Minnow Fishermen: Old Trick for closed mouthed Crappie

[fish.on]

I was taught a method long ago and have had good success with it. Take a large glass jug with a lid that has small holes drilled into it and put a good number of minnows in it. Lower it on a rope to the school of Crappie and they will try to attack these minnows. Within a short time they are either so angry or so hungry it's just fish on. This method works well on Crappie that won't bite.

[Mo'nBack]

I tried that one time, but I used a large water bottle and drilled a bunch of holes in it to make it sink (with some rocks in the bottom of it). I took it to a spot that we always caught crappie, put some minnows in it and tied it to a limb and eased it down to the depth that we always caught fish. I tried to catch some fish first and didn't get a bite. Left and fished elsewhere for a couple of hours. Didn't catch many away from there, and came back and caught maybe 20 by the jug. The fish weren't biting that day, and so I can't say for sure if it was the bottle or just the major feeding time, but it helped my feelings to catch them there and had not been able to catch them elsewhere on the lake.

[fish.on]

Takes a while to make um angry. I always wait about 10 to 15 minutes before I start lowering a hook.

[volfan]

That is a new way to chum. I have asked once on the forum if any ever chums for crappie. I have never thought about this one.

[skiptomylu]

I think some states it's legal and some not.

I tried it one time and lost the dang jug, got mad and haven't tried it since.

[Bruce Carp]

The idea goes back to the 1940's when ther Herter brothers, guides from the north country used it! It is one of their many tricks/techniques published in their Professional Guide Manual in 1960. Egg shells is another technique they used that I call magic dust to chum!

[fish.on]

I never knew where the idea originated from. Just know it works. If it's illegal anywhere I never knew that either. If we have any legalists out there I would sure like to know where it's illegal. It's a favorite method when I find closed mouthed fish anywhere. I'd just have to leave the old jar at home in that state. Or at least put up. Or I guess I could say it was an anchor? Hmmmm, have to think on that one.

[ShortStorie]

You could call it a minnow bucket... Is there a law against glass minnow buckets?

[fish.on]

I'll go with that one. Look here Mr. Game Warden sir, I'm just kinda serving them an exotic type meal. Minnow Under Glass. Yep! I do believe they would walk away with a story to tell. Long as you give them a good enough story.

[Darryl Morris]

Good comeback's that can't be argued with are always life savers. Knew a gent once that owned a bait shop and had for decades. Always kept a table set up with dominos and a pot of coffee close at hand. He put a big 50-gal aquarium in and put a few bream and crappie in it. A new, young game and fish officer happened into the bait shop one day and informed the wise, mature owner that it was not legal to keep game fish as pets. The old owner slowly took another sip of his coffee then said, "Son, them ain't pets, I just ain't cleaned'em yet." I about fell out of my chair when the officer shook and scratched his head as he humbly walked out the door.