Crappie n00b

[Twistertail]

Once again I'm busy finding ways to spend money with the help of the bait monkey's hunting season aka Indiana winter.

So ya, I'm starting crappie as a side thing from bass, and catfish. I'm going to fish from shore but all i have are bass lures and all i know how to fish for a are bass and cats. Any basic things i should pick up before starting this spring? All i have right now are a rod and reel it has no line though :-[

[Blade-Runner]

Roadrunners have always been good to me, yet my largest crappie have always come on crankbaits.

[firefightn15]

For shallower depths try just about any small 1/16 or 1/8 oz. jighead with 4# test line set 18-24 inches under a bobber, cast and retrieve slowly.

1" mister twisters, pinkie style jigs, mimic minnows,etc. Go thru the pages of this Other Species forum and there are several crappie/panfish threads to look through. Good luck

[zero limit]

Minnows under a slip float will produce all day long, also using crappie rigs/minnows, caught my PB crappie last fall just over 15in. which is great around here

[jeosbo01]

Pop-eye jigs tipped with a live minnow. That combo has been the end of many crappie...(I have also stuck numerous LMB's in the 3.5-5 pound range on it)

[TommyBass]

Its not far removed from Bass fishing really- just a little easier.  Stick to some simple grubs in simple colors or like the others said, a float and minnow.  Try around brush and keep throwin back, there are usually alot where there is one. 

Its a good way to get your attention off bass fishing for awhile... plus they are some good eatins

[davehu]

12ft crappie poles for dipping minows in hard to reach spots 8-)

[Kingbass43]

Hmm my favorite lure thats gotten me the most success is a neon green beetlespin im sure just about any color would work just as good though

[Ineedanewscreenname20170204]

1/16 oz leadhead with a twin tail (BPS) green grub on 4# mono light or ultralight spinning gear.  Loads of fun!

[firefightn15]

12ft crappie poles for dipping minows in hard to reach spots 8-)

There is a flowage local to me and on almost any given day all you need to do is find a lay down and have a 1" twister on hand, touch the water and wham!  You can limit out in 15-20 minutes.  It's fun but it's definitely not rocket science.  Normally we'll bass fish and just before leaving the flowage we'll stop and do this for our supper.

[IwillChooseFreeWill]

Try to stick with small crappie minnows, real small pre-rigged jigs, grub rigged jig heads, minnow rigged jig head if they are deeper. Some people have real small spinners which are hit and miss, they have never done well for me.

My brother in law pulled out 16 one day and 30 (max limit) the next day 2 weekends ago.

[Rio Maverick]

My favorite live worm on a Roadrunner (RR) with the dress removed, so you have worm and RR spinner. I like to use a fly rod and drop RR stright down along stickups and concrete walls.

You invest less $ and catch more fishing for crappie. Be on guard, you never know what it down there.

TX record BASS from Lake Fork was caught on a minnow by a crappie fisherman

[florida strain]

i had a lot of luck with #2 bettle spin red head chartruse body..it casts prety good to..

[silvercliff_46]

Can anyone offer an opinion on artificial bait?  NOT LURES !!  I mean like crappie candy, Berkley worms, or preserved minnows, crickets, worms like Roland pitches on his show??? :-?

[TommyBass]

silvercliff: 

I have used the Gulp products like the fake beemoths that are bright green and did very well for crappie on them ice fishing.  I havn't had a chance to try them out on open water yet, but I'm sure they would be good, especially on slow bite days.

[bear7625]

1/32 jig tipped with small crappie minnow or grub, etc. using a small slip bobber. Crappies often suspend and they feed lookin up. If you present the bait below them, you seldom get bit. I also use alot of small spinner baits. White or purple beetle spins are my choice.

[silvercliff_46]

silvercliff:

I have used the Gulp products like the fake beemoths that are bright green and did very well for crappie on them ice fishing. I havn't had a chance to try them out on open water yet, but I'm sure they would be good, especially on slow bite days.

I don't want to "Jack" the guys thread, but what is the "take/bite" like.  Another words do they take and you need to set right away, or is it more like a live bait "take".  Where they could mouth it, drop and come back, and take it again?

I don't know if I am expressing it right, but I think you know what I mean.

[BassThumb]

The Gulp Maggots work well. 

[zero limit]

silvercliff:

I have used the Gulp products like the fake beemoths that are bright green and did very well for crappie on them ice fishing. I havn't had a chance to try them out on open water yet, but I'm sure they would be good, especially on slow bite days.

I don't want to "Jack" the guys thread, but what is the "take/bite" like. Another words do they take and you need to set right away, or is it more like a live bait "take". Where they could mouth it, drop and come back, and take it again?

I don't know if I am expressing it right, but I think you know what I mean.

silvercliff

I know what your saying, I will always set the hook as soon as my bobber/float moves the slightest bit my hook up ratio has been pretty good.

as far as gulp products go alot of guys around here use the small minnows 1- in. on a small jig and do fairly well

[silvercliff_46]

Ok..,I got it .  Kind of like fly fishing then.  They hit you lift.

Thanks..., sorry about the hi-jack.  Now back to you.

[TommyBass]

Yea the gulp things are identical to an ice fishing bite.  I usually let them hit it, let the float at least slide sideways or go down a few inches then just lift.  Thats whats worked best for me.  Seems like hard hooksets on finicky fish never work for me.  Its best to just let them tell you tho.

[WoolleyBass]

yet my largest crappie have always come on crankbaits.

Same for me. Crankbaits always produce crappie for me.

Roby

[fishforlife]

My biggest crappie I think came on a 3 inch repala fire tiger minnow bait but the majority of crappie I catch come on just about any variation of white roostertail I can find to throw.

[Nicky Greece]

As far as GULP goes, I had a jar of the Red Worms...  They seems to work reasonably well, not as good as I had expected, but man... They stink up a storm...  Real bad.

[dieselfisherman]

Charlie brewer sliders are number 1 on my list ive caught tons of crappie from ga to ohio. I was fishing leesville lake in ohio with them and i was catching 5 to 1 over live minnows.google charlie brewer company and you can get great deals on them. I got 100 sliders and 25 1/16oz heads for 26.00 you can get 1000 for 65bucks.I use black with chartruese tail!