I agree. Smaller is better for me too. I'm a crappie magnet, trout magnet junkie.
I do catch fish on bgbs and jokers. Sometimes I'll cut the length down on those two.
I always cut one leg off the joker and sometimes trim it's body profile just to use them up. Black crappie like skinny baits. Even tubes get their legs trimmed down. The only other bait I use now that's not plastic is a shineee hineee.