need help!

[fishhound]

ive been fishing all my life just trying to catch crappie with jigs like everyone else any pointers for this time of year?

[Itzakeeper]

during the spawn , crappie will hit just about any color of jig you have. shallow fish can be caught with a small cork / jig combo fished around shallow brush , rock , grass , docks, and evan flats near deeper water. you can also longline jigs around 5-10 ft. deep and catch fish moving up to spawn. trigger some of the same areas mentioned above.

[wrwest]

Greetings and welcome to the board from California. If you just start reading the post/thread you can get a lot of information. You're off to a good start by being here and asking questions. There are a lot of knowledgeable people here willing to help you.

[klight1122]

Welcome Hound, from Bowling Green KY. Read thru the board and let your brain absorb the knowledge.

[CrappiePappy]

ive been fishing all my life just trying to catch crappie with jigs like everyone else any pointers for this time of year?

Depends on the lake, and current conditions of the water in it ... but, for the most part, it depends on what depth of water the fish are currently holding in. For instance ... suspended fish, holding at 6ft deep under docks ... I'd be shooting the dock with a 1/32oz jighead and a 1.5" solid body tube or a Panfish Assassin Tiny Shad. Fish still scattered on flats, or moving into creeks ... longline trolling with one or two 1/32oz - 1/16oz jigs, and controlling your jig depth with boat speed. Shallow fish/Spawning fish ... vertical jigging, casting & slow retrieve, jig/float setup will get you into the zone.
That's the biggest factor ... depth (aka - the zone) ... because Crappie don't usually chase a bait very far. They prefer to ease up under it, and inhale it. Your bait needs to be slightly above the fish. How far above is determined by their mood ... neutral to slow mood = right in their face -- aggressive mood = from a foot or two, to just being "within sight".
What type of presentation you use, is determined somewhat by depth ... but, also what kind of cover they're relating to, where on the cover they're located, and their mood. You want to use the presentation that allows you the easiest access to their depth and location, and be presented in the speed that best matches their mood.

... luck2ya, and Welcome to Crappie.com !!

... cp

[beagle man]

what lakes do you fish, might be some people on here that are close to you and will take you and show you.