Don't like to use minnows. Will crappies bite on worms? What else?

Friend says crappie just like to feed on minnows not worms. I fish from shore. Do crappies come in to the shallows(5') to feed at night or in the morning when it is this hot? Caught a couple crappies with worms. I have berkley minnow swimbaits, beetle jigs, beetle spins, berkley maggots, minnow jigs, etc. I like to fish with a sinker on the bottom & 3 prerigged gold aberdeen #6 hooks with crawler(then i can cast with a second pole). I caught 2 crappie this year with this rig. Caught 2 triples this year. 1 with a small bass & 2 gills. 1 with 3 gills. Lot of fun! Going to use 2 poles & see if i can catch 2 triples at the same time. Going to try a new lake that is supposed to have black crappie.

Welcome to the board. I don't have much info to offer since I am a novice, but I have never had success with crappie using worms. Not to say it can't be done, I just haven't been able to produce.

If they any crappie around them nettle spins and minnow jigs aight to catch em. Get some blak and chartreuse bodies along with pink and chartreuse .

yes you can catch a crappie on a live worm and wax worms mill worms but a jig or a minnow tipped jig will out fish them 50 to 1 get you some minnows and fish around brush and stumps and trees docks beaver huts trees that have falling in the lake with jigs and minnows good luck

Welcome from Alabama. Crappies will bite marabou jigs or soft plastic baits readily. Take a look in the jig tying forum and also the DIY plastics forum. There is a wealth of information there. I fish from the bank about 90% of the time. I know artificial work. There is also a stickie at the top of this main forum where members have posted knots and rig drawing ideas.

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Originally Posted by rockbassguy

Friend says crappie just like to feed on minnows not worms. I fish from shore. Do crappies come in to the shallows(5') to feed at night or in the morning when it is this hot? Caught a couple crappies with worms. I have berkley minnow swimbaits, beetle jigs, beetle spins, berkley maggots, minnow jigs, etc. I like to fish with a sinker on the bottom & 3 prerigged gold aberdeen #6 hooks with crawler(then i can cast with a second pole). I caught 2 crappie this year with this rig. Caught 2 triples this year. 1 with a small bass & 2 gills. 1 with 3 gills. Lot of fun! Going to use 2 poles & see if i can catch 2 triples at the same time. Going to try a new lake that is supposed to have black crappie.

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You might find some Crappie in the shallows, very early in the morning ... if you've got a blowdown coming off the bank, the water is not too clear, and the bank is shaded from the Sun for a few hours. Five feet is pretty shallow for this time of year ... but, that's speaking from experiences a bit further South than you !!
I have caught Crappie on Meal Worms, but only a few. Never tried earthworms or nightcrawlers for Crappie. Live bait, other than minnows, is something I use for panfish "other than " Crappie.
I have caught Black Crappie on a jighead with a crawfish shaped plastic body ... but, Black Crappie are the only Crappie species in that particular lake :Doh: (so I don't know if that has any major bearing on your situation)

If I'm not mistaken, Black Crappie are more likely to bite on bugs & worms, than White Crappie are. I'm mostly a jig caster, and the stinger shad & tube bodies are what I'm using ... well over 90% of the time. Other than those plastics, I'm likely to be casting a 1/16oz marabou Roadrunner. For me, live bait for Crappie is mostly a Plan B situation (daytime), except when tightlining at night.

.... cp :cool:

Welcome from GEORGIA.

Yes, you can catch crappie on worms, I've done it while bream (bluegill) fishing here in the south. I have also caught several crappie on crickets. I do think jigs or live minnows are better.

Leeches work too .... If you can keep the bream off of 'em...

Rickie

Jigs and crappie nibbles work for me