Help me stock my tacklebox

[FurFlyin]

I've got a boat again, I've got a new whiz bang fishfinder, I've got a few ultralight casting rods, I've got a teenage son chomping at the bit, I've got Lake Guntersville 15 minutes away, and the weather is about to cool off.

I've never done any fall crappie fishing but I've done some in the spring, shooting docks, fishing vertical structure by tight lining below the boat. That's about it. Is this the same methods to use in the fall?

Also, what is your go to choice of bait/color on jigs and jig heads?

I've always used 1/16 or 1/8 jig heads and last time I had a boat I was using Bobby Garland Baby Shad in various colors and never been very successful. I've caught some slabs, but never in numbers.

Please give me suggestions of what to stock my tacklebox with. What's your go to bait? What conditions dictate what color you try first? Anything you can tell me will be something I don't know.

[mighty]

Well your in the big g. Bait, bbg monkey milk, blue ice are a must have. Like never leave home with out them. I would also get several tubes, black and chart, red and chart, red and white, orange and chart. I catch more fish on 1/32 oz jigs. Last but not least especially for you son in the cooler weather take some minnows. Sometimes they come in handy

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[FurFlyin]

10-4 on the Monkey Milk and Blue Ice. Already restocked those. They were hot commodities last time I went. I caught a 3 lb bass shooting docks with a Blue Ice jig on our first boat trip two weekends ago.

[6poundtest]

Everybody has their favorites, both in brand and color. I've been using Southern Pro lures this month with excellent results. I have Bobby Garland Baby shad lures as well but have spent more time casting and trolling the SP Crappie stingers, 2". I prefer 1/32 and 1/16 oz. jig heads for 95% of my style of fishing, mostly plain lead color.
Crappie Magnets are on my list to get a few of to try and I have Trout Magnets in white and have had success with them in years past. I won't offer color choices as others have way more experience in that than me.

"Spoonminnow" has made some recent posts regarding bodies and colors that have really set me thinking; you might want to take a peek at those threads as well.

I seem to have had better luck with subdued colors rather than real bright stuff. Might be due to water clarity or simply available forage here in the north versus your conditions in the south.

[FurFlyin]

Thanks for the replies, y'all keep em coming. I'll try to find the post by spoonminnow.

[CrappiePappy]

All of the jigheads I use for casting plastics are weedless. I mostly use 1/16oz, but do find occasion for 1/32oz. Color preferences of the fish seem to change from month to month & year to year, even on the same lake, so just have a variety of solid colors and contrasting colors. My fav solid colors are pink, chartreuse, or limetreuse.

If I can find them relatively shallow ... I'll throw 1/16oz pink marabou Roadrunners at them. Blakemore no longer makes a solid pink marabou Roadrunner, but the pink/char/pink is a good option. I have my solid pink Roadrunners made by Skiptomylou (member name) of Thumpit Jigs.

If they're deep, I usually find them at the end (tops) of downed trees. That's where I will cast the jigs and bounce them over the limbs, usually in 20-30fow. I use a variety of brands, but favor the Slabanator Jigs Shad body for the bigger size plastics (2") and the Panfish Assassins Tiny Shad for the smaller plastics (1.5"). Solid body tubes, like the Thunder Tube by Strike King/Mr Crappie are a good second option. Any of the above three are also pretty good baits for shooting docks, and even Vertical Casting (*Vertical Casting explained : Crappie Pappy Article )

[TerryD]

Go to YouTube and watch some Richard Gene the fishing machine videos. Period.

[FurFlyin]

Go to YouTube and watch some Richard Gene the fishing machine videos. Period.

He's a Bama fan. I can't stomach that.

[Slabprowler]

Mighty hit the nail on the head far as some colors . I don't do minnows or bridges just my preference ! but the bridges will be on fire before long if you don't mind to fight the crowds . Just go as much as you can try to find the bait and you will find the fish.

[N2deer]

Good luck Fur. I'm trying to learn about myself. Can't wait to see you get those electronics going. Nice buy btw