Interested in crappie...No knowledge about catching them...

[Gibbzilla]

As the title states, I'd like to start catching masses of crappie. I don't have a boat, though, so that might be at my disadvantage.

Last year I caught a 17-inch and a 16-inch white crappie with minnows under a bobber. I usually do pretty well with the minnow under bobber technique, but when they don't go after that I don't know what to do. I know you're supposed to fish jigs, but I'm not sure how to, and do you just fish them plain? Any jig-fishing tips, as well as general advice would be appreciated.

[CrappieHound]

There are lots of posts here about jig fishing. You can search the site by putting in the word jigs and hitting enter and you should get a lot of information. I love to cast a jig. Just tie a lead head jig on...hint(roadrunner head) and put a curly tail jig body on it and walah...you have a fish catching rig. Oh yea, you need to buy some crappie nibbles. Buy the heads and the crappie nibbles at wal-mart or any sporting goods store.You can fish a jig under a cork the same way you do with the minnow. I don't buy minnows not that they don't work but I usually can catch fish w/o them. Don't quit buying minnows however if they are working...stick with what works and ease into some alternate techniques. The key is to catch fish and have a good time. When you start catching fish on minnows try to cast a jig in there and catch a fish on that. You KNOW the fish are there so you can play with it a little to get accustomed to how THEY want it. Sometines we try to tell the fish how it's going to be. Works sometimes but the guys that are real good at CATCHING learn how to present the baits that the fish want.

Hope this helps a little. I could write a two page posts on jig fishing but most of it has been said already in other posts. Look em' up if you don't see what you want ask again.

[Gibbzilla]

There are lots of posts here about jig fishing. You can search the site by putting in the word jigs and hitting enter and you should get a lot of information. I love to cast a jig. Just tie a lead head jig on...hint(roadrunner head) and put a curly tail jig body on it and walah...you have a fish catching rig. Oh yea, you need to buy some crappie nibbles. Buy the heads and the crappie nibbles at wal-mart or any sporting goods store.You can fish a jig under a cork the same way you do with the minnow. I don't buy minnows not that they don't work but I usually can catch fish w/o them. Don't quit buying minnows however if they are working...stick with what works and ease into some alternate techniques. The key is to catch fish and have a good time. When you start catching fish on minnows try to cast a jig in there and catch a fish on that. You KNOW the fish are there so you can play with it a little to get accustomed to how THEY want it. Sometines we try to tell the fish how it's going to be. Works sometimes but the guys that are real good at CATCHING learn how to present the baits that the fish want.

Hope this helps a little. I could write a two page posts on jig fishing but most of it has been said already in other posts. Look em' up if you don't see what you want ask again.

Thanks a lot. I thought you were supposed to "jump" or "twitch" the jigs, I wasn't aware that you put them under bobbers.

[Crappie Xtreme]

Hey Gibb, I fish mostly jigs but I also fish minnows when the crappie start to spawn shallow in the buck brush. Fish your jigs however you want. You can fish them under a bobber or jiggin with a good crappie pole over structure. Whatever technique works the best. Also you can fish in the shallows just wading. I know several guys that fish this way and it's not because they don't have a boat. It's because this is what they prefer to do in the shallows to keep from scaring fish away from the bushes or structure.
And who says you are supposed to fish jigs I think you should fish with whatever works as long as it's legal.

Oh yea what CrappieHound said. Get you some nibbles. I prefer the white or pink Berkley Gulp Maggots. Won't leave home without them.

Crappie X.

[CrappieHound]

Jumping or twitching the jig is a misconception among a lot of crappie fishermen. It can and does work but it has it's place. Do you twitch your minnow while it is under your cork? I don't think so. When you use a skirted jig, the jig will do all the work. The boober..."boobs" the lure along giving it action. There doesn't need to be a lot and moving it up and down...it can be overdone. I have caught a lot of fish with just a jig and no cork. Slowly drop it into a stake bed...hold it dead still and BAM! If you don't get a strike move it a little then move it to the outer edge on the other side. Sometimes you have to hold it still for 10-20 seconds before the fish will take it.

Finding out how they want it is the challenge.

[gabowman]

Around here alot of people from the bank using jigs do so under a float. After the cast you usually wait a bit for the water to settle then you either start a slow steady retrieve (not trying to make many ripples on the water with the float) or just barely move the float a foot or so and then stop it for a bit, then retrieve more.

[FalconSmitty]

"Interested in crappie...No knowledge about catching them"

lol well you fit in fine right here with us.. We don't either but we know how to type!

just yankin your chain...you can learn crappie here for sure. I've caught crappie year round for 30 years but this place made me feel like I knew nothing. I have learned so many things here. Use the search and find your answers. If ya don't find it post the question. Somebody will know. I promise.
Welcome to the best site on the web

[DemolitionMan]

Gibbzilla,

I'm in the same boat as you, and we ain't even got a boat....Floats and minnows is the only way I've ever crappie fished....That was about 25 years ago with my Grandfather and cousins....I'm an OTR truckdriver, so I'm just getting back into fishing and hunting...Not only have I lost a lot of knowledge, but equipment also....But hopefully, with the help of this forum, I'll make it....

One thing I have learned is that, if your gonna fish, "master" one technique...You've already done that with the minnows and floats....DemoMan

[crappiekid24]

Lots of info about this on the site. Here is a good thread.
http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showthread.php?t=32071

[DemolitionMan]

Thanks crappiekid, we need all the help we can get....DemoMan