Thread: Crankbaits for crappie?

bandit crank baits I like the 200s bass pro and cabelas has them

Also, try Hot N Tots.

Bomber's are the best followed bye Bandit 2 and 300's followed bye Hot-n-tots. We troll cranks all summer long and they have been going good for the last three weeks.

Originally Posted by Springhill Duckman

Bomber's are the best followed bye Bandit 2 and 300's followed bye Hot-n-tots. We troll cranks all summer long and they have been going good for the last three weeks.

What depth of water are you having the best luck and are you fishing points, flats or breaks(or probably all three) I'm usually trolling cranks and casting them for walleys but I've caught some decent crappies to.

Joe,

We let the crappie tell us. We where trolling thin fins over shallow spread out spawning crappie during the spawn and doing really well. Then when they pulled off the banks and scatter chasing shad you need to use your electronics to tell you where and what depth to fish. As a rule of thumb active crappie (feeding fish) will suspend in 6 to 12 ft of water but that can be in up to 50 foot water (the bottom). If your seeing fish in a particular range use a crank that goes just above or equal to that. If you see fish deeper than 12 foot then they are in a negative or neutral feeding zone and can be harder to catch. We will either spider rig those or speed up our trolling and try and get a reaction bite. Right now you can find them in the 10 to 18ft of water (bottom depth). This weekend at LOZ we caught a lot of fish in 20 to 30 fow 7 to 12 ft down. 2 weeks ago on Truman Damn we found the black crappie suspended in 35 to 50 ft 10 to 15 foot down and pulled limits every time in short order. Right now if you can find a break or channel they are relating to you can get after them quickly. Dont be suprised to find fish in the middle of the lake that no else is with in a half mile of in 50+ ft of water 15 foot down just eating shad.

Zone we look at.
active fish 6 to 14 ft
neutral fish 15 to 22 ft

Bottom depth has little to do with fish this time of year. Focus on where in the water column you are seeing the fish.

I like the deepest diving pink wally marshals followed closely by bandit 300s. You can load the boat and you will be amazed what you will learn by watching your electronics while trolling.

Originally Posted by Springhill Duckman

Bomber's are the best .

Ima like you as to the Thumbs Up hot-n-tots. I haven't pulled any 'Bombers'. Just what, in your opinion, why they are the 'Best' ? Colors, action, cost??? Cabelas's "Grave Diggers" are pretty cheap & work just fine too. Solid black & 'mistake', go to colors for me in the Bandits. <*)}}}><

Chatt I guess just from my catch numbers and it's what I use the most. I like the bomber model A and start with the 8 to 10 ft depth. I think the crappie like them because they are skinny and have great action. Crappie just love them as well as wallies and whites. Any of the shad colors or the all white with green stripes down the side, but as with anything it just depends on what they want that day. Weekend had a bandit the other weekend that he couldn't keep them off of. I was a scratchin my head watching him real them in. Then he was nice enough to throw a dog a bone.

We trolled at LOZ this weekend and used all of the above. We caught all the crappie on the bombers down there. Truth is I start with 1 or 2 bombers on and a hot-n-tot and work out from there if they are not working. WKEND is also dead on with pink (as much as it pains me to say it see above).