Rigging Live Bait For Crappie Using Seldom Used Crappie Baits!
By Mark Fleagle
Over looked crappie baits
Can crappie be caught on natural crappie baits other then minnows? Yes, but few anglers rigging live bait for crappie ever switch from minnows to other enticing live baits because 90 percent of the time there is no need to. Rosey reds and shiners are enticing meals for crappies and it is hard for them to pass up an easy meal, but what kind of other crappie baits can you use when crappie minnows are not producing? In my article today I have identified two top producers.
Sunfish Fry
Young sunfish fry are a very overlooked bait probably bait probably because you will not find them in a bait shop. Probably another reason is because it is not legal to fish with sunfish fry in all states, so make sure your state allows you to use bluegill fry as for crappie baits. Many small and large ponds hold good populations of crappie so if you are not rigging live bait for crappie using sunfish fry you are missing out on a excellent bait source to catch crappie in ponds. Sunfish fry will stay alive in your bait bucket longer then most minnows so they are not only a excellent bait source but a very hardy one as well. You will have to catch them yourself though. Big crappie love to eat sunfish fry and in the early spring this is a great is one of the great crappie baits to use in ponds. Head to the shallowest points in the pond you are going to fish and start throwing your cast net to catch your sunfish fry. Only keep the 1 to 2 inch fry this is the size you will want to be rigging live bait for crappie.
Shad
If you fish for crappie where there is a healthy population of shad, chances are these fish will end up being about 50% of the crappies daily diet, and it is important to use them in these locations when rigging live bait for crappie. Shad are on the underused list because you cannot purchase them in bait shops, and because they do not keep well in a bait bucket.
Many bait stores sell frozen shad as cutbait for catfish but shad do not keep well alive in captivity. Fortunately, if you can find the shad schools they are very easy to catch with a throw net and then you can use them immediately after you catch them, use them as crappie baits by fishing them on the outer edges of the shad schools. Make sure you only keep shad 1 to 3 inches in length that you capture with your throw net.
Check out Mark’s website to get some amazing fishing information and fishing articles loaded with fishing tips about crappie baits that really work!
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