# Lure Change Question



## SunfishSlammer85 (Oct 29, 2018)

Been trying to catch crappie or perch this year and have not had much luck. Been monitoring the water temps since late March and now I cannot attribute it to cold temps, so I know I am doing something wrong now.

Been using small bobber with 1/32 to mainly 1/16 oz. Jigheads. I been using plastics (Bobby garland) and 1in gulp minnows with jighead. Every once in a while I will add a crappie nibble to the hook for added scent. A few times I've seen them grap it and spit it out.

Every time I go this year, I get bites but no catches and after 15 minutes of that I move on to a different area on the pond or lake. When I am at one location, I fan cast and pick apart the structure (different depths and retrieves). I also try to be as quiet as possible. They are grabbing the plastic and pulling further down the hook when they bite. 

I am obviously in the right areas, however I am thinking I need to change the color of the jighead and maybe smaller hook size and possibly start using live bait instead of artificial. Is this a correct assumption? 

If you are getting bites but not catching, how long do you typically wait at that location and pick it apart? At that location, how long do you wait to change the jighead color, hook size, or switch bait?

Driving me crazy, not having luck this year compared to previous years. Any help would be appreciated...

--- From, 
Frustrated Fisherman

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## ristorap (Mar 6, 2013)

Change the plastic color, style of plastic . Work the bait faster. Make sure you don't have the smell of gas or oil on your hands. Watch what the jig head and plastic comes in contact with.


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

Downsize. Go small. Try the BG itty bits on 1/64 plain jigheads. The fish will inhale them so get your pliers ready.


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## ruffhunter (Dec 10, 2005)

You are using the same as me and im having my best year with crappie. I primarily use 1/64 and mostly 1/32 with bigger sickle hooks and plain lead. The 1 inch chartreuse minnow has been my go to this year with a sparkle nibble. Dont buy the green ones, for reason i couldnt get a bite with those at several lakes. Went back silver. Im sure gold is a go and would like to try the blue. Plus crappie magnets with the nibble splitting the 2 tails to look like a bug. I mainly use smaller stuff, inch inch and half long. However, ive had real good luck with 2.25 bobby garland minnow with the little nub on the tail in monkey milk color. When i use live bait i always add these .25 inch chartreuse or purple plastic tube with 2 side legs as a backer for the bait. 

Does your rod have enough backbone for hookset or is it a noodle ultra light? I always slightly tap/twitch line. makes it dance and flutter like a bug i guess. They seem to strike even after following it back to me sometimes. watch some russ bailey shows, you can also watch online. My tap was got busier after watching one of his shows. good luck


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## forrest r (Mar 14, 2020)

I'm no expert by any means, decided to target panfish and crappie this year so I did a lot of reading/studying & finely buying and testing equipment and plastics.

Ditch the bobber and use jigs, it's best to use 2 jigs in tandem 12" to 16" apart.

You need to get some Leland trout magnets, they flat out work. The color bison is deadly, caught bluegill, perch, bass & crappie on them. The bison trout magnet is paired with a 1/64th oz shad/dart headed jig.
https://www.bing.com/aclk?ld=e8M7Gs...Tk0ZDc0&rlid=7b78dd2e45d81a81ff0b83e1c6994d74

I like that style/weight of jig has been impressive enough that I bought a do-it mold and 1000 hooks to make my own.

If you're going to use something to tip your jig with. These work better then the crappie nibbles. They stay on better/longer, a picture of them being used to tip flies for fly fishing for bluegill (flat out deadly/bluegill just can't lay off flies).









Another highly productive plastic that catches crappie, perch & bass is a pink and white tube 1 1/2" long paired with a 1/32oz pink jig.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Glo-N-Dark...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Kind of hard to see, pink jig on top and 16" down a bison trout magnet. This combo is extremely productive.









I went out to an inland lake yesterday with a kayak, 5 1/2ft ul with 4# test setup with 2 leland trout magnets and a bb sized split shot. The setup was tm + 16" + tm + 8" + bb split shot. It was pretty choppy but those leland trout magnets flat out worked!!!!

Get them out there, let them sink and do a slow retrieve. You can feel the bb drag the bottom fishing weed beds. I was specifically targeting crappie and ended up catching +/- 12 bluegill and 3 perch. I kept these 2 perch.









Caught a bunch of crappie, ended up tossing back 2x+ compared to what I kept. Anything under 10" or too skinny got put back. I did keep these 13 crappie anlong with the 2 perch.









I didn't tip the trout magnets this trip, the weed beds would have pulled them off.

In areas that are more open it's hard to beat the pink/white tube on top in tandem with a bison trout magnet on the bottom. That pink/white tube catches a lot of perch also.









The bison colored trout magnet flat out works, I've caught 300+ fish with them since the initial testing in the 1st week of april. I've only been to 2 different ponds, 2 rivers and 4 inland lakes but I've caught fish where ever I went on those bison trout magnets.


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## Drm50 (Dec 26, 2014)

I use single jig on 4lb line. Clear water I use black, muddy white and yellow. Use a lot of 1/32, 1/64 and 1/100 oz jigs. In wind and deep water 1/16 & 1/8. In clear water fish tend to flare off light colors. The 1/100th oz jigs I tie on long shank 10s like a streamer fly.


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## matticito (Jul 17, 2012)

I haven't caught a crappie yet this year. It's been weird. I've caught sunfish on minnow and a swim bait though. Try some twister tails, have had luck on those. Tubes haven't done anything for me yet this year


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## Drm50 (Dec 26, 2014)

I haven’t been out myself yet. Have friends that have been getting Crappie at Piedmont and a few Saugeye.


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## forrest r (Mar 14, 2020)

I started using the leland trout magnets this year starting the 1st week of april in ponds. Had no problem pulling crappie, bluegill & bass out of the 40+* water when it was in the 30's outside.

A little reading, you want to know about crappie then go to where they thrive on catching crappie.
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/forum.php

Do a little reading on the leland trout magnets, bison color. It's impressive to see just how many different kinds of fish are being caught on them in every state of the union.


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## SunfishSlammer85 (Oct 29, 2018)

Thank you guys for all your input. I modified my presentation slightly per ur advice and now I am bringing in fish. Tight lines

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