I am pretty new at jigging for crappie. The problem I'm having is that I keep losing crappie of the jig hook. They hit it and take it, but when I pull up they fall of in the water. I tried different things like giving them slack so they could take it or pulling the line the opposite direction. I thought my jigs might be to big, so I went from 1/8 oz jig to a 1/16 and 1/32. I am missing over half of the fish I get hits from. Is this natural or am I doing something wrong. I am fishing brush next to the bank with a 10 ft jig pole from a boat.

Don't know if your doing this but the biggest problem I had when I first started crappie fishing came from being a catfisherman. I would try to set the hook like I was catfishing. Lost a lot of crappie untill I broke that habbit.

I think I know your problem. I took my lady fishing this past weekend for her first crappie jiggin'. The first couple I thought she'd pulled thier lips off. I had to tell her just a quick flick of the wrist and they are hooked. Then she got that down and next was convincing her not to fight them so hard. Let the limber rod work for you- when they run lower the rod with them. OK, so that was complete- now- she tried lifting them out of the water- biggest mistake of all! I even try sometimes when the jig is deep and they still come off the hook. I actually got in a habit of carrying my trout landing net with me when I go crappie fishing. After she figured out thier little mouths are like paper, hence the name "papermouths", she caught a few. I also have found when bringing them to the boat lead them in one direction to you, when you switch the fish in a diferent direction you are really straining the hook in their mouth. good luck and hope this helps!

Use a dip net. Don't let the fish get on top of the water. Pull it up slowly but keep tension on the line. Just swim it under water and into the net.

It's an ailment that all of us had in the beginning. It's called "crappie jigitis". I use to be a hard over bass fisherman. Tournaments, fast boats, 20# line, and 'rippin' their heads off on the hook-set'. The I got old, and mama wouldn't let me go out and play with the young kids anymore. So I started the (what I thought) 'next best thing', crappie fishing. Since then I figured out several things. First, it's not the 'next best thing; it's the BEST THING. Next, didn't need a big, fast boat. Now have a 17'6" aluminum Triton with a 90 Merc. Next, went from 20# to 6# line. And finally, I fish very light action, long rods, and let them 'whoop-up' on the crappie. Advice.....slow down and don't jerk their heads off. Let the rod do what you paid for, and HAPPY EATING!!!!

Good fishin'
"aguyintx"

Also make sure that your hook has a barb on it, some hooks that you buy do not all have a barb on the hook causing just a little line loose the hooks slides out. Just a thought, if you are not over setting the hook.


Mike Cason

I was thinking I might be on the quick side of pulling up the fish. The crappie hit so quick that my reaction makes me pull up. Some times the crappie hit so hard, that they almost snatch the pole right out of my hand.

When you are pulling them up, hold your tongue way out and to the left. Just joking. Just keep tension on the line until you get her out of the water, then throw her in the cooler.

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David

The number 1 problem I've found with
hook-ups is the hook point itself. Many times the very tip is slightly curled- especially on new hooks. This causes the hook to penetrate the skin and start back out. The hook never gets into bone. I always break the needle points off and re-sharpen to a pyramid point.

I think sas is on to something with that sharp hook idea. Any hook any time can be dull, try this; hold out your thumb, nail up, set the hook point on your nail, jig will be hanging down, now gasp the body of the jig and pull it off your nail. This is not a downward pull but stright away. If the hook bites in, it is sharp however if it skates on the nail it is dull and will not penertrate. Gold hooks are bad about being dull right out of the box, bronze hooks are better but still need to be checked.

Now that you mention hooks...

Usually if you are fishing in the right place for crappie, you are going to dull the hook with hitting brush/rocks/timber and such. Check your hook after every catch and after ever snag/hang up, if it is not sharp work it over with a file.

Ask anyone that fishes with me for crappie, I check my line and hooks often and rarely will I lose a fish.



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Bert

"Ipsa scientia potestas est" - Knowledge in itself is power - Sir Francis Bacon
"Beware the lolipop of mediocrity, one lick and you could suck forever" - unknown author
"There is no beer in food, but there is food in beer." - Jim Koch, Master Brewer, The Boston Beer Company home of Samuel Adams Beer

about 99 percent of the time the hook will penetrate the tough part of the upper mouth . you might try opening up the hook a little with a pair of needle nose pliers . sometimes they come to closed when you buy them , it seems to also help makes un snagging easier when more open . and always set the hook when you feel the bite dont wait a second jesse

LIL-JIG, I believe that I've had the very same problem as you, jerking the jig right out of their mouth. I would consider myself a rookie crappie fisherwoman. Until this year I've only fished from the bank during the spawn. Now I have a 10' Pelican Mini Bass boat with a trolling motor that enables me to get out in the stumps and brush piles in protected parts of the lake. Although most of the crappie I've been catching have not been keepers, I feel that the experience of feeling the bite and reacting to it has helped me improve my techinque in landing the fish in the boat. However,I feel I should work on the foul language that comes out of my mouth when I do get snagged on some brush. It's a good thing I'm usually fishing alone or at least some distance that perhaps the closest person fishing cannot hear me utter these foul words.

Whiteperchgirl,
It's ok to curse the bad fish (ie:treeperch, stickbass, the ones that get away...) as long as you kiss the good ones.
I have a buddy that uses terms like deerlick mother.