Losing (all) the bait?

[Don_Morey]

New to Crappie.com and crappie fishing.

I tried fishing for crappie a month ago, using minnows hooked through the eyes. My bait was always picked off (2 dozen medium minnows). I would appreciate any help on how not to lose my bait(possibly to other fish) and catch some crappies. I could probably use lures, but I'd like to use live bait successfully without losing it so often 24/0. I was using a barbed 215A-6 Eagle Claw hook on 4lb line, free-lining (on the drop) with split shot at bottom of line with two hooks tied above.

[Cane Pole]

New to Crappie.com and crappie fishing.

I tried fishing for crappie a month ago, using minnows hooked through the eyes. My bait was always picked off (2 dozen medium minnows). I would appreciate any help on how not to lose my bait(possibly to other fish) and catch some crappies. I could probably use lures, but I'd like to use live bait successfully without losing it so often 24/0. I was using a barbed 215A-6 Eagle Claw hook on 4lb line, free-lining (on the drop) with split shot at bottom of line with two hooks tied above.

Try a bigger hook. 1 or 2 size. Put a crappie nibbble on after the minner. That oughta do it.

[CrappiePappy]

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "free-lining" .... that's normally a no sinker method (line/hook/minnow ... with reel disengaged, so line comes off spool freely). Were you casting out this rig, and letting it pendulum swing back to you ? Is that what you're calling "free-lining (on the drop)" ??

Having the sinker at the end of the line, with hooks on line above ... is generally regarded as a KY Lake Rig, if the hooks are on loops or leader/dropper lines. If hooks are tied directly to line, then it's more of a "dropshot" style of rigging.

Sounds to me like you got into an area that was saturated with those minnow killing/stealing Sunfish :p and they were picking you clean. :o

Anytime I've ever used minnows, I've always taken 4doz as a minimum ... just in case I did run into a band of thieving Sunfish. I, long ago, quit using minnows as a primary bait, though, and went to jigs. Sunfish still peck at them, but don't remove them from the hook nearly as easily as they can minnows. On the occasion where minnows are a must ... I use a #2 lite wire Aberdeen, with a #4 split shot sinker on the line, about 6in above the hook. I also hook the minnow thru the eye socket (NOT thru the eyeballs, but "behind" them). Hooking thru the eyeballs, destroys the eyes and makes the eye socket opening larger ... allowing the hook to come out more easily, as well as allowing the bait stealers an easier way to remove the minnow.

You could try putting your minnow on a jighead ... running the hook up under the V of the throat and out between the nostrils. You're still likely to get Sunfish hits, though. That's just one of the downfalls of live bait use, and one of the reasons I switched to jigs/plastics

... luck2ya ... cp

[Don_Morey]

crappiepappie: yes what you said a KY Lake Rig w/ split shot for a sinker and casting out the rig, and letting it pendulum swing back. I agree, it was probably sunfish and hooking through the eyes (making it easier for the sunfish to pull the minnows off the hook).

I'm not sure what you mean when you say: hook the minnow through the eye socket (NOT thru the eyeballs, but "behind" them). I thought I was sticking the hook trough the socket that the eyes are in, confused?? Can you elaborate, I'm kinda dense.

[centerdriver]

You can also try hooking the minner differently. As Crappiepappy said (and how I hook mine most of the time) bottom to top coming out in the tough part of the nose. This allows minnow to "swim straight" if you are casting and letting it come back at an arc. If fishing straight down, my grandpa use to hook the minner just under the top fin. This make it "look" alive since it hangs as it would while swimming. If your still loosing bait, you could try tail hooking. One way or the other, you will find what is working at that time, but the old saying is "a fish eats a fish head first".
Dusty

[slabbandit]

Hi Don, One problem that I have with putting the weight below the bait is that it makes it easier for smaller crappie to steal your bait. I have heard of putting a "Crappie Nibble", slightly hardened, on the hook after putting on the minnow. I bet this will work.

[Don_Morey]

I'll definitely try the crappie nibble on the hook too. I'm looking forward to using the information your sharing. Thanks

[CrappiePappy]

crappiepappie: yes what you said a KY Lake Rig w/ split shot for a sinker and casting out the rig, and letting it pendulum swing back. I agree, it was probably sunfish and hooking through the eyes (making it easier for the sunfish to pull the minnows off the hook).

I'm not sure what you mean when you say: hook the minnow through the eye socket (NOT thru the eyeballs, but "behind" them). I thought I was sticking the hook trough the socket that the eyes are in, confused?? Can you elaborate, I'm kinda dense.

Actually, the KY Rig setup is more useful as a probing kinda thing. The weight being used to keep the line straight down, and as a feeler ... for the bottom and/or brush & stumps. The hooks above the sinker, is to keep the hooks outta the snags and still present the bait openly. If I were going to use a cast/swingback presentation, I'd probably be using a jig or jig/minnow.

Hooking a minnow by piercing the eyeballs ... is what I'm referring to as not being such a good idea. If you're running the hook point thru the eye socket, but not damaging the eyeballs themselves ... you're doing it the way I suggest doing it. The eyes stay intact !!

Talk to Jerry Blake (member/Arkansas Crappie guide) ... he uses methods similar to what you're using, but not at the same time. He uses long poles, for minnow/float & jig cast/swingback. For the minnow/float setup, he uses cricket hooks and "small" minnows .... for jigs, he uses the long pole to swing the jig out, then lets it pendulum swing back (no reeling & holding the rod still). He might have some tricks up his sleeve, that would be beneficial to you.

... luck2ya ... cp

[Jasmine]

When we use minnows we hook it in the top and bottom lip too--It gives the minnow that active movement--
The crappie nibbles is a added bonus!!..... oil that it puts out helps to lure fish to bite