Crappies: Minnows or Waxworms?

[tjbassmaster]

What does every one use when targeting crappies minnows or waxworms?

[waterbound]

I like using crappie minnows because I seem to catch bigger fish, but lately they just haven't been producing. The best bet is to bring both crappie minnows and waxies and see what's working that day. I have some jigs with a hook on either side and you can tip a minnow or head on one side and a waxie on the other and just see which side is producing more fish and go from there.

[lakeshoremunster]

Bring both, they will change what they want many times through out the day. I always start out with a waxies and if it slows down or I get some that will look and not bite, I use minnow tails, if that dosent work then I go to the minnow heads.

[52#FLATHEAD]

Been catching crappies w/ both all winter.

[JBMasterAngler]

ALWAYS have both! One minute you can hammer them with minnows, then out of nowhere they'll only take waxies.

[fishersofmen]

Neither. Euro Larva always produce the best for me....

[thedeadsea]

And if you see lots of shy fish keep swapping the presentations with each bait until you find what they like. Sometimes mouth hooked, sometimes butt hooked make a big difference for minnows.

And don't forget spoons.

[newoodhntr]

I always use both, I put out two tip downs and jig with my third line.

[Steve Foss]

As stated, you have to bring both. Preference varies from day to day and lake to lake.

[bigbad401]

BOTH!!!

[pikestabber]

Minnows...and waxies...and larvae...and freshwater shrimp...and artificials...and...

They all have a time and place, but I tend to go with minnows just before dark as the movement is really what triggers the fish at that hour. Any other time, I start with waxies or Euros and let the fish tell me what they want.

[mntim]

I'll deadstick or tip up with a minnow and jig with euros or waxies. If they start hitting the minnows I'll swich and jig with minnow heads. I probably catch more fish with worms but when they hit minnows they are usually much better fish.

[ANYFISH2]

We bring both, I would say 90% of the time though waxies or eurolarve work best during daylight hours and minnows best at dusk and after dark.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I dont think your choice of bait is NEARLY as important as your location and your presentation. As others have said, bring both.. but as I said before, Its all about location and presentation.

[Jmnhunter]

let the crappie's mood decide

[Jim Uran]

I'm a minnow guy, always have been, there are a few times where I had to tame it down, but 90% of my crappies come on minnows.

The other 10% are on plastics and waxies

[Fever]

As Dietz stated, it is location first. If there are fish there they most likely will eat either. However the predominant answer is to bring both. If you see that you are marking fish and they are biting light - down size and go to a waxie or better yet a Euro larva and use a spring bobber. If the fish are aggressive and in a positive mood it really doesnt matter one bit what you put down there. I happened to catch my personal best (16incher) on a small glow devil and a waxy on a spring bobber at about 7:30 pm in about 18 feet of water during high presure conditions. I couldn't get a bite on the minnow dead stick set up I had about 4 feet away from my waxy approach. My buddy, about 30-40 feet away was only catching them on minnows... no bites on his jigging waxie. So be versital, don't get stuck into a habitual approach based on previous successes or failures. Be responsive to what the conditions and fish are telling you.

[tdogs]

I've heard a just a minnow head works great, so I thought I would try it last week and it has produced for me. I usually bring waxies along too and use that on my other line. For this last week, at least, ripping the tail off the minnow has done wonders, especially when I am the only one our group catching fish.

[thedeadsea]

Crappies moods even vary on the spot. You might hammer them on a waxie, and if you fish structure 200' away they only want minnows.

I have caught nicer fish on whole minnows, but more fish on minnow heads, minnow tails, or waxies....