HaHa: 
Reply With QuoteHere is the link to the Louisiana State page down below. https://www.crappie.com/crappie/louisiana/. Pretty active bunch of folks. They should be able to steer you in the right direction
Slabmaster
Advice for a new try-hard
Okay so I've only been trying to really focus on catching crappie for the last month or so. I have a large selection of jigs and beetle spins, slip bobbers and such.
So far, I've managed to catch a grand total of four black crappie, but the fishing where I am here in south Louisiana has been very very tough for just about everyone for the last few weeks.
After another trip today where I got skunked, I had a sudden revelation... I have two gallons of small frozen shad in my freezer. There are literally no bait shops in my area that sell live shiners, and I figured since shad is the primary food source for crappies, that it would be a good idea to try to use them as bait.
Any thoughts?
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Here is the link to the Louisiana State page down below. https://www.crappie.com/crappie/louisiana/. Pretty active bunch of folks. They should be able to steer you in the right direction
The love for fishing is one of the best gifts you can pass alongLund LIKED above post
Slabmaster
Crappie Wall Hanger II
Highly suggest to get active in your state forum too like DockShootinJack recommended. I was starting out in Charleston, SC and was doing about the same but never consistently. Closest freshwater bait store was an hour away. I did some research and thought (until I found out I was moving states) about throwing a cast net or even just setting up a minnow trap to catch some minnows myself. Good luck! Stick with it, crappie are finickyOriginally Posted by CrashVector
Tight Lines!
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Crash ... your "shad" are likely to work, but the problem with them may be trying to keep them on the hook.
Slabmaster
Crash ... your "shad" are likely to work, but the problem with them may be trying to keep them on the hook.
They're threadfins I cast-netted earlier this summer. I tried hooking one on a big beetlespin head and a swimbaits hook. Seemed to stay on okay.
Maybe it was how I froze em? My grandpa always told us to use salty cornmeal, so it's what I've always done
Crappie Wall Hanger II
Okay I want to know more about this. I have honestly never really heard of people catching and freezing minnows (now that I write this it sounds like I lived in a cave haha). Assuming it does pretty good? How did he teach you to do it with cornmeal? You don't have to tell me just really curious haha! I bought some preserved emerald shiners (like these) but never a bite.
Tight Lines!
'02 Lund Explorer SS 1675 / '02 Yamaha 90hp & 6hp / '22 Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 93sv / '02 Minn Kota Powerdrive with Co-Pilot
Slabmaster
I cast-netted an ice chest full of em. I separated em into two sizes, small and large. The large ones I use to bait juglines for catfish.
You bring them in, and rinse them off. Then pour a bunch of yellow cornmeal in a bowl, add a LOT of salt, and toss the shad in it, put them in a ziplock bag, and freeze them. My grandpa said it keeps them from getting freezer burned and keeps them smelling fresh.
I'm not sure how those shiners are preserved that come in a pack.
Crappie.com Legend
petsmart has cheap live bait , 2 bucks or so a dozen .....
sum kawl me tha outlaw ketchn whales
Slabmaster
Hahaha!!!! I NEVER would have thought of that...but you're absolutely right!! Thanks!!!petsmart has cheap live bait , 2 bucks or so a dozen .....
