I have cleaned a lot of 10" crappie here in Mo. with a belly full of 4-5" shad. Our average size bait is 3" in length and I have gone up to 4" baits when targeting a big bite. Early spring and late fall there are no small shad for the crappie to feed on.

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this fish has a 4" chunk of plastic in it's mouth

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this 1/4oz tied buck tail was almost 4" in length

the way we(I) fish, bigger is better

it is amazing to read that the mouth on crappie are smaller the further north a person fishes. I guess I need to haul a boat northward and check that out for myself.

great bait comparison BTW