Thread: crank bait crappie????

Yes. It can be another fun way to catch them and is how the Crappie Masters Classic was won last year. They were also using planer boards. The Mississippi board has a big thread just about cranks for crappie. As a general rule cranks work on white crappie better than black crappie. You may catch some blacks and they will normally be large blacks when you do. Line counter reels are a must. There is a chart to help you hit a target depth with a certain size bait and certain size line. The chart and line counter reels make it easy. Finding the fish and what color they want is the only hard part. Be prepared to spend some serious coin for baits. Also you will be amazed how many channel cats you will catch on them too. You can buy the reels for about $30 each and can usually use the rods you already have. Bulk spools of 10 lbs test line can be bought for about $10. But average baits will run $5 each. You can catch a sale or two and do better but the good ones and good colors are not cheap.

Oh yeah and I sold all my crank stuff last fall.

I have boxes and boxes crank baits from my bass fishing days. If I had to buy them now I wouldn't even think about doing it. I found some line counters to attach to my rods too. And...I found my old trolling bible I used for striper fishing. I'm all ready, I just need to find some cooperative crappie.

The chart I used was based on 10 lbs. test mono with Bandit 100, 200, and 300 baits at 1.6 or 1.8 MPH and I think it was done by Precision Trolling. I may still have that chart I can email you. I broke it down to an easy to see and read chart that I put in a gallon zip loc bag for quick reference. Those bass baits you have will probably work just as good as any. Try to use the ones that closely resemble the build of a Bandit and they should run with in a foot or two of the chart. Berkley is making a Flicker Shad that walleye fisherman have been using and it has been working good for the crappie now too. It has a different profile than the Bandits but it works. Just like the differences in pulling a Hot Grub or a Kalin or a Slider or the other hundreds of baits out there. Hope you have fun and catch some fish!

As for colors, solid black, solid pink, orange/chartreuse, black/white, blue/chrome, blue/orange/chartreuse, and any of the shad patterns were good.

Donn, just start in the channel at the dam and head north till you find them.

Just remember, one brushpile can cost you around $40. Good luck with the cranks.

Amazing how the bill on the crank bait will help it bounce of limbs and stuff and not get hung up very often. I think I lost 5 in 3 years.