why are the crappies so tight lipped

[jig um up]

i have just put my permananent house out on buffalo and we have only pulled ten fish through the whole in about 20 hours of fishing. we continuously mark them yet they will not bite. any one found a bait to get them to bite yet?

[hoggs222]

Last year I had that happen & I just tried a plain red J hook (the longer ones) and a crappie minnow. It'd be worth a shot on one line at least.

[unotrouble2]

I've had success by using the smallest jig (sunfish) and hooking a wax worm once behind the head, i also use a spring bobber and a vex -- good luck

[jhals68]

I agree completely with the spring bobber. I was out on Buffalo last week fishing with a buddy. He used a conventional bobber, I used a spring bobber and outfished him 5-1. They bite so light that a conventional bobber doesn't even twitch. He used live crappie minnows, I used a minnow head. I've always done well out there on that set up. Keep downsizing until you find a size they will "nibble". When the spring bobber moves at all, set the hook!

Good Luck, Have Fun, Be Safe!

[Captain B.R.K]

I had the same problem on Clearwater a few weeks ago for those tight lipped crappies.

The key was to fish with a smaller, yet big enough jig to pick on your electronics. What I used a fatboy size 8 or 10 with a wax worm. I'm not a big fan of minnows for crappies after I went to a seminar this past fall- they have their place and time, but not on tight lipped crappies. If I would have had euro larva, I would have used it- but I had wax worms.

I did not have a spring bobber- but wish I would have. Those spring bobbers can definately pick up motion with vs. just a rod w/o a spring bobber.

My method was to hold on the line after I flipped the bail over. That way anything that bumped my line- I set the hook. Seemed to do the trick for me. I also paid very close attention to my rod tip and any weight on a slow lift and I set the hook as well.

Food for thought---- good luck with the Buffalo Lake crappies!