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What is your favorite search bait for Crappies


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I have not done much open water crappie fishing and I was wondering what everyone likes to use to search crappies in the spring or anytime for that matter.

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For Spring Craps of course the standbye of a bobber and minnow is great when you have a relative idea of where the fish are. Otherwise tube jigs are my standard for jigging craps. And I've heard the "puddle-jumpers" are great relatively new softplastics. I know Reed's is getting them in and I believe Sportland Bait has them as well.

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There are lots of great crappie lures. The best lures are always what you have the most confidence in. Regionally here in the Brainerd area the Puddle Jumper has been a hot new plastic tail for a few years now. I use it and it seems to provide the best results for me. But everyone has their own favorites. I like plastics because I don't have to waste fishing time rebaiting over and over. I can cover more water. More casts equals more fish. Historically some of the top baits have been Puddle Jumpers, Flu Flus, Small tube jigs, and the the old standby a plain hook and minnow. As the water warms go with more aggressive baits like twister tails and spinner type jigs like a Northland Thumper Jig. Should be a great spring for Slabs.

Jason Erlandson

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I agree that confidence has a lot to do with lure choice. Same can sometimes be said of color, too. Also agree that Puddle Jumpers can be a fine bait, though they're not new by any means. Actually, Mar-Lynn Puddle Jumpers are only a few years newer than the original tube lure, the Garland Mini Jig, which was created around 1974.

It's certainly hard to argue about the effectiveness of soft plastics, though in cooler water, I really think hair jigs may produce just slightly better on crappies. Little bitty 1/32 to 1/80oz. marabou / chenille combinations, or even something like a Lindy Quiver Jig, all fished without bait, definitely get eaten by plenty of crappies. Really think the slower drop/glide speeds of lighter hair jigs ultimately trigger more fish early in spring. Lighter baits flutter above cover just slightly longer too, keeping you fishing in front of more crappies.

-a friend called Toad

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I agree with you Toad, a 1/16 hair jig cast over a group of sunnies or crappies is almost gaurenteed to provide alot of action in the spring. Its saves you alot of time and $$ not having to rebait your hook after each bite.

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i had a lot of success slow trolling 2inch tubes last memorial weekend. Caught over 40 in less then 8 hours of fishing (kept about 10 with the biggest at 15inch and two 14inch). Was in 5-12 feet of water with lots of line out. small hook with a small weight 2 feet up.

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