jig; just as the jig clears the end of the rod, release the line you’re holding with your finger in the other hand. The rod then will shoot the jig under the dock, where you can’t cast. Once the jig hits the water, begin a slow, steady retrieve to catch slabsides in a place that few crappie anglers fish in. MAGGOTING UP YOUR JIGS Tip a 1/32-ounce jig with a live Eurolarva (maggot).

Fish the jig and the maggot combination on 4-pound-test line wherever you’ve located standing timber on the edges of underwater creek channels or in small creeks that have deep eddy pools close to the bank. Let the Eurolarva and jig free-fall to the bottom, and watch your line for the bite. CRANKING ‘EM UP Fish small deep-diving bass crankbaits to catch deep crappie on underwater dropoffs, ledges or stumps. Cast them out and swim them along the edges of the cover, or crash them into underwater stumps and logs. As the baits float up after the collision, the crappie often will attack. Some anglers prefer to troll crankbaits for crappie. As one fisherman noted, “Even with a 10- or a 20-mph wind, I can troll crankbaits 100 feet behind my boat, have them run true and catch crappie.” If you fish with either jigs or minnows in a wind like that, your baits will bounce up and down as your boat rides the waves.

But a big crankbait will pull hard, the line will knife through the water, and the crankbait will run naturally. JARRING FOR CRAPPIE Ever try this age-old jar trick? Fill a gallon glass jar with water and put a lid with holes punched in it on the jar. Tie the neck of the jar with a strong piece of string. Put 6 to 12 minnows in the jar, and lower it to the depth at which you’ve previously caught crappie. Crappie will spot the minnows in the jar, but not the glass – so they’ll attack the jar. Put live minnows on hooks down right beside the jar, and the crappie will take the bait. What are Crappie? | Enlighten Me What are Crappie? Comment × Crappie is a freshwater game and pan fish that is extremely popular among anglers. People of all descriptions and ages enjoy crappie fishing for a number of reasons: they do not put up as much of a fight as other game fish, so children, and the least experienced anglers, can easily handle them, and equipment needs are minimal.

Fishing can be done with something as simple as a cane pole, line, and hook. They are found throughout the United States, in almost any type of freshwater – whether it is a lake, river, or stream, have extended fishing seasons, and they are a tasty catch. Crappie are small fish, averaging less than a pound and under twelve inches in length. There are two varieties of crappie, the black and the white. Neither differs that greatly from the other, with the only real difference being where they can be found – black prefer cooler, clear lakes or large sluggish rivers, while white enjoy the environs of warm, silt-filled waters. Finding crappie Crappie prefer to school along woody shorelines with a lot of vegetation. As temperatures rise, they can be found around man-made structures. When the temperatures drop, they will go to deeper waters. They are smallish fish with an average length of approximately 10 inches and they usually weigh less than a pound. There are two varieties of crappie, black crappie and white crappie. Fishing for crappie Tackle – Not a renowned fighting fish, crappie require only light tackle, light line and smaller hooks.

Care must be taken in landing one, as their nickname “papermouth” is an accurate descriptor. Because they do not strike with much force, a small bobber attached to the line can help in detecting strikes. Lures – The meal of choice for this delightful species is live minnows. Because of this, choose small lures that imitate them, or imitate worms or insects, bright colors are a good addition. Movement is important since crappie will ignore dead creatures, so keep the lure active. Jigs – Crappie jigs are available in a limitless range material combinations, including rubber, hair, floss, silver strands, and more. As with lures, jigs should be small, with those tipped with a small minnow being highly effective. Fishing technique Taking it easy – Cast the lure out and watch it sink to the desired depth, and slowly reel it back in, keeping the rod tip high. Popping the lure – This technique simply adds a variation. Every couple of seconds, while slowly reeling in the lure give a quick pop to the rod, quickly raising the lure in the water, then letting it sink back down.

Crappie fishing can be a lot of fun for everyone in the family, and is a great way to introduce children to the fun and excitement of this lifelong sport. For a small investment, all can have a great time. Share There are no listings in your area. Local Sporting Goods by City 112 Crappie Lures and Baits - Top 4 Crappie Fishing Tips | HowStuffWorks Top 4 Crappie Fishing Tips Prev Next ­Cho­osing live bait for crappie fishing is very easy. Crappies feed on minnows, worms and just about any insect they can get their mouths on. Live bait is easy to find in stores (or collect yourself) and even easier to fish with. The real-life movement of these creatures can appear extremely attractive to the fish. Since this is the crappie's natural food, it may seem like the most natural option. On the other hand, live bait can be difficult to work with. Most complaints come from the inconvenience of keeping yourself stocked in minnows or worms. Keeping the insects alive, healthy and fed can be costly and time consuming. Artificial baits such as lures and jigs can be an attractive alternative.

Lures can be tossed into the tackle box without worrying about their mortality. Plus, it's much easier to run to the store for lures than try to capture your own live bait. Up Next The Ultimate Crappie Fishing Quiz When choosing a lure, make sure to pick one that would appeal to crappies, one that could pass for their food of choice -- minnows, small crayfish or any type of insect. Crappies have keen eyesight, so coloring is important [source: Crappie.net ]. Opt for lure colors that correspond with the surrounding conditions. In clear waters, use lures that are close to the typical color of crappie food such as silver and gray. At night, you can try blacks and dark blues. On sunny days, use the brightest color lures you can find. Many anglers also advocate using both live and artificial lures to bait crappie. It's effective in fishing dense vegetation (where crappies like to hang out the most) while making the bait appear more life-like. Your choice of jig color can aid in attracting the crappie to the live bait.

There is no wrong way to hook a crappie, so experiment with whatever methods suit you to find your favorite way to catch. Looking for a more exciting way to catch your crappie? Read on to find out how to fly fish for a crappie. Crappie Jigs The three types of jigs most commonly used in crappie fishing are: Marabou jigs are made of bristle or hair. They are available in different colors and designs. These are especially common among fishermen Curly tail jigs are fashioned out of soft plastic and are very cheap. They're capable of catching fish in both freshwater and saltwater. Rooster tail jigs are just like a marabou jig, but with a rotating blade or spoon attached to the body. Four secrets about breeding minnow | Ask Crappie Fishing Four secrets about breeding minnow Posted by Dan Eggertsen on December 13, 2010 in Editorials · Comments Off If you’ve ever gone fishing then you probably already know that the minnow is one of the most popular live baits used all across the globe. This is partly because they seem to be the favorite baitfish of numerous fish species. They’re also plentiful and easy to find.

They usually grow about four to six inches (depending on the type of minnow you’re using) and they’re extremely resilient. This creature can survive and multiply in small areas with a limited food source and they can be found in all types of water. Since they are one of the best baits you can use when fishing, many people choose to raise minnows. Some do it for their own personal use and others raise and sell minnows to other anglers. When you’re ready to start breeding minnows, the first thing that you need to do is prepare the habitat. Preparing the Holding Tank When preparing the holding tank, you don’t necessarily need anything special but it does need to be large enough to accommodate the minnows and give them room to grow and multiply. It also needs to be clean and free of chemicals or anything that could kill the minnow. Choose a holding tank based on the number of minnows you expect to breed. This will depend on what you plan to do with the minnows. If you plan to fish with them personally, you don’t need a large facility. That is unless you go fishing every day.

If you plan to sell them, then you may want to go with a larger facility so you don’t run out of minnows when anglers want them the most. It’s also recommended that you have two separate tanks, one is for the adult minnows and the other one is for the fry. You’ll need to have a filter to keep the water clean. A sponge type filter is recommended to avoid sucking the eggs up and air stones will add much needed oxygen to the tank. You’re now ready to place your starter minnows into the tank. Feeding them is not very difficult because they will eat a variety of foods from algae to small insects. You can also feed them regular fish food, both the flakes and pellets along with small bloodworms and shrimp. Secrets for Breeding Minnows Breeding minnows is probably easier than raising any other type of fish species. They don’t need a lot of care but there are things that you can do to make your attempt as a breeder successful. Here are four secrets about breeding minnows that you need to know: 1.

The minnow won’t need a heated tank to survive but if you keep the water between seventy and seventy-five degrees, it will make a difference and promote the breeding process. 2. You must have driftwood, artificial caves and rocks in the holding tanks to give the minnows somewhere to lay their eggs. 3. To induce spawning you need provide a certain amount of light and darkness in sequence. You’ll need to expose the minnows to sixteen hours of light. This is called the “photo-period”. Then you’ll need to follow this period with eight hours of darkness. This will jump start the breeding process. 4. Once the eggs hatch, it’s recommended that you remove them from the tank. They do well when placed into a tank next to an air stone and they usually hatch within four to eight days. The reason for this is because once the eggs hatch, the adult minnows have a tendency of eating the fry especially if they get hungry. Using these tips will help provide the best habitat for the minnows to grow and thrive, thus making your breeding attempt a success. What You Should Know There are a few things that you must be aware of before attempting to breed minnows.

For example, the smell can be a little overwhelming for many people. For this reason, it’s recommended that you place the holding tank away from any living quarters to avoid smelling up your home. You’ll also need to keep the tank clean and remove any dead or sick minnows from the tank and dispose of them properly. If the minnows are not healthy, they won’t attract many of the fish species and this defeats the purpose of raising them to use as bait. Another problem you may run into is over breeding since this creature is so resilient. If your tanks are becoming overpopulated with minnows, you’ll need to slow down the breeding process. You can also choose to leave the eggs in the tank and this will help to reduce the population when the adults eat many of the fry. Raising minnows is not very difficult but it’s not for just anyone. You need to be willing to put some time into it and monitor them regularly. This is the only way that you’ll be able to keep up with the progress. You must also be willing to get dirty and a little smelly at times when it comes time to clean out those tanks.

Big Baits, Big Crappie Tips « Crappie Crazy Crappie Fishing Tip: Big Baits, Big Crappie We asked the Question, “Do BIG Baits catch BIG Crappie”? In a nutshell the answer is defiantly, YES! It is the age-old question that can be answered by success. Most Crappie Anglers who target Big Crappie will tell you it’s all about the bait size. Big Crappie are a different creature when it comes to finding them and then getting them to bite. Lets take a look at what we mean. “Lake Fork Trophy Lures 2.25″ Sickle Tail Baby Shad” When we talk about Big Baits we are referring to 2+ inch plastics, crankbaits, spinners and even live baits. Lake Fork Trophy Lures Pro James Reedy says, “Big fish are like big people, they like big sandwiches”. Which would explain why the Pros continuously bring Big Crappie to the weigh-in. “Bobby Garland 3 inch Slab Slay’R” We recently asked this questions to Peculiar, Missouri, Bobby Garland Pro Kevin Rogers. We often hear that bigger is better when targeting Big Crappie.

Do you feel this approach holds true? If so, why? “This sums up our fishing career, Yes 100% percent. We do not use a lure that is smaller than 1/8 once (We don’t even have any in our boat). 95% of our fishing we are using a 3/16 – 1/4 once lead head. After we have seven crappie in the boat; we both switch over to a 3” Bobby Garland Slab Slay’R, and go power fishing the rest of the day, looking for hogs! Example: We were fishing a tournament at Eufaula Lake in Ok. There was a certain stretch of the lake that was holding crappie; seemed like every boat in the tournament was there. There were 10 boats within 100 yard of us; every boat was whacking them (except us). One team had over 60 crappie that day, we only managed to catch eleven all day, yes eleven! But at the end of the day, we won!

We did this by fishing big 3” crappie baits and ½ once lead heads, while everyone else was using 1/16 once lead heads with micro tubes. We chose the larger baits on purpose, to target the bigger fish. This takes a different mindset, but can pay off come tournament time (you only need seven)”, says Kevin. The next time you head out to go Crappie Fishing for Big Crappie take a tip from the Pros and up-size your baits to 2+ inch baits. Most of the time you will catch less fish but the ones you do catch will be Big Slab Crappie! Crappie.com - Night at the Bar Night at the Bar BassPro Clearance SALE ad | Come join the best Family Orientated fishing website on the Internet. Register and I will offer you a free Crappie.com decal. Help Crappie.com by becoming a Supporting Member. Click Here for AD-Free Premium membership options. Night at the Bar 9 Comments What better way to end the work week than at the bar. No not that kind of bar. I'm talking about Watts Bar. A watering hole for some night time crappie fishing.

Got home from work Friday evening and everyone was gone. Grass was already mowed and I thought to myself "this is too good to be true." Quick little nap then the boat was on the trailer and I hit the street a running before my luck changed. Got to the ramp to witness some poor dude who was having some bad luck with TWRA writing him a citation for his boat not being registered. I went ahead and dropped my vessel in the water and headed on out since it was getting dark. Got to the destination right at 9:30 dropped a light by my marker buoy and had the first fish within a few minutes. I fished the night entirely with Crappie Magnets Zoe's Glow. These have been my preferred night fishing bait for some time now and see no reason to change. The air felt good and the ambient sound of the night creatures was relaxing. I could even hear some old Hootie and the Blowfish playing off in the distance coming from a big cruiser out in the main channel. I think if I had a big ole recliner in my boat I would have just spent the entire night out there. Ended up catching 10 nice crappie.

Most were 13 inch fish with a mix of black and white crappie. I did catch a couple of shorts. The bite seemed pretty good at first. Enough to keep me interested until the moon got up then it got slow. Not sure if the moon had anything to do with it or not but after fishing a few different spots I eventually called it and came on it. Anyhow I was happy with the ones I caught and cannot wait to do it again. This article was originally published in forum thread: Night at the Bar started by Pantastic View original post Categories:

Question: What type of creature is a crappie?
Answer: Fish