Crappie Bait Recommendations

New to crappie fishing and wondering what the some of the best artificial baits are. I have no clue where to start with size, brand, color, etc. for fishing brush piles with artificial.

Thanks,

Any jigs will work. I would just go to Bass Pro and get some bobby garland baby shads and try those on a 1/8 oz jighead. They work well and are easily accessible.

For just starting out, I would agree.

Anything that looks like a little minnow, will get eaten. Ask some of the locals, as to what colors to get, but white/chart and black/chart are a couple of the basics.

start with Minnows. Got to a lake like Ray Roberts or Lake Fork and fish the bridge pilons with minnows. Simple method:

1. Find a pilon with fish showing on your fish finder and tie up
2. Drop a minnow hooked through the lips down to the bottom and bring it up two cranks
3. Count to 15 bring it up one crank
4. Move to a new Pilon if you don't catch a fish in 10 minutes

That will catch a few. You'll learn a little and get some confidence and can fish jigs later.

Get some Berkley Gulp Alive. 2 1/2 inch in Emerald Shad color.

Fish a 1/16 to 1/64 oz. jig head. depending on wind. More wind heavier jig. usually fish the lighter you can. If fishing brush piles cast out and let it go to the bottom. Reel as slow as you can and then even slower than that. If you feel anything ANYTHING pull back and begin reeling. WATCH YOUR LINE WATCH YOU LINE. If it twitches or move to one side or slacks up --- PULL Back and reel up. DO NOT JERK OR PULL Hard like with bass. IF YOU DO YOU WILL PULL RIGHT THROUGH THEIR MOUTH.

If you are fishing a bridge piling or even straight over brush go to the bottom. Raise your rod tip up and let your jog fall back down. WATCH YOU LINE. IF IT MOVE TWITCHES ETC. pull up and reel. DON'T JERK.

Rule of thumb. If you aren't in the brush / within a fe inches of the bridge piling you won't get bit. IF YOU AREN'T LOOSING JIGS/RIGS YOU AREN'T CRAPPIE FISHING. No hang ups no bites basically.

Take your time and take your time1. If you fish a spot and don't get a bite in 10--15 minutes probably move to another spot. But if the fish were there and wouldn't bite come back in a hour or so and try again.

Good luck and have fun.

Forgot on vertical jigging over brush. Start on bottom as mentioned above. NO BITE close to bottom. Reel up a couple of cranks. KEEP COIUNT OF HOW MANY CRANKS UP YOU ARE When you get a bite remember how many cranks off bottom. Go back there and you should find the next bite comes faster.

There are lots of great guys on this forum that either hand tie jigs or pour their own plastics. I use Thermocline Lures product because they are hand made, tough and local. You should be able to find some local to you, or simply go to websites and order. Some of the most popular plastics are Thermocline Lures, Bonehead and Constant Pursuit. I can't tell you about the hand ties other than Pepops is very highly recommended. Black and Chartreuse, Cinnamon and Chartreuse, and Cinnamon and Blue are go to colors according to most of the experts. I hope this little bit of information helps you start somewhere. As far as size and weight, time on the water experimenting will build your confidence and form your opinion on what works.

Thanks for the responses. Is Cypress Springs a good lake for crappie?

I think they recently put some underwater structure in Cypress Springs. Also chartreuse or chartreuse and white works for me.

There's two web sites in my signature that make good plastic baits, CrazyAngler and Thermocline Lures, and the third I'd recommend is Constant Pursuit Outfitters. All three carry a good assortment of jig heads.
For hand tied jigs, look thru the posts in the jig makers sub-section above. These guys are the best I've ever seen and highly recommend all of them.
Just starting out, concentrate on natural colored bait fish baits and anything with chartreuse.