Thread: 2" got me thinking

Bigger jigs when the spawn is going............this time of year small jigs and if tipping the jig small minnows.

I don't use anything but 2'' Umbrella tubes in plastic. If you think fish don't eat large bait , let me show you some Crappie I clean almost daily. Shad are bigger this time of year. Did you see the Crappie in Bowhunter's post with a Bream over 4'' stuck in it's mouth? Why would they refuse a 2'' bait while eating much bigger Shad most of the time? They got that big mouth for a reason , to fill their belly. I never ever tip jigs with anything either. I use a 12' jig pole with an Umbrella tube with a leadhead year round, have never needed to drop size.

I like smaller baits mainly in the fall and winter...this is not full proof and you should always experiment when it comes to bait sizes...There are many reasons smaller or bigger or medium sized baits may or may not work. For example... a big river type system/Lake may mainly be a big bait fishery because crappie tend to feed on larger shad due to flow, current, and constant rising and lowering of water levels in river sytems. Crappie tend to thrive on larger baits in river systems because this is what's available to them the most. On the other end of the spectrum crappie in shallower or clearer water impoundments not attached to a river system will be more apt to strike smaller baits, because they dont haft to deal with these constant water changes that you may have in a river impoundment, a smaller bait can be just the ticket to get em to bite. This is because they are ust to taking advantage of smaller aquatic/insect life as a meal and do not haft to deal with the water fluctuations of a river system. Tipping with a minnow or crappie nibble can and does work to or may not depending on the mood of the fish.. Keep your fishing open minded and by all means if your not getting bites on bigger or smaller baits keep switching up till you find the right combination. Hope this helps and Tight Lines.

X2 Russ.