Minnows, worms, insects - just about anything can catch a crappie's attention. You don't have to worry about the color of the bait, and you're only throwing them what they would be eating anyway. Minnows are hands-down the favorite used by most, and some even tip a jig with a live minnow for a double-whammy.

The Best Crappie Lures of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

crappie, either of two freshwater North American fishes of the genus Pomoxis, family Centrarchidae (order Perciformes). Crappies are rather deep-bodied fishes that are popular as food and are prized by sport fishermen. They are native to the eastern United States but have been introduced elsewhere.

Crappie anal fins are nearly as long and large as their dorsal fins. The anal fins of White Crappies have six spines, while those of Black Crappies have more. Adult crappies feed on smaller fish, including the young of their predators – walleye, muskellunge, northern pike and largemouth bass.

Without a doubt, the most common crappie jig tail is marabou. Sure, you can use soft plastics, bucktail, or even more out-there materials like ostrich herl and pheasant tail barbles, but there's something special about marabou. The thin, wispy fibers flow beautifully in the water and provide great action.

And stuff so basically it's just your standard filleting method you take the knife. Put it under the fins.

Other names for crappie are papermouths, strawberry bass, speckled bass or specks (especially in Michigan), speckled perch, white perch, crappie bass, calico bass (throughout the Middle Atlantic states and New England), and Oswego bass.

This one right here is a black crappie. Now you can see that the patterns are completely different a black crappie has more like specks on him his pattern runs horizontally unless getting back over

crappie, either of two freshwater North American fishes of the genus Pomoxis, family Centrarchidae (order Perciformes). Crappies are rather deep-bodied fishes that are popular as food and are prized by sport fishermen. They are native to the eastern United States but have been introduced elsewhere.

Standard hardboard is fine for one-time jigs, but tempered hardboard is better suited for those that may see repeated use. Particleboard. Melamine- coated particleboard is flat, slick, and glue-resistant. It's not as stiff or durable as plastic laminated MDF or plywood, but it will often do.

The most popular crappie jighead size is the 1/16 ounce. From it, the next is either going up to a 1/8 ounce, or down to a 1/24. Most crappie anglers use jigheads somewhere in the range of 1/32- to 3/16-ounce.

The best time to fish for crappie is at early dawn and dusk. But during the colder months it can be at the warmest time of day in the afternoon. Crappie generally feed most actively in low light, so this leaves the night as another great time to catch them as well if you have the opportunity.

Some of the most common and effective crappie baits are live minnows, crankbaits, or plastic jigs with lead jig heads. So grab your favorite lure or multiple different ones for your spider rig, or be prepared to switch it up under challenging conditions.

Also, crappie has a mild and sweet taste. Some say the flavor is similar to sea bass and walleye, which people like. So fans of these fish will also enjoy the taste of crappie. However, like most fish, crappie can absorb seasonings and take on the flavor of side dishes.

How to make them

1. Wash crappie filets under cold water. Dry with paper towel.
2. Melt butter and/or add olive to a heavy skillet, such as cast iron.
3. Lightly dredge the fish in the flour and shake off excess.
4. Lightly dredge the second side in the flour and shake off excess.
5. Cook fillets just for a couple of minutes.

Jigs and fixtures are usually made of hardened materials to avoid frequent damage and to resist wear. Examples are mild steel, cast iron, die steel, carbon steel or high-strength steel. When designing jigs and fixtures, clamping devices should be as simple as possible without sacrificing effectiveness.