Article: Bait size what is too big? by Nimrod

You can view the page at http://www.crappie.com/crappie/conte...hat-is-too-big

I use 1/4 oz jig heads in winter and 3"-4" baits. I love big wasshoppas in the winter.

Some good information, I'm sure you had fun learning this, thanks for taking your time to post this

With living up north were Crappie run on the smaller size i generally use 1/16 oz

I agree with cricket george about using bigger baits in the winter. Like you said I've found big bait when I cut some of these open. I've also caught 3 to 4" crappie on 2" curly tails, so based on that the big ones should hit up to 6" baits easy. If it wasn't so expensive I would fish with shiners! Thanks for the article.

good read

Good article, I'll have to a try A bigger jighead

I'm new to crappie fishing but I have just discovered the truth in what you said. Today, fishing Overcup, I caught a heavy 17" fish. When i got to looking a it, it looked swollen..... Well, it was. When I filleted it this eve I opened its stomach and it had not 1, but 3 2 1/2-3" shad in its belly. Easy to see why he swallowed my 2" Midsouth with 1/16 oz. head with no problem !! Not sure why.... He shoulda been stuffed already !!

Completely agree with you. I regularly fish 1/8 oz heads with the occasional 1/16 oz thrown in. I read about folks that use 1/32 oz. and even smaller heads, and I guess they work, since they're written about, but I've never had the inclination to use something that small. Heck, even bream manage to get their little mouths around the jigs I use.

In winter I always rig one pole with a 3in Storm pre rigged shad. If those fish will swallow a bandit 2/3in plastics won't slow them down.

Thanks Nimrod. You are always willing to share.
DP

I use the small lighter jigs during the fall, for a slower presentation. I use the heavy bigger ones during the spring and summer.

I have seen some nice size crappie caught on 6 and8" plastic worms . we troll for trout alot and several years ago an old timer told me to fish large baits in early spring. said the baitfish were mature at that time,then smaller bait in the late spring and summer as the young grow, and larger again as fall and winter come. seems to work the same with crappie.

I been trying out some new 2.5 inch baits and I am catching bigger and more fish. In our jig swaps I was always asked why my jig ties where so big and my answer was they catch bigger fish here on Ky. Lake. Good article. Thanks!
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/kentu...ng-report.html

Great article. I could not agree with you more.

My only Crappie bait is a 3" Keitech Swing Impact or 3" Easy Shiner, I use 1/16, 1/8th, or 1/4 oz jigheads (according to patterns/conditions) with a #1 sickle hook. And yes they can be used multiple ways...even under a bobber! :)
THIS IS ALL I USE...YEAR-ROUND!

I prefer to let the lake, part of the country im in, conditions, depth of water, mood of the fish as in trying smaller and larger baits to see which size I catch more and bigger fish on, determine what bait size I use. Example jigging shallow clear water in lilly pads in the fall... verses jigging a known stained water big crappie lake in the spring. You can bet I will be using two different sized baits for each situation. For me being versitle is the name of the game...I just dont buy into the big size fit's all metality.

Great information. I've bee stuck on the small jig/bait idea for years. It only makes sense that if the fish can get it's paper mouth around the bait then that fish will eat it. Thanks for the info.

Good read Nimrod.

I like the baby rattle traps for crappie too. Especially verticle jiggin'.

Big fish like big bait. That goes for anything!

So very true!!!:highfive

Makes a lot of sense

caught plenty of crappie where the bait they had eaten were as big as they were!

3" baits are used most all tournament anglers here on Truman Lake in central MO. Still catch some small fish with them but eliminates a lot of smaller bites. When a 6-7" fish eats a 3" bait it reaffirms that it is not to big. I have even been experimenting with some 4" sliders in summer when they really want a big bait to match the shad size.