I'm not experienced either and would like to hear these answers also! Great question.
I look at the plethora of Jigs and other things to catch Crappie with.
I know some of them are for show, some are to bring in new folks, and some are your favorites. The Go-To lures you start with, and the next two or three in series that you use to determine if the fish are biting here, or move along.
What's the most popular starting Jig? Snake? worm? or other.
And then what are the next two or three you use?
I'm witless at catching Crappie.
I threw some dynamite in a pond.
All I got was a Ticket for fishing without holding my Stick!
I just wish I could be better at fishing. Or maybe luckier!:D
I'm not experienced either and would like to hear these answers also! Great question.
Depending upon the time of year and method of fishing. Spring/spawn #1 is a hair jig. If that's not doin the trick I move to a plastic such as a Lft live baby shad or similar. Summer spider rigging, I start off with a double rig. Many combos that can go here (hair jig, hair jig tipped with minnow, jig head with plastic, or plain crappie hooks tipped with minnows etc.) . Another summer method that I really love is pulling/pushin crank baits. That is pretty straightforward just different colors! Some others may chime in that longline, I don't quite have that stuff figured out!
Hard to beat a reg ole 1.5 or 2 inch tube......can catch em year round on em.....
1) tube jig
2) stinger
3) minnow (live bait)
Start simple. I use black/chart, white or yellow twister tails a big part of the time. 1/8 and 1/16 jig heads. It doesn't hurt to have similar jigs in maribou and all with Roadrunner heads as well. If you can't catch fish with those, you aren't in the right place or the fish aren't biting.
Sometimes you will catch a few more fish with better color variety, but that is fine-tuning IMO. Get the basics down then refine.
I'd recommend you talk to somebody who fishes your water and get a few colors/sizes/styles you KNOW work on that lake. Half of catching fish is believing that you will catch fish on the bait you are using in the spot you are fishing.
There are so many things that go into what is best one would need a lot more info from you to be able to help you best. There are just too many variables like time of year & water temp then there is the lake in particular you are fishing. Some lakes are very clear most of the time while some are not clear much. Then there is the definition of clear which will change with the lake. By this I mean take the lake I live on, it starts out a bit stained every year and starts clearing in mid spring. This means it starts where you can see between 1 foot and 2 foot at the start if the year and mid spring it will clear so you can see at least 3 feet deep, maybe more like 4 feet down!
now take Grenada in Miss and I have found out this week by talking to guys that fish there, their clear is what I call muddy and can't even see 1 foot down! Kind of like chocolate milk.
so see its not really just a matter of ones favorite color, it's also where they are fishing! If you want send me a PM and we can talk more.
I am going to Grenada to fish with a guide the 14th and will probably use minnows 100% if the time and I am a jig maker, but you have to do what ever it takes in a given lake at a given time!
I fished with Minners in big n' small lakes. I musta been in the wrong place at the right time.
I just wish I could be better at fishing. Or maybe luckier!:D
Give me a 1/16oz roadrunner pro with a bluegill fire or black/chartreuse Stroll'r and I would be happy.