fake bait or live

i just wanted yalls opinion on wether or not yall prefer fake bait or live bait for crapies? just curious.

bait my choice for me is minnows hands down! That's where my confidence is and using a gentle sweep motion with the rod to set the hook..

Never buy minnows. I can catch all I want on jigs. I use 1 & 3/4" tubes in a multitude of colors on an 1/8 oz. jighead. Like HP said, it's all about confidence and technique.

The Chief and others have convinced me to try the jig route. I fish 7 rods out the back of my boat with double rigs. If I have a partner, 6 rods out the front, so I go through a lot of minnows. The cost of 10-12 dozen minnows each time I go is starting to hit the wallet more than I want. I have a CC boat with the trolling motor in the back. To really be effective, I need a front-mounted trolling motor. That will have to wait awhile because I also enjoy fishing the Morehead City area and I need a saltwater trolling motor for that. I'm hoping by mid-summer to have the funds for a good salwater one and then I can crappie fish more effectively as well.

well thanks for your opinion u guys and hopefully i get some more .

I prefer fake baits. 2" tripple tip grubs or 2" hot grubs. I long line 12 rods out the boat. 6 up front with me, and 6 out back. I have never used minnows because I learned with jigs and have confidence in them.


John

Jigs right now. Haven't bought many minnows in a last few months and when I did jigs were equally successful. I buy more minnows in the winter months though. Sometimes it pays to have a few on hand in case thats what the fish want. Tried to go minnowless back in the winter one day and I almost crappieless too--lesson learned there.

They are biting jigs really well right now and not too picky about the color either.

To answer your question though, I prefer jigs but will use whatever the fish want.

Tight lines!

hey john i don't even own a minner bucket any more,and i haven't in a long while.and me and mrs. swamprat still eat crappie evry now and then.

Bet yall do SR.LOL!Didn't think I owned one anymore either,went to shed on back of place and low and behold an old styrofoam type minner bucket.
There are times when both are appropriate,depending on how you are fishing.Me personally,I like to stay on the move all the time so I longline troll with jigs.I grew up fishing for crappie,with nothing but minnows.To keep a long story short,they will both catch fish effectively.You can even tip a jig with a minnow and fish with both. It's all about presentation and your nick suggests you already know that. Hope this is of some help.

Long line troll 2" triple ripple jigs. Tight line troll minnows and jigs. Cast jigs. And use minnows beat'en the banks this time a year under a slip cork.

well thank yall for yalls opinion again. lol now thatll prob help me out when i get my license and can take my boat to somewhere other than thicketty