4.5"-5" minnow in crappie just under 13"

[TapOut64]

Caught a 1lb 5.75oz crappie today that was just under 13" long. I've set a new record for biggest minnow found in a crappie's stomach. I have to imagine where the head is but it's at least 4.5" and close to 5". This just amazes me.



And I'm using 2" minnows, guess I need to buy jumbo's. I can only imagine what 15"-17" crappie are eating.

[mkeller]

I know what you mean, we have found some huge shad in some crappie lately and we are only using 1 1/2" jigs. My buddy wondering if we shouldnt upsize our baits. Though this time of the year the shad are for the most part large, we have one spot that was so thick with shad a couple weeks ago they were running into our lines and we snag some thinking it was crappie biting and some where in the 7 to 8" range. I wish I could have found this size shad in flathead season.

[crappieken]

One of my favorite crappie baits in the winter is the Berkley 3 inch Power Minnow in Chart/Slvr/Flk. Our local guide put me onto this larger bait.

[naildriver]

You know the old saying "Big bait ---Big fish!"

[GRIZZ]

Thats fascinating. Makes a good case for using larger baits with crappies.

[catchin30]

People laugh at my partner and I all the time. We crappie fish backwards. Everone says use 1/64, 1/124, 1/32, 1/16 oz jigs. I don't even have any of those. The smalles twe use are 3/32, usually 1/8 and sometimes 1/4 oz. We fish with hi vis 10 lb stren and about those soft paper mouths, we set the hook as hard as possible. We brought home over 4,100 from 10/1 - 4/15 last year and have over 1,800 so far in the same time frame this year. I don't think size of jig is as important as depth of water, a distant 2nd color.

[GRIZZ]

You kept 4000 crappies?

[kyron4]

I caught a 11" White Bass last year with a 6" Shad stuck in it's throat. The tail was sticking out in side it's mouth; and it still hit my 3" rattle trap lure. My Dad caught a 10" Rock Bass on a 3 1/2" Blue gill. I think if it's an easy meal fish will force about any size bait down their throat.

[mmjokerr]

what in the world would you do with 4000 crappies besides sell them commercially. That way more than a meal a day I am thinking. We keep enough to keep the freezer stocked for about 6-7 meals

[bugman]

You kept 4000 crappies?

Must have been awful hungry i suppose