This is only my second year pursuing crappie. Had tons of fun with it last year and my kids loved it. We bank fish the north side of Conroe (Stubblefield) and I can't figure out how to use jigs...will try again this year. Bottom line...what are your preferred methods for hooking minnows on?...mouth? eyes? middle? tail? Also, what size hook do y'all think is best for minnows? Thanks.

I hook them under the chin and through their head.

me too

I just use a 1/16 oz minner-head jighead and hook it thru the bottom of the jaw up thru the head. Don't notice a difference in mortality hooking em this way - I've had some stay alive for hours (unfortunately) hooked this way.

You can always take the minner off and slide on a plastic body without retying if fishing is slow on minners.

in through the jaw, and out through the nostril...or through the back just under the dorsal fin. I usually start with the mouth, and if not getting good movement, will then try the back.

+1 That is exactly the way I do it.

Just make sure not to go too far behind the nostril or to low under the dorsal fin, because you will have a dead minnow very quickly. Dead minnows don't catch fish.

I use a regular crappie hook and hook them through the top of the eyes. They stay alive till I catch a fish.

Not true, When I use minnows 90% dead you pull the head or pinch it off right at the gills and thread it on a jighead fish it like a jig (old walleye trick) works wonders on big slabs.

+2 Yep!

In the back, half way between the top fin and the dark line. IMO, they stay alive and swim much better that way!

Pat that (old walleye trick)kills em at Chambers creek when jigs don`t.

Between Dorsel fin and Tail half Mid Line

but to head

through the tail. they swim like crazy, and dont come off the hook easily. I often will catch 3-4 fish on the same minnow