It still just baffles me how a color change makes all the difference.
Now that you mention it, when I was working through my favorite colors...at one point I saw some minnows swim by just under the surface...so I decided to "match the hatch" since nothing else was working...I dug in my box till I found a color that looked just like those minnows at the same water depth. I went and found those minnows until I got the color, shape, and length correct...then I dropped my jig below the depth the minnows were using, and just started catching fish. Interestingly, I had tried several different shape baits, as well...but it was only the lil frys that were the perfect length, although I had to change the shape of the jig head as well.
And Yes, figuring out how to catch crappie can get the best of us at times....figuring it out is its own reward!