Crappie Fishing Techniques, Tips, Kit, Advice

Crappie Fishing

Despite the fact that the Crappie is in the sunfish family, they are fairly sensitive to our star. For this reason you’re more likely to find the aptly named Crappie ‘slabs’ lurking in tangles of underwater roots, submerged forests and anything offering a hidey-hole and shade. This makes for tentative fishing but that adds to the fun and sport that is Crappie fishing.

Crappies probably have more names than they have scales and one of the most common for all sizes of them is appropriately ‘papermouths,’ after how easily they tear free when attempting to set our fishing hooks. This reason alone mean we cannot fish them on heavy tackle. Scattered deep cover requires an ultralight spincast combo or similar spinning set up to help you cast precisely. Four to ten pound line works fine and the more invisible the line, the better. Crankbaits work equally well, but experimentation will be needed depending on thermoclines, light levels, as well as the color of your Crappie habitats. If the water is dark then fluorescent and bright colors will not go wrong. On sunny bright days and clear water, nuances of silver work well. Overcast days require darker colors, but keep in mind the fish will change water depths depending on the temperature.

It’s down to you if you want to use a pole which can have many advantages over a spin combo and allow you to hang the baits and jigs over the tangles of Crappie haunts without too much hassle. Floats suspend your baits and jigs at the right depths and give those visual clues that these crafty wee fish have sucked our baits off, or not. Keep as many float variations for your baits and jigs, along with a range of sizes of split shot and small hooks. Number two hooks are excellent size for Crappie.

The most effective of all the method for Crappie is the live minnow, but it’s not always possible that your local store has any left; you can be bothered catching any. Perhaps ethically and morally you understand the cruelty in torturing a live animal by maiming it as bait for another and don’t agree with the method.

The best fishing lures should consist of a wide variety of hard and soft baits, especially jigs. Crappie jigs should range in many sizes but 1/32 oz, 1/16 oz are usually safe bets. Chartreuse has been proved to be one of the most efficient colors for Crappie.

Keep your lures stocked up at all times. Tube and curlytail jigs work best because they are easily changed over without the need to retie. Adding these softbaits to reflectors, spinners or spoons will also help attract fish to your lures. Jigs have a myriad of shapes, colors, and species and are far too many to list. If possible, the best policy is to ask around at the local if you can or research fishing videos or other reference or online material about your destination.

Hydrographic or fishing maps for your Crappie waters are especially useful if you are not able to use a fish-finder.

It’s always wise to keep any kind of survival kit in your tackle box. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but waterproof matches, a small flashlight and first aid kit may come in handy at some stage of any fishing adventure.

Ian G Burden