Bottom Bouncing a jig for crappie

[CatFan]

There's an article in the most recent Crappie World about Terry Bivins and his technique of bouncing a crappie jig across the bottom. Seems like it's one of his favorite techniques. Conventional wisdom is that crappie feed up, and won't go down for a bait. I have caught crappie in the past by letting a Roadrunner sink to the bottom, then ripping it up 3 or 4 feet and letting it fall on a semi-tight line, but never keeping the lure on the bottom most of the time.

For those unfamiliar with him, Bivins is a late-model racing legend. He ran Winston Cup for a while as well.

[slipbobber]

There is an article in the "IN FISHERMAN" last issue wonder if it's the same?

[CatFan]

There is an article in the "IN FISHERMAN" last issue wonder if it's the same?

Maybe I'm confused about where I read it. My Dr.'s office has a wide variety of fishing magazines.

[mozingo1952]

I have noticed many times , crappie wanted the bait to fall all the
way to the bottom , and would hit it when you pick it up.




MO

[Hillbilly910]

that would be "IN-Fishermen" the article about Bivins.

I can tell you that the "crappie only feed up" theory aint air tight. Ive seen them(on sonar) follow baits(on my hooks) downward many times, however, its normally only when they are feeding heavily. I have seen it in each season. As a general rule, your best to keep baits above them. If the crappie are holding on or near the bottom, im sure they'll pick critters and bugs off the bottom to eat(especially blacks). Its not my favorite way to fish, however, ive fished with several oldttimers who can flat put it on you draggin a jig across the bottom.

HB

[Cane Pole]

that would be "IN-Fishermen" the article about Bivins.

I can tell you that the "crappie only feed up" theory aint air tight. Ive seen them(on sonar) follow baits(on my hooks) downward many times, however, its normally only when they are feeding heavily. I have seen it in each season. As a general rule, your best to keep baits above them. If the crappie are holding on or near the bottom, im sure they'll pick critters and bugs off the bottom to eat(especially blacks). Its not my favorite way to fish, however, ive fished with several oldttimers who can flat put it on you draggin a jig across the bottom.

HB

My favorite way to fish.

You right to be suspect about them crappies only feeding up. Them suckers will eat crayfish off the bottom of the lake just like a shellcracker or a bass. Iver sawed with my own eies.

[AtticaFish]

Early fall has been the only time I have caught multiple fish in the same outing drifting and dragging a jig with a clip-on spinner across the bottom. Some of those fall days have been good with this technique tho. I caught my largest crappie on a Erie Dearie with crawler just dragging across bottom for walleye....

[Fatman]

I've always dragged them for smallies but never caught a crappie doing it.

Fatman

[TreednNC]

caught em bouncing larger jigs on the bottom for stripers.

[gabowman]

Saw crappie with guts full of fresh water shrimp back at the end of the spring so I KNOW theyll feed off the bottom. Also, bouncing jigs off the bottom produces white perch.