The 2" looks like a nice bait size for this region.

Something that really is interesting to me is how different geographic regions of our country can have the same species of fish, I'll use black and white crappies as examples, that seem so different. The southern white crappies I see pictures of have mouth parts that rival those of a bass. Up here our white crappies have mouths slightly larger than the black crappies but still considerably smaller than mouths of the southern cousins. I think the size of the shad forage in southern climates has allowed the mouths of the crappies to evolve into huge gaping pits capable of chomping a shad and not losing it to a small mouth. Here I see white crappies on many of the waters I fish that may get to be 15", maybe 16", but are still potato chip thin. Some of those southern fish look thick like our black crappies.

Where I see white crappie populations in this region, the waters they are found in have a healthy forage base of soft rayed minnows. Black crappies in this region are often chock full of small perch and even sunfish fry to 2". I've found both black and white crappie fry in the stomachs of large black crappies during the winter months. These observations sort of support the idea that those shad, being soft rayed, help grow those mega whites down south. I am in awe every time I see one in a picture with its mouth gaping, looking like a humpbacked whale sucking krill. This is also why I think your larger baits are productive. In this region and 2" or 2 1/2" plastic can easily be at the top end of effective size even for white crappies which have a larger mouth than the same sized black crappie. Its amazing how many crappies get caught here on baits in the 1 1/2" range and by up-sizing to 2" or 2 1/2" a person is taking himself right out of a great bite at times. There are times when I see big plastics being shown as crappie baits but then I remember where they are being used. It still is mind boggling just how different the same fish can be separated only by a couple hundred miles.

Bob's comment on having all three sizes of the new bait will make a family. A southern clan perhaps but that daddy sized bait is more in tune to the walleyes up here. Fun thread to follow.