For years, I was a minnow fisherman for crappie that mainly focused on other types of fishing. The last few years I have focused more on crappie and switched to almost nothing but jigs. For me, there is so much sport with fooling a live fish with an artificial bait. But in making the transition to artificial baits, I have come to understand many things;
1) Jigs are just as easy to fish as Minnows.
2) Jigs don't die.
3) You don't have to seek out a bait shop before every trip.
4) You don't get your hand wet on cold days putting a jig on.
5) Jigs normally out fish minnows when both are fished from same boat. I was schooled several times before getting into the jigs.
6) Jigs have some of the crazies color names.
7) Jigs run about $.15 a piece to minnows $.45
8) I have caught more than 20 fish on one jig, but average 8 -10. One time I think I caught 3 Crappie on the same minnow, but average is 1.
9) You keep the left over jigs. Accidently left a couple of dozen minnows in the boat for a few weeks and almost had to sell the boat.
10) Jig fishing is more work and I normally never take adult beverages with me. To me, its almost a must to have a beverage as you wait for a minnow bite.
11) Perch don't mess with jigs near as much as Minnows.
12) You can never have to many jigs.
13) Jig fishing can be done by almost anyone. Same for minnows.
14) Its a heck of a lot easier to lug a days worth of jigs up and down a bank than a days worth of minnows.
15) Just like in real-estate, the key to successful crappie fishing is location, location, location!
16) Quality tackle is much more important in jig fishing.
17) Success breads confidence in jig fishing.
18) If you want to take the challenge to a higher level, you can tie your own jigs.
19) A couple of packs of jigs weighs an ounce or two. Stuff for minnows (Water, bucket aerator etc...) weighs a bunch!
I could go on, but bottom line, its a personal choice. The photo is of all the spent jigs that I used to catch 70 plus crappie Saturday off of a couple brush piles in Lake Lewisville. It was a dink fest for the most part with only 6 fish kept (I need to locate some better locations). I kept the jigs out of curiosity as to how many I would use that day. It would have pained me to have gone through that many minnows (6 - 8 dozen) for the same fish. Good luck to all however you chose to fish.
Good post, we all have too learn where when how.It may be worth going EAST to crappie heaven.Just saying! 
