What to use?

**titanxt** · 02-28-2007, 12:41 PM

I am new to fishing for crappies in Kentucky Lake. What are some of the best ways to fish for them? All I am used to is minnows.

Thanks!

**EDDY CREEK BANDIT** · 02-28-2007, 01:42 PM

Most all the guys I know prefer Jigs. 1/16 and 1/8 the most popular sizes. Colors are where the big difference of opinion comes in. I like any and all the following combinations. Tubes in punkin?char., red/white, bluewhite, red/char.,green/char. In twister tails I lean to any color as long as it is a shade of green. I am looking forward to trying some new lures for a company. If I have any sucess i will post it here. THE BANDIT

**hillbilly_gunner** · 02-28-2007, 03:33 PM

I use a lot of red/chart white/chart tube jigs and also most of the colors said above I also tip my jigs this time of year with a sparkle crappie nibble and also tip using them so in spring

**CrappiePappy** · 03-01-2007, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by titanxt

I am new to fishing for crappies in Kentucky Lake. What are some of the best ways to fish for them? All I am used to is minnows.

Thanks!

Welcome aboard, TitanXT !!

Check out this tagging survey ... read it thru completely !! Lots of good info, maps, and prevailing conditions (weather/water levels) to compare to the current conditions with : http://fw.ky.gov/navigation.asp?cid=...vPath=C101C552

....... luck2ya .... cp

ps - tip/hint ... the only bait I've fished on KY Lake, that's produced as good as minnows, is a 1/16oz Chartreuse marabou Roadrunner

... casting it over pea gravel banks, submerged grass, wood cover, and/or along rocky banks.

**crappie snatcher** · 03-01-2007, 11:17 AM

I use 1/16 oz. jigs. My favorite colors are red and white, green and chartreuse, but my most favorite right now is yellow and chartreuse with sparkle. You might want to get one of the kits with different colors in it. Sometimes the best color is just what you have the most confidence in.

**Wiskers** · 03-01-2007, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by crappiepappy

ps - tip/hint ... the only bait I've fished on KY Lake, that's produced as good as minnows, is a 1/16oz Chartreuse marabou Roadrunner

... casting it over pea gravel banks, submerged grass, wood cover, and/or along rocky banks.

Darn you CP!

LOL Now my secret's out!!! :D You're exactly right! That is my "go to" lure for casting! DEADLY!!! I have also started using 3/32 oz jigs for vertical jigg'n down to about 14 feet. I really like'm!

**caseydrew** · 03-01-2007, 06:37 PM

I also like casting roadrunners on the pea gravel points. However, when casting to brush I've done much better on Charlie Brewer Slider jigs.

**Wiskers** · 03-01-2007, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by caseydrew

I also like casting roadrunners on the pea gravel points. However, when casting to brush I've done much better on Charlie Brewer Slider jigs.

Do you use them much? I have not used them hardly at all. What is your favorite color? What size do you use? Give me some tips on using them. :D

**caseydrew** · 03-01-2007, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by Wiskers

Do you use them much? I have not used them hardly at all. What is your favorite color? What size do you use? Give me some tips on using them. :D

Sliders are about all I ever use in the brush anymore. You can fish them extremely slow and the tail will still be going crazy putting off alot of vibration. Never used them much till I went to Lake Fork Texas one year and put one on when the fishing was slow on roadrunners w/ twister tails and started killing them on the sliders and have never looked back.

When the fish are really shallow I'll throw one on a 1/32 ounce roadrunner head, but most of the time I just cast them to brush in 6' to 12' of water using a 1/16 ounce head and texas rig the jig where it is weedless just like you would bass fishing and just count them down until I think they are just over the brush and them hold my rod tip high and retrieve steady and as slow as possible not to get hung up. Crappie love to hit them on the fall while counting down the jig....therefore, hi-vis line is a must as you have to watch your line for strikes. I have confidence in this bait after using it for the past 3 or 4 years.

As for colors I can only really speak on what has worked on KY Lake and in Texas for me. The following is a ranking of my favorites starting w/ the best although I think I have bought every color they make as I'm a little compulsive when it comes to fishing:

1) black body chartruse paddle
2) watermelon body chartruse paddle (This might end up my favorite?)
3) white body blue paddle
4) chartruse body red paddle
5) solid white
6) tennesse shad
7) solid chartruse w/ sparkles
8) blue body chartruse paddle
9) bubble gum body chartruse paddle
10) pumpkin black flake

I just bought some actual Slider crappie jigheads that are made for fishing these jigs weedless as they have an offset hook, but I've yet to try them. I hope to give a good report on them in the near future. I hope this helps a little......... check out the following link to order them http://www.fishingworld.com/Slider/D...81020668378886

**CrappiePappy** · 03-01-2007, 11:24 PM

Originally Posted by caseydrew

Sliders are about all I ever use in the brush anymore. You can fish them extremely slow and the tail will still be going crazy putting off alot of vibration. Never used them much till I went to Lake Fork Texas one year and put one on when the fishing was slow on roadrunners w/ twister tails and started killing them on the sliders and have never looked back.

When the fish are really shallow I'll throw one on a 1/32 ounce roadrunner head, but most of the time I just cast them to brush in 6' to 12' of water using a 1/16 ounce head and texas rig the jig where it is weedless just like you would bass fishing and just count them down until I think they are just over the brush and them hold my rod tip high and retrieve steady and as slow as possible not to get hung up. Crappie love to hit them on the fall while counting down the jig....therefore, hi-vis line is a must as you have to watch your line for strikes. I have confidence in this bait after using it for the past 3 or 4 years.

As for colors I can only really speak on what has worked on KY Lake and in Texas for me. The following is a ranking of my favorites starting w/ the best although I think I have bought every color they make as I'm a little compulsive when it comes to fishing:

1) black body chartruse paddle
2) watermelon body chartruse paddle (This might end up my favorite?)
3) white body blue paddle
4) chartruse body red paddle
5) solid white
6) tennesse shad
7) solid chartruse w/ sparkles
8) blue body chartruse paddle
9) bubble gum body chartruse paddle
10) pumpkin black flake

I just bought some actual Slider crappie jigheads that are made for fishing these jigs weedless as they have an offset hook, but I've yet to try them. I hope to give a good report on them in the near future. I hope this helps a little......... check out the following link to order them http://www.fishingworld.com/Slider/D...81020668378886

(or is that what you're referring to as #8 ??)

I never really got to liking the Charlie Brewer Slider jighead .... preferring to stick with my V-wing weedless jighead. Crappie don't seem to always "clamp down" on a jig, like Bass do ... so, with the "exposed, but guarded" hook of the V-wing jighead, I feel like I have a better shot at getting the hook embedded into the Crappie's mouth, and not have to worry about pulling the jig from the fish's mouth or re-setting the "texas rigging" after a hit (or even after dragging the jig thru the brush for any period of time).
When casting "jigs" on mono line, I set the hook pretty hard, anyway. Well, not so much "hard", as "fast"

Anyway, I've Bass fished so much with texas rigged plastics, that I've become mentally accustomed to "hard" hooksets when using "texas rigged/texposed" bait hooking/rigging methods. With the weedless V-wing jighead that I use most often ... I've become accustomed to not having to set the hook with "power", just speed, and still expect a hookup 95% of the time.
Charlie Brewer weedless jigheads work, and I'm not saying they don't .... but, for me, and using 4lb line on lite action rods, I'm just more convinced that my hookset (with these factors in consideration) is more likely to bend the guard down enough to allow the hook a chance at penetration .... as opposed to having to set the hook hard enough to pull the hook thru the plastic body, first. It's probably just me ... but, since it IS (me), and I've had excellent success with this type of jighead, I stick with what works for me :D

I think the idea of using the CB paddletail grubs on a Roadrunner jighead ... is a sound idea, especially when the fish seem to want a lot of "action" in the bait. I've got RR jigheads & CB paddletails ... so, if/when -- I'm ready :p ... luck2ya ... cp

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What to use?

Nothing wrong with minners !!

Busted!!!

Really?

What ?? NO JUNEBUG/CHARTEUSE ??

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