Thread: Lifelong live bait user needing advice on artificial baits/lures.

Originally Posted by deepiper

Thank you CrappiePappy and deathb4disco for the helpful feedback and advice. I appreciate it. deathb4disco I just remembered I have a beetle spin in my tacklebox. It's a 1/8 oz one that seems like it might be a bit too large, no?

For Bluegill ... yeah
For Crappie ... no (due to their bigger mouths)

One of the best I have seen for Bream would be a tiny jig /weighted fly called a '' Rockhopper ''. I comes in 1/32 oz weight and I think maybe 1/64. Fished under a cork and slowly worked in will catch all kinds of Bream as well as some Crappie and Bass . I have friends that swear by them . Terry's Tackle Distributors Waterloo, IA 50703

Originally Posted by NIMROD

One of the best I have seen for Bream would be a tiny jig /weighted fly called a '' Rockhopper ''. I comes in 1/32 oz weight and I think maybe 1/64. Fished under a cork and slowly worked in will catch all kinds of Bream as well as some Crappie and Bass . I have friends that swear by them . Terry's Tackle Distributors Waterloo, IA 50703

Saw some of those at Wal Mart here where I live. I'll pick up a couple. Thank you!

Originally Posted by deathb4disco

A few thoughts:

1) Lose the bobber. I almost never use one when fishing artificials.

2) Lose the tube. I agree with CP that there are better baits for bream. Go to Walmart and get some trout magnets. I prefer darker colors. Small beetle spins are also great. See post #4 for how to fish.

3) I reread the OP and noticed you have fly fished. Instead of top water, try small sinking flies and small jigs. (The 1/64 trout magnet will cast just fine on the fly rod). Let them sink and retrieve slowly.

Picked up some small panfish size beetle spins at Wal Mart and Academy here a couple days ago. I did read the post on #4 also. I am going to order some Trout Magnets and Panfish Magnets from Bass Pro. They did not have either of those at the Wal Mart or Academy where I live. Thank you for your help.

Hello all. Ordered an assortment of panfish magnets from Bass Pro and waiting for those to get here now. No fishing this weekend with Hurricane Harvey going on. Looks like we are safe where we live. All we are getting is alot of rain.

First of all I'm 64 years old and just started crappie fishing in the spring of 2013 everything I know I have learned from reading on Crappie.com and trial and error. I also have no boat and fish mostly from a bridge using a Zebco 8 foot crappie fighter w/ spinning reel and have never used live bait , with this long pole I am able to cast pretty far under the bridge with a 1/16 jig head and a 2 inch curly tail grub ,( it does take some practice ) once under there count it down 1001,1002, till maybe 5 and retrieve try slow ,try fast , try stop and start if nothing than try count down to 8 than 10 just keep trying . This method has paid off for me I can't guarantee you will catch fish but you will find snags .1/16 jig with 2 inch curly tail in Chartreuse w/ silver flake , solid black and pearl seem to work for me . keep tying you will find a method that works for you . good luck , tacklebuster

Originally Posted by tacklebuster

First of all I'm 64 years old and just started crappie fishing in the spring of 2013 everything I know I have learned from reading on Crappie.com and trial and error. I also have no boat and fish mostly from a bridge using a Zebco 8 foot crappie fighter w/ spinning reel and have never used live bait , with this long pole I am able to cast pretty far under the bridge with a 1/16 jig head and a 2 inch curly tail grub ,( it does take some practice ) once under there count it down 1001,1002, till maybe 5 and retrieve try slow ,try fast , try stop and start if nothing than try count down to 8 than 10 just keep trying . This method has paid off for me I can't guarantee you will catch fish but you will find snags .1/16 jig with 2 inch curly tail in Chartreuse w/ silver flake , solid black and pearl seem to work for me . keep tying you will find a method that works for you . good luck , tacklebuster

Thank you tacklebuster I appreciate your advice. Still trying to catch crappie/panfish on artificial lure. With the help and input of some folks here I have found some more kinds of lures to try. I have a bunch of panfish and trout magnets. I tried drop shotting a couple weeks ago and actually got something big like a catfish to bite and had fun chasing him around until he decided he'd had enough and snapped the 4lb test mono I have on my ultra light setup like it was sewing thread. Going out in a little while to try again. Need to stop by Wally World and pick up a new fishing license.

Two words: crappie nibbles! I to was once a live bait fisherman. Until I met a gentleman that taught me to use nibbles. They are just like minnows in a cup. Doesn't matter which brand you get: Berkley or Magic Bait. Tip your jig with one and I guarantee you will see a difference.