From the crappie jig to a simple live minnow, there are plenty of choices to use as bait to catch crappie. Even though crappie fishing bait is very plentiful, not all choices work. Sometimes, it’s about the season and the time of the day.
Popular Crappie Fishing Bait
Many anglers choose a simple live minnow when they want to catch crappie. However, there are several artificial bait options including:
- Strike King Bitsy Minnow Bait
- Strike King Mr. Crappie Thunder Bait
- Berkley SCMI2-BS PowerBait Realistix Micro Power Minnow
- Berkley Powerbait Crappie Nibbles Dough Bait
- Luhr Jensen Hot Shot Hard Bait
- Strike King Mini-King Spinnerbait
These are just a few of the very popular crappie fishing bait options. If you prefer an artificial option, a crappie jig is a great choice.
Tips for Catching Crappie with the Best Fishing Bait
If you’re just going to use a live minnow, hooking up a slip bobber and letting it go about 8 to 12 feet deep usually works well. However, if you prefer an artificial choice, such as a jig, you should know how to fish it correctly.
Start with the best fishing knot for your jig, which is a loop knot. This will allow for the right movement, while attracting the fish.
You want to keep the line tight because crappie tend to have a soft lip. They will shake your hook rather quickly if you have too much slack. Crappie also tend to put up a good fight, so this should be rather easy.
Slow down and don’t rush when fishing for crappie. They will give you more action when you keep it slow and steady. You don’t want to retrieve your cast too fast and if you’re not getting much action, slow down and see what happens.
When crappie are active, it’s great, but when they stop biting, it’s not much fun. They do come in waves and often you will catch them one after another for a while, and then it will stop. Usually, crappie will bit from about dawn until around 11am. They heat back up around 4pm and will bite until about dusk.
Knowing the area you are fishing will help. Sometimes, crappie will bite differently in a lake or pond compared to a river. They also may prefer one area of the body of water over another.
If you want to catch more crappie this year, use these tips and load up on the best crappie bait you can find. Using a jig is a great way to catch your limit and you want to have plenty of different colors on hand. Sometimes, they will hit hard on plain white, while other times you need a bright color to get them to bite. Just make sure you have the best crappie fishing bait and you will certainly catch more fish this year.
