Thread: What minnows do you use for crappie

I use small Crappie minnows. I do trap my own often so sometimes I throw in some creek chubs.

Originally Posted by BuckeyeCrappie

I use small Crappie minnows. I do trap my own often so sometimes I throw in some creek chubs.

How do you fish them,

Fatheads/Tuffies or whatever the local outlet calls them. If I'm using a jig, I'll run the hook from under the "chin" and out between the nostrils for live ones, and in the mouth and out behind the head for recently dead ones. If I'm using a regular hook, I'll run the hook behind the eyeballs, making sure not to puncture the eyeballs.

I was taught to run the hook just under the dorsal fin, back when I was a kid fishing with my Grandparents. I later on learned about tail hooking, and even hooking them in the back & clipping off their tail fin to make them wiggle but not be able to move very far. Then I learned that you could hook one thru the eye socket on a jig and make the minnow struggle more trying to get upright. But, for most of the last 40yrs or so I've just been hooking them as first mentioned. But, I've never "lip hooked" a minnow, thinking that fish seemed to be able to knock the minnow off easily enough hooked the other ways mentioned, so why make it even easier ??

anyone use branch minnows, I have a small branch that runs through my property that has minnows in it

I use small minnows, creek chubs etc. I use minnow baskets with a cheap hod dog or a cheap small container of dog or cat food secured inside. I use the dollar packs of hot dogs form the dollar store. I zip tie the container to the basket and poke holes in the foil.

Shiners for me!

I use rosie reds which are a color phase of a fathead

Top of the morning to you !

I thought I was going to jump in and say, find out what is in the local waters naturally and use those. Before writing I like to do a little research, I found a whole lot more than I bargained for?

For fun I googled my local area, north Florida and here is what I got.................... I had no idea there were so many different kinds ...... Salt water fishing was a bit easier with shrimp and mullet ........ This could be a real challenge