What should I be using

[Chaddy]

So went fishing this morning in a old mining pond. I’m in middle North Carolina so it was around 55 degrees out. I all ways fish for large mouth bass and artificial baits. So my dad always wants to catch crappie so he uses live crappie minnows. I fished jigs wacky rigged worms and didn’t catch anything. He caught 5 bass and 7 crappie in three hours. So what should kind of artificial bait should I be using or trying? Thanks in advance for the help. 

[Smokinal]

Try a small swimbait on a ball head jig, like a 2-3 inch white or smoke colored swimbait.

Lipless crankbaits of different colors.

Suspending jerkbaits

 

One of those 3 will get you bit.

[MickD]

Mining pit = very clear water, right?  Swimbait color should be almost clear, transclucent, not dark.  I have not fished where you are , but LMB up here cannot resist tubes.  Small ones, 1/8 oz jig tube to get a slow fall, move them slowly.  If the bass are active you very well may get hits on the drop.

 

If his bass on minnows are being caught near bottom, try drop shot with plastic minnows or other small drop shot plastics, like KVD perfect plastics drop shot magic (or something like that) the same size as his real ones, again, almost clear.

[Catt]

1 hour ago, Chaddy said:

So my dad always wants to catch crappie so he uses live crappie minnows. I fished jigs wacky rigged worms and didn’t catch anything. He caught 5 bass and 7 crappie in three hours.

 

I don't care what working I gonna tie it on!

 

I not too prideful to throw minnows ?

[lo n slo]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

 

I don't care what working I gonna tie it on!

 

I not too prideful to throw minnows ?

after that third fish i’d be offering cash for some of those minnows. 

[reelfast]

Live bait is hard to beat, there is a reason it is banned in tournaments.  

With that said, I would try an underspin with a keitech type trailer. Square bills can cover a lot of water and help get reaction bites as well.

[WRB]

We're the bass keepers?

Did your dad fish the minnows under a bobber?

My guess is the bass were smaller size  and not relating to the bottom.

I would think finesse presentations would work like 1/8 oz jig with small 2 1/2" swimmer as suggested earlier. Rapala CD #7 works for both crappie and bass

Tom

[The Bassman]

I think this kind of reinforces the recent debate about lures vs. live bait. Can't blame the fish, though. I'll take a real steak over a soft plastic one, thank you.

[primetime]

Maybe try a small jigging spoon. We used to catch bass with them through the ice in NY. It does helpto add a live minnow to the hook on the spoon though.....Always seemed to outproduce any other trailer....

 

Those little crappie maribou jigs, and little road runners work well in clear water for bass as well. Light line, and like others said....Little swimbait on ballhead jig, little shad rap, rattle traps can work as well...little Ned Rig wouldn't be a bad idea...

[Harold Scoggins]

Grab your med/lt spinning outfit and tie on a clown Rapala F9 minnow and prepare to have some fun.

[James Krack]

I agree with the rapala and jig comments. I like gulp any kind and slider jigs in smoke clear if you can find them. 

[Black Hawk Basser]

I've had great success fishing a weightless Zoom Fluke in my local quarries.  It's a good choice, since you can fish them as slowly or as aggressively as you want.  I start near the top with a ripping retrieve, and temper back if that isn't working.