# crappie fishing- need help



## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

From my last trip to Dargan's pond, I found out there were crappie and yellow perch stocked in there. I was fishing with crickets and managed to catch a few bluegills- only one of good size (about 7.5 inches- gave it away). People were catching crappie at least once every 2-5 minutes. I see they were using live minnows.

Are there crappie in Louther's lake- an oxbow off the Great Pee Dee

Will crappie bite crickets?
How much do minnows cost at local tackle shops?
Will they bite mosquito fish- the most common minnow found along shorelines?
How do you fish jigs/plastic grubs for crappie?
What colors are locally productive?
What other lures work?


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## tot (Jan 31, 2012)

Hi Bluefish 1928 I'm still new to crappie fishing but i'm glad to share what I have learned so far. Crappies love live crappie minnows. However, jig/plastic grubs also work very well. Normally, minnows cost anywhere from 3 to 4 dollars a dozen. I've had more luck with minnows than I have artificial so I can't tell you what works best in the world of jigs/plastics. Hopefully, someone else can give you some more advice on using lures. Also, I highly recommend you visit crappie.com. It's also a great fishing forum and the folks on there are experts at catching crappie and will glady share with you their knowledge as well. Best of luck!


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## rabbitdog2 (Aug 20, 2011)

Minnows are the bait of choice. They must be alive crappie will not hit dead minnows. Use aireated bait bucket to keep them alive. The water needs to be kept cold add ice when the weather is hot. When fishing with jigs, fish them very slow. Where id Dargan's pond?


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## LaidbackVA (May 17, 2007)

bluefish, use a slip float and a 1/8 oz jig w/ a tube body. Start with a black body and chart. tail. Put the jig 12" - 18" below the float, fish the edges this time of year and around wood structure. Cast it out and let it settle, ( no rings) then wiggle it alittle , then let it settle again. Do this all the way back to the boat or bank. Keep changing color until you find the one they like that day. 

Have fun!!!

ron


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

rabbitdog2 said:


> Minnows are the bait of choice. They must be alive crappie will not hit dead minnows. Use aireated bait bucket to keep them alive. The water needs to be kept cold add ice when the weather is hot. When fishing with jigs, fish them very slow. Where id Dargan's pond?


in Darlington, SC managed by SCDNR- only opened on Wed and SAt from April to September.


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## BubbaHoTep (May 26, 2008)

In East Tennessee, they eat crickets. Some of the locals do, too, but hey that's another story. 

Laidback's spot on. The best crappie fisherman I ever saw used a 6 foot *LIMBER* rod, and would let it settle like that. It would take 5-10 mins, but he could dance it all the way to the bank with the wiggle - make it dance. For him, it was truly an art form. He never owned a boat. All he did was bank fish, and he outfished folks in boats all the time. That was before tubes. The depth depended on the season. He'd just use a jig with half a strip of Uncle Josh's fly strip in white (cut it in half so no tail strikes). Do they still even make those? I'm lazier. I use jig and minnow and let the minnow do the twitching.


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## kbgamecock (Oct 28, 2009)

Take a number of rods with you and put on different color jigs tipped with minnows or in Columbia we call them toughies. They are a very small minnow and troll the pond till you find them. You can cover alot more ground and have your jigs set a different depths so when you find them you will know what color they are biting and how deep they are


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

Well, I tried fishing live minnows- small 2 inch ones- under a cork around the small pier and managed to catch 4 before the cold front rolled in this morning. guess that is a start


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## JFord56 (Feb 5, 2008)

We always use jigs tight lined and trolling or jig short under a cork. When they don't produce tip the jig with a small minnow.


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## WNYBob (Aug 16, 2011)

As others said the small minnows usually a good choice. for artificials w/spinners or jigs take a look at the Blackmore roadrunners with a variety of bodies and blade shapes. or some Charlie Brewers are similiar. But if they're hitting them, the Roadrunners slay 'em. of course if they're not into them that day they won't. Always good to have some minnows and some small spinners or jigs. You see days you can't pull them out fast enough and other days you can bounce something off their heads and they won't take it.


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## oden (Jan 23, 2012)

I use the powerbait jigs that have the bait already in them. I usually put a little mirror on them also just to flash a little. Usually one of the beetle spinner mirrors. It just works.


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