Confirm or deny this legend: A slightly mauled dead minnow (like you already caught two on it so now it is dead) will out-catch a new live minnow.

Anybody heard of this? True or False?

Hook em through the lips. You don't want them blabbing the plan to the crappie.

Great stuff. Thanks for the pointers...if the water doesn't muddy too much we'll be giving it a shot this weekend. Thanks again! Any additional tips appreciated for bank fishing for slabs.

I dont think so. If I see my minnow is not swimming, I can usually move my line to wake him up and get bit alot soon after. If I have a mauled minnow, I will jig him around a bit and spread those tasty death juices in the water to attract the fish.

With a dead Minnow just pop the head off and thread it on a jig head. Works pretty good for the paper mouths

pinch head minnows work good....

at least half the fish i caught last year were on dead minnows. i keep a long handled minnow net to retrieve the ones that float to the surface. always have.
i hook first thru the eyes, then thru the dorsal fin. then thru whatever is left. aggressively feeding crappie don't seem to care. many is the time i can catch 4 on a bait.

+3, that's exactely what I've always done.

Depends.
If you are stable on aspot and they want it still
then I do the hook just behind the top-rear dorsal fin
if you are moving at all then its through the jaw and out one eye

Right under their dorsal fin...

Jay Don and Rhonda Reeve won CAT's D1 Bob Sandlin Plano Marine Tournament weekend before last on dead minnows. Seven best weighed 13.85lbs. I wonder what they would have caught with live minnows? 20lbs.

That's the only way I've ever done it.

Right above the poop shoot on the bottom belly right before the tail. The tough skin by the poop shoot holds the hook on and the minnow swims forever. Works wonders on the coast when using baby croakers as wells.

this works great. size #2 gold red black dont matter what color it is