for many years before there was a plastic baits on the market we used to use cut bait by catching one crappie and cutting little thin slices of the back and using it for crappie only me if they are anything like it used to be they cannot resist it.
I still today the use of pieces of white meat from the crappie on my jigs or plastic bait. make sure that you check with your game laws in your state before you try this.