To minner or not to minner? That is the question.

[Cpainter87]

Minnows can be a PITA but they are my confidence bait. If I'm not using minnows I will use gulp alive minnows or southern pro stinger shad. I buy a pound Everytime i go out. However, I have an oxygen fed system with a large Engle bait cooler. I can keep them for days in the HOTT summer so long as I add some frozen water bottles.. for me minnows = bigger crappie.

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[Tom 513]

As of last year I only use minnows when I expect the bite to be tough or when I spider rig.

[gatoloco]

as many people have said do what you are comfortable with. I use minnows and jigs both. I let the fish tell me what they want and go from there. I am not a pro but I have seen many of them use them.

[Cane Pole]

[shipahoy41]

90 % I use soft plastic minnow imitators tipped with crappie nibbles. There are those times when nothing else will do except a lively minnow. I always have some. The fish will tell you what they want on that day, at that time and what type of presentation. My personal favorite is to slip cork them.

[Donald@CrappieLogic]

Do what the fish tell you to do

[62snipey62]

98% of year, jigs ,But that one week in the Spring when they are on the bank an visable scructure, shallow beds n stumps it tuffy time , 53 years old, thump addicted but got Hooked on it watchin that slip float go under,Wow how many nights I have laid in fish camp bed with eyes shut trying to sleep an still see that bobber going under !!Kinda magacial in my book ,especially with A 2lb black on purple male attached to it .still good times

[hays47]

I always prefer fishing jigs but I do not let my preference stop me from catching fish. Since Ohio permits an angler to use two poles. I bait one with a slip bobber and minner. The other gets a meat free jig or a jig plastic tail. There are days that both produce well. There are days when only one produces. Only a true fisherman knows how really picky the fish can be at times. Other times they seem like lemming just waiting to commit suicide on anything that hits the water. But most days fall somewhere between those two extremes.

I have had days when they wanted small minnows. I also have had days when they wanted minnows that were actually chubs. Partner and I were surrounded by 15 or so boats all using store bought crappie minnows. We were using 3-5 inch shiners that we had seined. We initially had set out to pursue walleyes hence the larger sized bait. The other boats caught a crappie every now and then. Partner and I had to go down to one pole as the action was just furious for us. As the crappies were located in a huge stump field. The secret was not our spot but the size of the bait. When we finally ran out of bait . It looked like the sooner land grab for our vacated spot. They refused to believe the bait was the " magic " secret.

I wished I could tell how fish would react on any given day. But since I can't . I pack everything that has worked for me in the past. If some want to look down on me for using a certain method or bait. I could care less. The pile of golden fried fillets on my plate will soothe any hurt feelings I might suffer.

[Slabprowler]

Jigs mostly last 2 yrs cause most the stores around here they r 2.00 dozen and their is no such thing as an extra or 2 anymore .