Seeing fish, but no bites

Hi folks, just curious what methods/tactics y'all are using to make crappies bite? I'm using both plastics and minnows, more or less dropping in right on top or from a little bit away... We use 10 ft. poles and gently flip to them watching the weight/bait sink down to them on livescope, and then gently retrieve. I see tons of fish swim to the baits like they're just going to attack it. They will chase it, follow it, and then eventually turn away. I am catching fish for sure, no complaints there, just wanting to learn about other ways to induce bites! Thanks! Maybe it's just their summer pattern?

I would try trimming your bait size down some. Use attractants if you have em. The summer bite can be tough.

Good points, i appreciate that. All things i have read about and wanting to try... Any suggestions on the attractants?

Yup downsize bait and use the sauce.... Slab Sauce!

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Oh whir and chartreuse are good colors as well as orange.

All else fails hang some live bait in there faces

I have tried minnows as well... At times they might have the edge, but it still seems like the fish are reluctant to bite. Maybe it's just the summer bite pattern...

Downsize. Unpopular opinion but forget the scent. It's just something else to worry about. Downsize and keep cycling through colors. I've only fished two different lakes since the water has hit 80F+ this year, and both lakes I've had to work work work to catch fish, and once I found the right jig it's been good. I fished/scouted half a day the other day only catching 3-4 fish, even though they were right there at every stop, and finally found the right jig and it was on like donkey kong almost every cast after.

summer fish are often finicky , there is often a "bite window" before it and after it they are tough , but if you hit it right , it is fast and furious ....
on a big moon it is around lunch time or a bit later , fyi
scent the bait as well , some scent beats no scent and this .....
when all else fails ,cut a live minnow in 3 pcs. and tip the jig with them ....
thank me later ....p.s. ....just cause you think they are just looking closely at your bait on ls means diddly ....
bought half them have it it their mouth tasting it ,right before they spit it back out and swim off ...
WATCH your line closely when they zoom up and just "look" AND only a jig . no added weights above it .....

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Originally Posted by hvychev77

Hi folks, just curious what methods/tactics y'all are using to make crappies bite? I'm using both plastics and minnows, more or less dropping in right on top or from a little bit away... We use 10 ft. poles and gently flip to them watching the weight/bait sink down to them on livescope, and then gently retrieve. I see tons of fish swim to the baits like they're just going to attack it. They will chase it, follow it, and then eventually turn away. I am catching fish for sure, no complaints there, just wanting to learn about other ways to induce bites! Thanks! Maybe it's just their summer pattern?

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Keep the bait above them at least a foot, sometimes 2-3 feet. Farther they go up, the more likely they are to bite. Last thing you want is one to have its nose right behind the bait for more than a second or two, then it becomes a game of doing everything perfect.

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My advice is to find many brush piles . Drop on them a few times move on . they not biting ? they not biting . Vary bait size and use 6 lb. line but mainly be ready to move often . When a crappie want hit a minnow , he is not hungry .

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Originally Posted by BuckeyeCrappie

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My favorites were the brown/ orange or red whatever color it was by far but they quit making them. Caught way more fish in them then any of the other colors.

Downsize or downsize that's normally the answer.

Had the same issue for a long time, changed to a leader and from 1/8 to 1/16 and lost the roadrunner head/spinner. Started catching right away. I kept changing back more to my original set up and the only thing that made a difference was a little lighter jig head and slimmer profile body. The fish cared about noting else. I was so happy no leader needed! Back to straight braid and probably could have wemt back to a 1/8 also but never did. I use a weight above the jig to get down faster.

Shad Assassin worked for me! Link below.

Amazon.com

I have had that problem my last two days of fishing. I have found them but have been unable to get to bite or even show any interest in the jig. I use a 1/64th jig so it is hard to go smaller. Yesterday I used both crappie nibbles and slab sauce, seperately and together, without any bits.

Some days, they just are not in the mood. :(

[QUOTE=Ketchn;4391435]
bought half them have it it their mouth tasting it ,right before they spit it back out and swim off ...

Man I have seen that spider rigging minnows. You see some little something not right, question yourself, but get hand close to the rod. Then a big wiggle - set the hook and nothing there. Big wiggle was them spitting it out [emoji38]




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August is always toughest month. By now every year fish have been hammered and nowadays, livescope hammered. Like others say, fluoro leader, downsize bait, move off no bite fish, cover a lot dif burshpiles, and ———->think outside the box on places nobody else is hitting<——-