Top water Crappie- -Discussion

[Aix]

I know that fly fishermen pick up crappie on flies and poppers, but beyond that I really don’t see a whole lot of discussion online about people specifically targeting crappie using topwater lures (archived threads I’ve found were years old), and I’ve never met anyone locally that talked about it. Suspended, relating to structure/vegetation, and spawning fish seem to get most of the attention.



I’m sure that we’ve all seen crappie smacking minnows and insects in quiet waters, so there has to be someone that tied on a small top water lure of some kind to throw to the feeding fish. I was just curious what others had to say about doing it successfully and if it’s a primary technique or more of an opportunistic thing for them.


What lures do you like using for this and is your topwater fishing for crappie seasonal? I realize that there’s a pretty good chance that a person would probably have to sort through the bass that would also hit top water plugs, but that’s part of it. I haven’t seen a teeny torpedo for sale in quite a while, but when I think of catching crappie on top water, a clear teeny torpedo is the first lure that comes to mind for me.

[NCkenner]

When the mayfly hatch is in full swing, the crappie take full advantage and "slurp" them off the surface like candy. We catch a lot of the slurpers on very light jigs and Bobby Garland baby shads reeled fast enough to stay near the surface. I'd bet that at that time a tan colored floating jig/fly would were em out!

Chris

[JUNGLEJIMJIGS]

The only topwater I've ever caught crappie on consistantly is the clear teeny torpedo. 30 years ago after my dad was diagnosed with cancer I took him fishing on a small river and I found some crappie in an eddy area while fishing the teeny torpedo. After catching several crappie I handed the rod to my dad and sat back and watched him land another dozen or so before he had enough. That was my last fishing trip with him. I'll never forget that trip.

[BobC]

A fly rod is the way to go. I have caught quite a few stream fishing with topwater. Terrestrial patterns work well, and the pans just cream them!
Bob

[Ketchn]

never attempted it as of this day , seen em feed on top lots though , a few spots they are up on top every night on shad
pond crappie hammer yellow grasshoppers in the summer too ....
maybe someday I will try it ....who knows

[keeferfish]

Only on accident fishing for Bass but never really tried either.

[DockShootinJack]

Give them what they are eating where they are eating it