Thread: What is for bait??

I am new to the CRAPPIE forums, and have checked out most of the sites.
I have only been fishing at Sherron Harris, and enjoy using the fly rod with top water bug. I have caught brim, crappie, bass and pickerel.
I was interested in what type of natural baits are used when crappie fishing.
I see where a lot of crappie fishermen/women use minners, crickets, earth worms, bee larvae, mealy worms, wax worms, but I have not seen where anyone has mentioned the larvae of the June bug, June beatle or japanese beatle.
I do a fair amount of gardening around the home and while turning the ground I find the grubs of various sizes. I also have a lot of moles, voles that tunnel around, and am sure they are looking for these tasty morsels.
Do these grubs or larvae make good natural bait??
What about grasshoppers????

John
Location Holly Springs, where the soil is VOID of the red clay which plagues most of North Carolina

Well I have not tried anything but earth worms and the crappie dont seem to want anything to do with them. Although that being said I have I think once caught a crappie on a worm but I think he was intoxicated. I have seen the crappie in such a feeding frenzy that I think they would eat anything that was in front of them. I would try all of the above mentioned if I had access to them like you do. What could it hurt. Welcome aboard flycaster. Glad to have ya with us. I didnt know jack about fishing for crappie when I found this board and these guys helped me out with all my questions. At first I thought I would never catch a crappie though.lol

Fishcrazy:

I've caught very few NC crappie on worms either, but up here in DE...EVERY crappie I caught this year has been on a nightcrawler! The biggest to date was 12", but we're stil looking for the hawg. Read about one caught last week that weighed in at 2 lb. 6oz.!

if you gonna use natural bait, i suggest you stick with minnows. all these other baits you mentioned may catch fish occasionally but nothing is gonna top the minnow in natural baits.

You can use any of the follow natural baits for crappies:

Minnows
Minners
Minnas
Little silver fish :D

As far as I know, minnows have always been the natural bait of choice for crappie. I hook them through the bottom lip and out through the top lip. I've seen people hook them through the eyes and back as well. Gook luck

Originally Posted by flycaster

I am new to the CRAPPIE forums, and have checked out most of the sites.
I have only been fishing at Sherron Harris, and enjoy using the fly rod with top water bug. I have caught brim, crappie, bass and pickerel.
I was interested in what type of natural baits are used when crappie fishing.
I see where a lot of crappie fishermen/women use minners, crickets, earth worms, bee larvae, mealy worms, wax worms, but I have not seen where anyone has mentioned the larvae of the June bug, June beatle or japanese beatle.
I do a fair amount of gardening around the home and while turning the ground I find the grubs of various sizes. I also have a lot of moles, voles that tunnel around, and am sure they are looking for these tasty morsels.
Do these grubs or larvae make good natural bait??
What about grasshoppers????

John
Location Holly Springs, where the soil is VOID of the red clay which plagues most of North Carolina

I would tend to think that Sunfish would probably be more interested in the "critters", since Crappie are more atuned to eating "fish". But, I have caught Crappie on waxworms, mealworms, Stalkborer larvae, fruit crickets (the brown ones you buy) ... and probably some other "live" morsels, that I can't remember just now. But, overall ... once a Crappie gets a couple of years on it, it's generally looking for something with soft-rayed fins. That would be various other fish's fry or young, minnows, shiners, Shad, Brook Silversides, etc.
IF they're hungry ... or in the middle of a feeding frenzy, or just actively feeding, they're subject to hitting "critters" with the same abandon as they would a "fish" ... it's just more likely that, day in and day out, they're going to be feeding on the dominant "baitfish" species of the waters they're in. Just my experience, anyway ......... cp

During the spring run you can catch them almost just as well on a bare red hook.