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Thread: Small Baits, When and Where

  1. #1
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    Default Small Baits, When and Where


    Was browsing BPS the other day and thought about picking up some of the Bobby Garland itty bitty slab slayers.

    Under what conditions do you guys like to downsize? Only in the winter?

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    Default Small Baits, When and Where

    No point in downsizing, you ever seen a crappies mouth?? 2-3”” baits on 1/8-1/4oz heads year round. Even more important to use a larger bait if your home waters are dingy at all. If they can’t see it they can’t eat it


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    I don't down size either. I use a lot of Bobby Garland Baby shad baits on 1/8th ball heads and sometimes use 1/4 ball heads on larger baits. I fish mostly in winter and fish deep most of the time.

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    Seems like we are also having our best success on 2"+ sized baits. Sometimes even the 3" size works best. I've caught crappie while fishing smallmouths with a jerkbait. I've heard the the smaller sizes work on crappie when they are in a super finicky mood. I've just never encountered them that tough to entice with regular size baits.
    "A voyage in search of knowledge need never abandon the spirit of adventure."

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    Smallest bait I use regularly is 2'' fat tube on 1/8 oz jighead with #1 hook . Rest of the time I like a 2 1/2 '' tube on 1/4 oz jighead with 1/0 hook . Here most of what I find inside their stomachs year round is bigger than baits I use .
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    I know a guy …..that consistently WINS crappie tournaments with a 1 INCH long bait …..
    I been with him and another man that drops tiny baits many times and let me tell you this …..
    these boys will wear lips out so fast a fishin tv show would be jealous …
    that's what I got to say about that …
    summer is the best time in most cases to use the tiny jigs it seems to me
    when fish are on baby bait lots of times they wont touch a larger bait
    anyone says otherwise is missing out on the action in a big way
    ….this is factual and I had it happen to me this week
    it isn't just a I think thing ...its an I know thing
    been there done that don't ya know
    p.s. and YES one of them pitches them there itty bitty slab slayers ….fyi
    sum kawl me tha outlaw ketchn whales

  7. #7
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    Eagle 1 is offline Crappie.com Legend and Mississippi Moderator * Crappie.com Supporter
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    One word ----------------CLEAR .

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    skeetbum is offline Crappie.com Legend - Moderator Jig Tying Forum
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    I have long been a fan of little baits. I slayed the fish one day on a 1/8 head and a BGBS. Two days later I caught 3 and they wouldn’t touch it again. 1/16 head and I caught a few, 1/32 and it was game on again. Same bait, same place, same fish. They just wanted a slower presentation. Most folks that go to smaller baits tend to fish them at the same pace as the larger. When you go small you have to be patient and let it work, or let em look at it or whatever. I now fish a lot of 1/64 and those Itty Bitty Slab Slayer and Itty Bitty Swimmers with very good success. I use a #8 sickle hook in the head and this connects me better, especially on the bigger fish. One slayer that works well has an iced tea colored body and a pearl tail, and is on the floor in one of the pics. Don’t know what it resembles but they like it. I find that I can cast them much better with 2lb line, and don’t let that number scare you. It’s tougher than you might think. Shakespeare Micro series rods and a $20 reel and some 2lb Stren Crappie and you’d be in business. I’ve broken the 2lb mark on Crappie and 3lb for largemouth. An absolute blast when the bluegill are stacked up. Here’s a pic of the keepers from a day when all the planets aligned and a friend and I caught 75 gills, 5 good crappie, and 5 golden shiners, all on 2lb line and 1/64. Have fun with it. The shell cracker Ws dead on a pound and the LMB gave a heck of a fight on the little stuff.
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    I keep a supply of those tiny baits in my tackle bag. Have you ever marked fish to only find out they will not touch your offering. Drop them a three inch or tiny bait and see if they don't attack it. I don't know the right time to use tiny baits but I do know there have been times when they made a difference.
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    This past spring we fished some lakes in Arkansas when the fish were moving up to spawn, but in true spring fashion it was front after front. After 3 days of nothing, I switched to the BG itty baits, and we limited out the rest of the week when other boats were still struggling. They definitely have their time and place.

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