Minnow Size for Crappies

[gonefishin11]

Just wondering if any had any thoughts on crappie minnows or fatheads for crappies. I heard fatheads work better because crappies don't want a bunch of small meals, just a couple big ones.

Has anyone found this to be truth? And how about when the fish are finicky?

[Northlander]

Some days they will hit anything. Bigger fatheads will work then. Other times they arent as agressive and want smaller minnows or even waxies etc. Let them tell ya what they want day to day. Experiment a little, thats half the fun.

[Maximum12]

I'd agree that it depends, just like every other fishing answer.

I discovered this by accident one day last year on the ice. I'd picked up a bunch of fatheads & wasn't having any luck at all. While replacing a less-than-active minnow, I noticed a few smaller, crappie-minnow sized characters in the mix, so I put one on & the poor little guy didn't get more than about eight feet down before I had a fish on. My three little accidental minnows were gone in less than five minutes, which left me sitting on the ice with a bunch of fatheads that nobody under the ice was interested in. Another hour passed with no more hits before I decided to quit wasting my time...

[cubbies11]

Also depends on the forage in the lake, back home we use small shiners for the bigger crappies. 10-16 inchers since shiners are abundant in the lake. Just my $.02

Cubbies

[Deitz Dittrich]

For me, If I am fishing crappies... I will usually put a crappie minnow on a dead stick rod, then will use fathead heads for the jigging spoon. That way you have a larger peice of bait with just the head. Thats just how I do it.

[Matt Johnson]

The only time I usually use minnows for crappies in the winter is when I find "pin" minnows. These minnows are only like an inch long and are just plain old tiny! They are very productive but it's hard to find them. I'll also tip a jigging spoon with a minnow head like Exude mentioned.

Usually I use maggots when targeting crappies. Either on a jig, plain hook or packed on a jigging spoon.

Finesse plastics work well too.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Dan Wood]

Depends where your fishing.. When fishing lakes where a 12"+ crappie is darn nice, I will generally use crappie minnows (when choosing to fish with minnows). For Red and some other lakes where 12"+ is just average, fatheads or even shiners will be your better bet.

[psegriz]

I agree the bigger the fish your expecting the bigger the bait you use. That is as a general rule, somtimes they are a little more fussy and smaller works better. Often I'll use a head on a jig.