Plastics Vs. Minnow for Crappies

[Guest]

On another thread someone wrote that "it is a fact that minnows are the best bait for Crappies."

What do you think?

Personally I totally disagree unless maybe you get your hands on those pin sized crappie minnows, which you usually can't. I have outfished others around me who are using minnows too many times. I can't think of an instance where I was outfished by those around me with minnows. I don't even use bait at all in open water for Crappies anymore. Trust me, once you lock onto the plastic they want than there is nothing better. Sometimes I will use a hair jig maybe with a bit of plastic maybe without. I also recommend putting powerbait scent on the plastic or hair jig.

[delmuts]

i have noticed in the winter, there are times that they will only take a minnow. in open water i only use artificials. between the different plastics or the fur type jigs i too can usually get them to hit. i have run into times when i do better slow trolling with ultra light crank baits. found that i need to run a couple of splits shot on the line ahead of the lure to get the depth. i haven't tried the power wigllers(?) yet. other wise i use wax worms most of the time to tip my jigs. del

[Guest]

i swear by "artificials" for crappies overall....not to say that the minnows are the way to go at times......actually ....i revert back to minnows just to see the bobber go down once in awhile....lol...just a nice way to fish crappies but certainly not a given....just plain "fun"....plus when there "on the bite".......takes to long to fumble with minnows trying to get em on the hook...will land 2-3 crappies before the guy with minnows lands 1...one of my favorite crappie artificials i use is a white 1/32 ounce feather jig(or white hair)...drifted ever so slowly over the side of my canoe (ultra light gear of course) or hanging under a pencil bobber....nother one is a tiny silver "beetle spin" with a 1 1/2" black "mr. twister"....in the evening,when the lake surface is like a mirror...i spot the tail tale "rings" of surfacing crappies feeding...i paddle out to these rings slowly...cast this tiny spinner next to the expanding rings......"wamo".... a high percentage of the times...the crappies will hit it...my favorite way to fish crappies..simple as that.........thanks....sixmile jon

[TUMBLEWEED]

I made the switch from using sensitive
live bait, minnow set ups,after a buddy
constantly was catching more fish with
his presentation of Cubby Mites and
Berkley crappie nibbles. They are even good
for bass and northern. Yep, them cubbies
are the shizzznit!! Kinda spendy tho....

[Walleye_GFA]

Out fishing 4-14 catching bass on minnows, changed to plastic and started catching the crappies... When cold, minnows, when warmer, plastic... I use the 1" crappie tubes with scent.

Wally

[Bobb-o]

You have to let the fish tell you what they want. I feel that plastics are better for when the fish are really aggressive, but mostly i will fish live bait for crappies. Why not get the best of both worlds though and fish a small crappie minnow or waxie on a jig and twister. My all time favorite jigs for fishing are the mini-mite jig-in-a-tube. If anyone tells you that one bait is the best for any situation they are full of it, in my opinion.

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"There are many stages to a man's life. In the first stage, he is young and eager, like a beaver. In the second stage, he wants to build things, like dams, and maybe chew down some trees. In the third stage, he feels trapped, and then "skinned." I'm not sure what the fourth stage is."

[CrappieJohn]

Plastics are a mainstay down here in the southeast corner of the state. The productive fishermen that I know use plastis almost exclusively and will occassionally hang a waxie on the hook to add a bit of real scent and flavor. But mostly just plastic. The one thing I have found with plastic is that you need to keep it in the strike zone longer and that is why I prefer to fish with a bobber...not to see the hits but to keep it where the fish are. After the spawn and into the summer season is the only exception for me bobber-wise. It is during this period that I choose to vertical jig them and that is usually done quite deep and hits are felt.It is really important that we remember that plastics are truely a confidence bait and you have to fish them to get the confidence. When I began with plastic, I went to the lake with nothing but plastic and forced my self to learn the subtleties of the stuff. Once you have learned your way around with them you can expand your horizons by trying different styles and shapes and the scented stuff. Myself I prefer the 1" twisters in Exude and powerbait for the colder water and when we start knocking on the 55-58 degree water I go to the 1 1/2 inch tubes, always under a bobber and on a 1/32 ounce jig of appropriate style. Colors are as variable as the people using them, so that choice is personal and very arbitrary. The best thing I can add to this plastics thread is..."you gotta love'm! Crapster By the way the bobbers I use just barely float the lures...very small and passive is what you want and a style you are comfortable with.

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Sure life happens- why wait

[TUMBLEWEED]

Last night, they wanted a jig and a minnow
over the plastic stuff. I use those "quick
clips", so it was easy to change the set-up.
This kind of flexibility is helpful in
determining what they are wanting.

[Guest]

My favorite is a combination of crappie nibbles and a tube jig, putting the nibbles inside the jig using the bait pump.

http://www.wieters.net/cbbc/baitpump.htm

[Lunker]

It all depends on timte and place. In th winter minnows never seem to produce for people. In the spring its still keep it small. In the summer I use mainly minnows, especially at my cabin lake. MInnows are def. what they want up there.