penny for your thoughts

[Fisher_Girl_Kitti]

i have been thinking a lot about crappie lately and i keep coming up with some questions that are puzzling to me.

i know jigs are really effective with crappie but how am i to work a marabou jig or grub/worm jig?

i have read and watched a few things and from what i heard, the best way to work such jigs is to pull it up then let it fall in a patterned or timed fashion.

i would like more info on working jigs so i can figure out a way that is effective for me.

[RetiredRR]

For a penny, I will share this with you. Deposit more and you get more........Rofl

Let's start with a jig, and it don't matter what kind, any jig will do. Maribou, baby shad by Bobby Garland, it really don't matter.
From the boat, dock, rock or cliff......or the tree you might be sittin' in, it don't matter. Drop the jig into the water. Let it fall
all the way to the bottom without stopping. Reel the jig off the bottom, the line will tighten. Stop and let the jig stay at that
depth for 60 seconds. Don't move the jig at all, it will move a little bit without you doing anything cause it cannot help itself.
Now, reel the jig up one revolution or turn of the reel handle. Let it stay there for 60 seconds just like before. Are you paying
attention to the line/rod tip. A hit will happen without warning, expect it at anytime. Repeat this all the way up until you can
see the jig again. Now, move the rod over to your right or left 24 inches or two feet, whichever is more convenient for you.
Repeat all that you did in the last spot. Reel up one turn of the reel handle, wait 60 seconds then repeat. Slow.....yep, boring,
maybe...........depends on how serious you are about fising for crappie or how hungry you are for crappie. If your having fun,
repeat this as often as it takes to cover the area your fishing. Sometimes crappie will move a little ways to attack your jig, and
sometimes they want it right in front of their nose. You must fish to catch and trial and error is the only way we can figure out
just what they want and how they want it. I don't believe anyone is really a fish whisperer, but if I did......he/she would be my
hero. Hope this helps a little bit. I think I gave you a pennies worth of info, don't you? My thoughts are your gain. Really for free.

[Fisher_Girl_Kitti]

thank you so much. that sounds like one way i read about somewhere but i cant remember exactly lol. that is helpful and i might give it a try. i prefer to fish slower and to take my time so i dont make mistakes or scare off any slabs that would be good fried and dipped in butter.

[wilbur]

That was very good RR . you would make a good teacher.

[Fisher_Girl_Kitti]

im loving this site more and more. haha!

[wilbur]

thank you so much. that sounds like one way i read about somewhere but i cant remember exactly lol. that is helpful and i might give it a try. i prefer to fish slower and to take my time so i dont make mistakes or scare off any slabs that would be good fried and dipped in butter.

You dont have to dip Crappie in butter. They have built in flavor,unlike Lobster or Crab legs.

[Fisher_Girl_Kitti]

i dont? the really have built in flavor? i never had crappie before(i ate mostly saltwater fish growing up). never hurts to try it with a little butter sauce though.

[Rooleyt]

Reckon I'll give my 2 cents worth, probably worth a penny but it works out. First thing is what they'll bite and what presentation. Sometimes they seem to like it swimming & at time no movement, falling and coming up, so it just depends, I like to pitch and swim. Depending on water depth, etc I'll pitch it past the structure and swim it back through starting above & then the sides pulling it easy, feel the branch and when it falls off to let it drop and work it slowly back up to the next one and continue on through the whole structure like that. My experience has been if they're holding tight they'll hit when the jigs falls off the branch. I'l do that until the jig gets to vertical then tap the end of the rod to make it dance a bit. I do that until I find where they're at. I do get hung up a lot but a good 1 oz lead weight with ears on it and you can un-hang 95% of the time. Something else to consider is the knot. I like to use the cinch knot pulled tight, then roll it back to the back of the eye to keep the jig vertical. I use this for all types of jigs. Works well for me and I do catch fish 12 months a year. Best bet , just tie on a jig and put it in the water and see what kind of action you want from it.

[Crappie Reaper]

Similar to Rooleyt, I'll flip a jig out, or drop it straight down through the brush verticle jigging. I'll usually start at the bottom, swing left to right and back very slowly. If I notice my line staying at an angle, I'll gently bring the jig up until I feel it clip the brush and try to work it slowly around it. I'll twitch the tip of the rod up every now and then too. If the jig hangs up, I'll ease it back the other direction and give it a bit of slack. Most times it will unhang and be able to continue fishing. I do this for all depths up through the brush until I get a hit. I then try to concentrate on the same depth and if I'm catching fish, set my line on the depth clip on the reel.

Another way to find them a bit faster is to drop it to the bottom, then extremely slowly, wind it back to the top.

A third way is to fish it below a bobber, twitching it as you retrieve it. Set the hook when you see the hit. Very effective way to fish a jig.

I think ya owe me a nickle.

[shipahoy41]

For a penny, I will share this with you. Deposit more and you get more........Rofl

Let's start with a jig, and it don't matter what kind, any jig will do. Maribou, baby shad by Bobby Garland, it really don't matter.
From the boat, dock, rock or cliff......or the tree you might be sittin' in, it don't matter. Drop the jig into the water. Let it fall
all the way to the bottom without stopping. Reel the jig off the bottom, the line will tighten. Stop and let the jig stay at that
depth for 60 seconds. Don't move the jig at all, it will move a little bit without you doing anything cause it cannot help itself.
Now, reel the jig up one revolution or turn of the reel handle. Let it stay there for 60 seconds just like before. Are you paying
attention to the line/rod tip. A hit will happen without warning, expect it at anytime. Repeat this all the way up until you can
see the jig again. Now, move the rod over to your right or left 24 inches or two feet, whichever is more convenient for you.
Repeat all that you did in the last spot. Reel up one turn of the reel handle, wait 60 seconds then repeat. Slow.....yep, boring,
maybe...........depends on how serious you are about fising for crappie or how hungry you are for crappie. If your having fun,
repeat this as often as it takes to cover the area your fishing. Sometimes crappie will move a little ways to attack your jig, and
sometimes they want it right in front of their nose. You must fish to catch and trial and error is the only way we can figure out
just what they want and how they want it. I don't believe anyone is really a fish whisperer, but if I did......he/she would be my
hero. Hope this helps a little bit. I think I gave you a pennies worth of info, don't you? My thoughts are your gain. Really for free.

Not bad retired RR. Some people when they start out like to keep it simple. Fish the jig under a slip float. Adjust the depth you fish and let the waves impart the action to the jig. Change colors until the fish tell you what they want that day. Start with chartreuse and black or chartreuse and pink. No charge. You could not afford to pay for this advice. Just share it with someone else.