Would appreciate any input on the size of lead weights you folks use when crappie fishing with minnows.

It depends on how deep I am fishing. I use a 1/16th split shot the vast majority of the time.

I recall once, on a crappie fishing trip with MR, Tim...we were dunking minnows four feet below our bobbers and we weren�t catching anything...Mr. Tim turned to me and said, take the weight off your line...to which I did...started catching fish...Mr. Tim did likewise, and we put a limit apiece on the stringer, and never moved from our spot..on the drive home, he confided that his dad taught him that on a tough bite, a free swimming minnow will out catch a weighted one every time... So, I would suggest that you use only the amount of weight necessary to get the minnow into the fish zone, or restated, no more than you need.

Bottom bouncer (drop-shot) rig with 3/8 oz bell sinker. Like the link below, except I don't use a swivel:

http://www.in-fisherman.com/files/2014/06/Kyle-Schoenherrs-Drop-Shot-In-Fisherman.jpg

Agree with crapicat. Use the lightest you can get away with, preferably none.

This is a very good topic. I say that. Because when I am drowning Minnows around structure. If I go weight free i tend to get hung up a lot more that when I put a split shot on. but back to the question. I try to go as light as possible.

3/4 oz bell weight if you�re drifting. .5-.7mph is as fast as you can drift and stay on bottom.

Put a bullet head worm weight about 6� above your hook, insert a toothpick and break the toothpick. It slides off structure and rarely hangs you up.

Been there...when I need to fish real close beside heavy cover with a minnow, I tend to use a really heavy lead weight about an inch above the hook eye...the old style wrap around the line type...this allows me to fish right beside the structure without allowing the minnow to drag the hook into the brush. Basically, by using a heavy weight only an inch above the hook eye (as opposed to three inches above), I can drop right beside (3 inches) the heavy cover without fear of the minnow constantly snagging me up...theory still holds though, as you use the lightest weight you can for the type of fishing you are doing...this particular situation requires a heavier weight, similar to the drop shot rig that duck jerky mentioned, you could go with a heavier weight, but you don�t need to...so don�t.

Now, going weight free close to heavy cover is similar to using 4lb line in heavy cover...you can do it, but no sense in it...

Like Duck said, drop shot.

Thanks for the helpful information! How far from the hook is best for the weight?

It depends on how deep I am fishing. I use a 1/16th split shot the vast majority of the time.


but i will also use Bottom bouncer (drop-shot) rig with 1/4-3/8 oz bell sinker.

I use 3/4 oz year round except if using a bobber.

Typically, three to six inches for good hookups....depends on how much wiggle room you want to give the minnow, and how big the minnow is...bigger minnows need more room to struggle.

I use a 1/2 oz egg sinker above a swivel. Tie a 18-24 length of fluorocarbon line to that and a number 4 hook. Works great on bridge pylons. Not recommended for brush piles or things you can hang up on