Just do it! It's like a friend of mine told me years ago when I started bowhunting. He said, "You won't ever kill a deer with your bow until you leave your rifle and pistol at home and take nothing but your bow." You know what, he was exactly right.
Just some things I have learned about fishing tops.
1. Always start on the outside and work your way in. That may mean that you start fish several feet or even yards from the visible structure of the top.
2. Fish slow, especially when lifting the jig back out of the top. it will help avoid too many hang-ups. If you do get hung up, don't panic. All is not lost. Simply put the rod in the water and pull the line tight against the rod tip and most of the time the jig can be pushed free.
3. I like to tie my jig on with a loop knot so that it will swing back and forth, giving it as much action as possible since you may be simply lowering your jig into a mass of branches and can't swim it very much.
4. Wind permitting, I usually start with a 1/32 ounce jig, which keeps the jig in the strike zone longer if fish are in the top.
5. A side imaging depth finder can help you determine if fish are in a top that you may want to fish.
6. Fish slow and try different colors if you don't get bit right away.
7. If you don't catch any fish the first time you try a specific top, don't give up. You may catch them later that day on that top.
8. Fish slow and enjoy the THUMP. You may not catch as many fish as those who troll or pull crankbaits, but if you like the THUMP as much as I do, it's the only way to go. Don't get me wrong, I will troll some of the time during the colder months when the fish are deep, but I much prefer to single pole tree tops or stumps.
9. I know that I said to fish slow several times. Personally, I think that that is the key to fishing tops. You can run and gun between spot or tops, but when you stop your boat to fish a top, FISH SLOW, feel the THUMP and have FUN. Remember, leave your rifle and pistol at home.
Disclaimer: These suggestions are only some of my personal observations during 40-45 years of fishing. They in no way reflect the opinions or experiences of others on this site or any other crappie fishing site that may be better fishermen or fisherwomen than I am.
Hopefully others on this site, especially those who have more experience than I do, will also chime in with their advice.