Best advice for a new Crappie Fisherman?

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Grew up bass fishing and the reservoir where I live now is more of a crappie lake. Any advice would be appreciated.

[bhodges]

be sure to check these articles out.

http://www.crappie.com/tips.html

Welcome aboard!

[GRIZZ]

Check out this thread.

http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showth...ghlight=nickel

[Mopar Matt]

Summer and winter fish slow, if slow doesn't work fish slower. Spring and Fall they will hit pretty much anything you throw at them (jigs, spinners, crankbait, worms and even good ole minnows).

[TwainGang]

May sound simple but- if you aren't catching anything, MOVE! Get a long pole and learn how to use it like you're flipping (NOT pitching) for bass.

[whizkids]

Nason, welcome to the board. There are some really knowledgeable fishermen and women here. It could be helpful if you added alittle more info to your profile under userCP and provided a little info on the lake and area of the country. Again welcome. Enjoy.

[Bruce Carp]

twain gave my best advice but move again. go to the fish. It's not like the movie that they will come to you. that only works if you built the field already!! I move many times a day fishing.

[CrappiePappy]

Welcome aboard !

If you've grown up Bass fishing ... you're already halfway there. As much as some members would like to think otherwise, Crappie fishing is very much like Bass fishing. We use a lot of the same equipment, lures, lines, and methods. But, we just use a lot MORE :D .... shorter/longer poles, lighter outfits/line, live bait, etc.

We cast, flip, troll, FnF, drop shot, shoot, tightline, etc.
We use jigs, cranks, spinners, minnows (and other "creatures"), and even (some members) topwater baits.
Rods range from 4ft to over 14ft long - lines range from 2lb to 20lb test - reels ... we use 'em all.

Everyone has their favorites - outfits, lakes, methods, baits, time of year, etc. and will go to great lengths to explain why/how to/where.

About the easiest way to get into Crappie fishing, is just get a bucket full of minnows and a few outfits together (your lighter action Bass outfits will work fine) ... put on a hook & sinker ... hook on a minnow ... find some standing timber in your lake ... drop the baits down 1/3 - 2/3 - and all the way to the bottom (actually about 1ft off the bottom) ... and watch for the rod tip to bend down ... set the hook with a lifting of the rod/your arm, and a upward flick of your wrist. You're "tightline" fishing !!
Not your "cup of tea" to "sit and fish" .... then go Bass (style) fishing - use your lighter spinning outfits, 4-8lb line, 1/32-1/16oz jigs, and start casting to any wood cover you can find. Standing timber, blowdown trees, submerged brush piles, docks, bridges, stump flats, etc. are your targets - just "pretend" you're Bass fishing :p Now you're a "jig slinger", like myself :D
Seriously though ... knowing what types of waters you fish, how you "like" to fish, where you live, and what equipment you have available (rods, reels, baits, boat/bank, etc) will help us determine what may be of most benefit to you. ............. luck2ya ......cp

[Big Dave]

2 words, depth and structure.