Crappie fishing is a common pastime across the country. Anglers, whether beginners or seasoned, enjoy fishing crappie, unlike catching bass and carps. Crappies stay in lakes and rivers. They belong to the sunfish species where bass fishes also belong.
One advantage of crappie fishing is that they are available all year. Even during lean seasons, anglers can still catch crappies. A light line will help when fishing for crappies.
The bait and lures you use to attract crappies are an essential part of the whole fishing experience. Fishers prefer using both live and artificial lures for crappie baits. The color of the jig lure can also attract crappies to make them easier to catch. (Read When Do Crappie Spawn in Texas)
Bait Colors
There are no detailed studies that can tell you which is the best bait color for crappies. Bait colors will depend on the fishing surrounding. Some tips below can serve as a good starting point.
For clear waters, stick to more neutral colors, and those are close to the crappies common prey. On sunny days when the fishes get to have a lot of sunlight, you can opt for a darker hue of baits and lures.
If the water is darker, you have to bring in some bright colors. These colors will help you attract the fishes as they reflect light to guide the crappies closer. For gloomy weathers, choose a darker grub with flashy details.
Best Baits for Crappie
During the spawn, fishes stay in shallow waters. Crappie jigs are most effective in shallow waters. Crappies tend to be aggressive during spawn making them easier to catch. There are also times when crappies are sluggish. This is where minnows can be a great bait option.
If changing the bait color is still ineffective for you, try changing the bait itself. You can use a crappie jig. The Marabou Jig is one of the oldest and most famous crappie jigs. Many crappie anglers love it.
Another option is spinner lures like the Beetle with Spinner. Spinners work well with a variety of fishes and so with crappies. There are a lot of spinner variants. Spinners with tube baits and leaf blades are great for light reflection.
Curly-tailed bait like the Triple Ripple Grub works well also with crappies. A bullet head jig is versatile. You can change the grub’s colors with anything you like when tying a new jig.
Live Baits for Crappie
Live baits go best for fishing crappies. Crappies munch on minnows and worms. Live baits are available in shops, or you can catch some yourself.
The real-life movements of live baits are attractive to crappies. Crappies will more likely feed on live baits since it is their natural food source.
Fishing using live bait is useful because you give the fishes a choice they are already used to. It is organic, from the scent to the texture. And it is like what they eat daily.
Live baits are cheap and can sometimes be free. With live baits, you will catch something. No fish will ignore live bait. In any water body and for any species, natural bait will give you great chances of an abundant catch.
Crappie Jigs
Hollow Body Crappie Tubes
The hollow body tube is one of the most preferred jig styles. One advantage of using crappie tubes is that you can insert smaller baits to its insides. Anglers like to stuff it with crappie nibbles for more scent. The downside of hollow body tubes is their longevity. They are also hard to pull down from the hook.
Solid-Body Plastic Baits
Solid-body crappie jigs skip under docks better if you are into that kind of thing. The answer is to infuse nibbles into hollow body tubes. Once you do this, the fragrance remains with the jig for a long time and can catch much fish.
Hair Jigs
Hair jigs are more reliable and tougher than plastics. You will not experience the difficulty of the jig body slipping down onto the hook after a missed strike. One hair jig can last you many fishing adventures, or until you decide to hang it on a stump.
Minnows
Minnows fall under two types – Golden Shiners or Black Minnows and Fathead Minnows. Minnows are great for catching crappies. You will want to use bigger minnows during the pre-spawn and shift to smaller minnows in the summer.
Conclusion
You can choose from lots of different crappie lures. When fishing, it is better to have many choices. You can choose from live baits, jigs, or minnows. Choose whatever is convenient and accessible for you. You can never tell what crappie might crave for the day.
Crappie baits are the best because they are inexpensive. A fishing tackle box can keep all your fishing essentials in place. It is essential to bring extra accessories that have trouble looking for some.
When choosing a bait, make sure to pick something attractive for crappies. It can be anything close to the appearance of minnows or crayfishes.
Crappies have selective eyesight, so be sure to choose an appropriate color. Select your bait color depending on the weather and the color of the water.
If you are fishing in clear waters, choose colors that are like their typical food. Silver and gray is a safe scheme to go. During night time, blues and blacks are perfect. On sunny days, use bright and striking colors for your baits. (Read How to Read a Fish Finder)
Lures depend on the type of water you are fishing in. The weather and surrounding can affect the effectiveness of lures, too. Always base your bait on the situation to achieve a positive result.
