Hook them right up under thier jaw and then come up stright between thier eyes. Right between thier eyes is a hard shot there (just the same for shad). In the lips - they pull off way, Way, WAY to easy.

But right between thier eyes - it's a hard spot there - and hard to pull off.

Fish them just like you would a jig (and as to keeping them alive - forget about that - more Crappie have been caught on a dead minnow than alive) - it looks better and is better than a jig - dead or alive - just make sure it's fresh dead - they love it,

PS: Forget about a minnow on the back of a jig body, You will do better without the jig body - just minnow/shad hooked like we are talking about,