#1 Gill/Cracker Bait

... but, in the late Summer, if you have Giant Ragweed growing near you (or somewhere along the way to your favorite waters) .... I've always had good results from using these guys :

The Bulletin: pest management and crop development information for Illinois

Other than that .... wax worms for Gills, & pieces of Nightcrawler for 'Crackers, have done the trick for me. I've used Crickets before, and they work well ... but, I prefer to use them when fishing deep (& from a boat). Too many little nippers to use them in shallow waters (except maybe if I find a bedding area with keeper sized fish in it).

1/32oz Marabou Roadrunners, & small Rooster Tails are also good "artificial" baits ... especially for us that like to cast :p Although, I have actually caught bigger Bluegill & Warmouth, using a 1/4oz diving crankbait :eek: :D

.... cp :cool:

I was always a cricket man until a couple years back someone posted about a popcorn shrimp recipe and have not bought a cricket or worm since.Take a pack of popcorn shrimp and cut them in 3 or 4 sections put them in a zip-lock bag and pour in alot of salt and water soak them over night, drain and go fishing.When you get thru fishing throw them in the freezer till next time.When you go the next time, throw them on the deck of boat and they will be thawed when you get there.Stays on the hook good and is great for kids.Not as much re baiting.Give it a try one time.

I use crickets now a days but worms are just as good,but slimee rrr !

Small jigs,defintely.Sometimes tip with a waxie or nibble.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JUNGLEJIMJIGS

Small jigs,defintely.Sometimes tip with a waxie or nibble.

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Yep, definately my choice. I haven't used live bait for the gills or crackers in years.

Hi RoyBuoy,

I was the guy who posted the popcorn shrimp recipe. I'm very happy that you tried it and have had good success with it. I've never found anything that could beat it day in and day out. It's cheap, simple, easy, less mess than live bait, you can keep a constant supply, and as you say it's good for kids to use.

I'll never argue about live bait because we all know that it works. Red worms, meal worms, crickets, etc. But in my opinion at the end of the season nothing will have been more productive than the popcorn shrimp. And for several reasons; it's easy to make, use, and keep. I'm glad you use the salt because that really toughens them up.

So, I'll say my favorite "live" bait is cut and salted popcorn shrimp tipping a jig or by itself, and my favorite artificial is a small Rooster Tail. Charlie Brewer's Slider company used to make a variation of the rooster tail, but I haven't seen one in a long time. They were mighty good. I can't leave out a #8 and #6 Slater's black hair jig with a painted-on red dot for the eyes, and tipped with popcorn shrimp. Slater's is my top choice for many reasons, one being their perfect balance. Using a loop knot so the jig can hang freely and naturally, it hangs just like it would if you were swimming it. If you hold it still in the water it looks like a suspended grub or small minnow, with the tail and head in a straight horizontal line, not with the tail hanging down. (I once asked Mr. Slater about jigs and he told me his top five personal favorites for crappie and when get got to bluegill he said, "there's only one color...black." He was right. As a sidenote, when he was winning all those Mississippi State crappie championships he was using the Slater's standard that's listed in the catalog and on the website, and he was a strong believer in small jigs and small line. He won those tournaments with a #8 jig and four pound test line. I think the #8 is the same as a 1/32 ounce, maybe a 1/64th.)

I haven't been here in ages and in fact I forgot my name and password so I registered again. If you remember that link about the popcorn shrimp I'd like to read it again and see what my original name was. If you find the link please post it here.

DS

I found it. My original name was croppy1. Here's the link.

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/panfi...anfishing.html

DS

CrappieDon, I have your old posts somewhere on my favorites and have used your idea since I read it. I never did thank you for the idea but I appreciate you posting then and now. If nobody finds it I will send it to you as soon as I can. Would now but it is nearly 2 am in the morning and I am on the way to bed. Later.

Darn DS, that was fast. Great!!

Instead of going to bed I had to reread the old posts. Still good. Now I'm really going.