Hello everyone,

I am new to crappie fishing and need all the help I can get. My father in law bought s bout about month ago and all he wants to do is crappie fish. We have taken it to lavon twice now without much luck maybe a total of 7 or 8 keepers. He uses just a hook minnow and bobber. I've asked a few friends and they say we should use a jig. My question is do we use a jig and minnow? Just jig? Just minnow? And if we should use a jig how do you fish it? And does color matter?

Any help or tips would be appreciated. I can tell my father in law is getting frustrated and I'm afraid he will stop taking the boat out soon if the fishing doesn't pick up...

Thanks guys!

-Sam

Welcome to the sport, Sam.

First, let me say that you have done pretty well by going to Lavon cold and catching as many as you have. You cannot expect to catch many on an unknown lake. Your catch will gradually improve as you learn the lake.

Beginners should stick with minnows. Learning to fish with jigs is a whole new ball game that you should postpone until your skill level improves.

That said, fishing with minnows involves much more than just floating a minnow under a bobber. Usually if the boat is properly positioned then tight lining without a bobber will give better results.

You should buy a good sonar(fish finder). Buy the very best you can afford and follow instructions in mounting the transducer.

To answer your questions:

1. A jig is fished alone without a minnow. The only exception is fishing a dead minnow on a jig head.

2. A jig is fished by lowering it to the proper depth and holding it perfectly still until you feel a bump. Then set the hook by raising your rod tip firmly.

3. Color is critical. You can start with a basic scheme like black and chartreuse on a pink head, but you will soon want to try other colors.

4. There are many kinds of jigs.

Get a good book on crappie fishing or go out with a good guide.

Good luck and don't give up.

Thank you Smithaven for the tips and pointers I really appreciate it! I have more confidence for next time already!

So would you say the best thing to do is use a jig or straight line minnow when I'm right next to the tree with the boat and use a bobber and minnow to cast up closer to the brush on the shore?

Also, can you use jigs under bobbers or is it recommended?

Thanks again for your help.

a jig under a bobber is a killer technique when used properly but crappie fishing can be a challenge for the bigginer.Get yourself a good guide first a let him teach you the rudiments of the sport.It will make you a better Crappie fisherman.just my 0.02

Sam,
First off...welcome to the wonderful world of crappie fishing! While there is lots to learn...most of it comes down to learning the lakes you fish and how fish move through out the different seasons of the year with changing water temp. When you find the fish...they will bite a jig or minnow almost equally (most of the time). My best pieces of advise would be:
1. Go to this site: www.catchcrappie.com That is Mr. Earnest Paty's web site and there are 2 DVD's that you should pick up and watch with your dad. Crappie Fishing 101 and Fishing Electronics 101. Mr. Paty is a kinda' crappie guru here in N. Texas and is one of the founding members of the Crappie Anglers of Texas. From what I understand those DVD's are worth their weight in gold.

2. Go on a guided trip in each of the 3 major fishing seasons. Early spring to mid spring (pre-spawn/spawn), Late Spring Early Summer (post spawn) and then Early fall (around when it starts to cool in October (fish will go back to a more spring like pattern after the dog days of summer). Ask questions, they want you to learn.

3. SPEND TIME ON THE WATER! You can't catch 'em in your living room. Get a topo map of the lakes you want to fish, they will show you your lake contours (bottom changes, ledges, creek channels, etc). Look at your lakes on Google earth, keep watching this forum, Talk to folks at the bait shop...

Those are the 3 best pieces of advise I can think of right now. There is a water temp guide that pops up from time here on the forum that gives you a decent breakdown of water temps and what most fish will be doing and what type of water to be looking in...but I'll be danged if I can find it....good luck and stick with it...you'll be glad you did in the end!

In a nutshell that is true. Use a bobber when you cannot get your bait where it should be at the proper depth without it. Otherwise it is not necessary.

Lets talk about bobbers. Use a 7/8 inch or one inch oval balsa bobber. The best ones are made by Thill. A cheap Walmart foam or plastic bobber will just cost you bites. Rig it as a slip bobber with a Gizmo bobber stopper and bead, and a #2 split shot for a weight. Use a #4 gold Aberdeen hook, and hook the minnow through the lips.

You may find the information in my Sunfish Blog helpful. It discusses bobbers and how to rig them properly. Just substitute a #4 hook for crappie.

Ok thanks so much guys I appreciate all the help! So it sounds like the next best step to take is to go out with a guide. Can y'all recommend the best guide for Lavon? And do you have an estimate on how much it would cost for 2 people?