Crappie was a hit or miss, many years ago without electronics.. we had structure sunk, or fished around stumps, or blowdowns. Sometimes we did good sometimes not. I still see fisherman fish this way a lot. Electronics allow you to find crappie when away from your favorite cover. That part of the puzzle solved, it comes to bait and technique. This last part is a constant learning curve. Only on the water experience can help here. Getting with a partner that is experienced can speed things up...!