Crappie question!

(pun not intended) hey, i've been fishing crappie for a year and always get these small nibbles. I just ignore them & wait for the big bite. I don't know if I should pull back my rod at that time or if I should. Please help!:dono:help:fingerdance

A lot of times crappie will bite real lite. Sometimes you will just see slack in your line. Or it may move sideways. When I am crappie fishing I will set the hook on these. My motto is when in doubt jerk em out. I have caught many crappie when there was very little sign of a bite.

:hesaid that's why a lot of people like HI-VIS line, easier to see the lite bite.

Hook sets are free. :)

there are times when you need to just keep reeling and they will come back and load your rod if not too stiff,but again most time set the hook,when you get better you will know the different in the bite,but if you set the hook and miss it then throw back quickly and before you tell your partner you had a bite:Rofl

Also if you are using a bobber sometimes it will come up instead of down. Set the hook.

Alot of good info has already been given. I know while using a underwater camera and watching my jig the crappie would ease in and look at the jig. I would watch him suck in the jig and spit it out just as fast before I could ever react to what I just saw. If I was not watching it on the screen I would have never known it by the line or rod tip.

If your line is doing something different than before...set the hook. The reason I say line is due to the winter bite spoke of above / lite /lite/lite at times. X2 on the hi-vis line :ThumbsUp

When casting or tightlining, if I feel something different, I set the hook. I've kicked myself many a times because I wasn't sure and by the time I did, my lure was already spit out. Many years ago, a buddy an I were fishing with jigs under a float and kept missing fish as they started taking it under. We finally waited until the float was completely under water a couple of inches before setting the hook and that's when we started catching fish.

I love the thump a crappie gives but love catching the light biters too. You need a sensitive rod and line to improve your odds of catching those. You might consider tipping with crappie nibbles to get them to hold the bait a little longer.

ChrisEagle,
I hope you haven't missed some citation size crappie!LOL Some of my biggest fish have taking my lure as if they were tiny fish but once they realize they are hooked hold on!

Guess that I take the road less travelled!! Instead of setting the hook at the least little peck during the light bite, I drop the tip of my pole about a foot and then after a half-beat give it a light hook set. Many times when using jigs with stingers, this will give a good set deep in the top of the mouth. Works better for me than just striking immediately. I think the crappie are just nipping the lure on tail and then will hit it on the free fall.

I do use crappie nibbles & have a pretty light rod.. :) Thank you everyone...

Agree with the hook set, but if you are running through a lot of shad tight lining your tip will vibrate as they hit the line, also a big shiner can drive you slap nuts. With a little experience you can most often tell the difference