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I am always telling folks that Crappie have a big mouth for a reason. It is a predator and will eat whatever fits it's mouth. Most times there is no reason to use tiny baits. Look what this Crappie had in it's belly next to the big Southern Pro Umbrella tube. That Shad was over 4'' long !
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"Big bait=Big fish" is what lots of top crappie guys have always said. Here is an illustration;
that's a 3" bait so it must be a 4" shad & probably a 14-15" crappie
http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/t...zEzMC5qcGc.jpg
I have been using 3 in. baits for over a year.
Yep...I have caught them with as many as four 3"-4" shad in their mouths, just gorging themselves.
And yet .... most studies on what Crappie have in their stomachs, shows a preference for 1.5-2.5" size prey. And I've caught a boatload of 1-2+lb Crappie using 1.5" baits (Spring/Summer/Fall).
This thread reminds me of a thought that occurred to me, just the other day. Trolling with 200 & 300 series Bandit crankbaits & catching Crappie as small as 5" long, I was amazed that they'd attack such a "big" bait ... that is until I realized that the bait is really only TWO INCHES long, not counting the clear bill. The side profile would only appear as a 2" long fish, to a Crappie ... and a mere 3/4" thick profile, viewed from above or below. So, while it appears to be a big offering, when held in your hand ... take away the clear bill and it's really just a "fat" two inch long fish profile that the Crappie are seeing !! Easy enough for a 5" or longer Crappie to inhale, provided they can catch up to it, when it's going at 1.5-2mph !!
I'm also reminded of a trip I took to Watts Bar, years ago ... where a "local" friend was catching Slabs trolling a 3" twin tail grub, and told my fishing partner & I to get down there fast. We arrived there in less than a week ... and proceeded to catch daily limits of Slab Crappie, using 1/16oz Roadrunners casting the deep banks :Rofl
In my experience, you don't "always" catch big Crappie on big baits, nor little ones using small baits. What you do catch is whatever size fish are present, when you present whatever sized bait you're using ... at the correct depth & speed.
... cp :kewl
this is why i only use those 12" AC plugs for crappie! rotfl
I'm gonna try that 4 ft. Rapala display lure next time I'm goingto Grenada. Push it with a chunk of rail for a weight I guess.
Considering what Pappie said above. Wouldn't the benefit of using larger baits be eliminating or reducing the smaller Crappies from biting? Also do Crappie school in mixed sized schools or prefer to stay with others similar in size to themselves?
Not really, K2B ... the smaller fish will bite the larger baits just as readily as the larger fish will, if you happen to get into a school of them. They also seem to be more likely to be more aggressive, whereas the larger ones tend to be more selective in what they choose to eat. That's just my opinion, though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Knot2Bad
I think Crappie "tend" to school in year class size, but can occasionally get "mixed" in sizes. I've always thought that, starting in the Spring, they pretty much run together by age (year class/size) ... then get scattered & mixed through the Summer, and re-group late in the year. Then there's the thought that some of the really old (big) ones, either turn into loners or run in small schools. Whether that's due to mortality of their "schoolmates", or just an instinctive act, is debatable.
... cp :kewl
My theory is most fish will eat what's available and fit their mouths when feeding. I perfer bigger baits because it allows bigger hooks , larger profile making it more visable to fish on stained or muddy water , and heavier jigs verticle jigging means I stay in touch with my bait to feel that thump ! I was mainly showing that Crappie do eat big prey as some folks always say smaller. Look at this little dude on a big bait I caught last week.:Rofl
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I saw a pic at a local bait shop last year of a 5lb walleye that died with a 3lb walleye stuck in it's gullett. It's a fish eat fish world and the reason I use the largest bass minners I can find in the fall when bobber night fishin. Good post