We have been compiling techniques from people who fish for crappie often. These guys know how to catch them, and we’ve have asked them to discuss techniques they think are the keys to being successful in consistently catching crappie.
Techniques
“When people are fishing around me and see me catching fish and they aren’t they usually ask me if I am using minnows. My rely is “what color of minnow are you using?” When they take that in and absorb it, I tell them Puddle Jumpers are my only choice and I didn’t even know they still manufactured minnows. Having said that I share my precious stash of Puddle Jumpers with them and a suggestion or two if they ask.”
–Bob Mitchell, Texas
- Use 7-7-1/2 ultra lite to lite rods and light weight open face spinning reels.
- Use a lite line generally 4-8 lbs.
- Measure and mark your rod so you can “measure” the amount of line going out.
- When fishing vertically, set drag light and pull the line off 1-2 feet at a time so you know how deep your lure is.
- In shallow water (4-6 feet) you may use a slip cork.
- Keep the lure level.
- Let the lure do the work. Impart little effort to the rod because the natural darting action and buoyancy of the Puddle Jumper will impart all the action needed to attract strikes.
Update: Bob’s wife informed us that he passed away on August 2, 2010. He was a great guy and we appreciate his willingness to share his techniques with us. He loved life and the time he spent on the water was special to him. His favorite lake was about 85 miles away from his home and he made the trip regularly.
Catching Crappie
Wilmer Sanford from Collins, Mississippi sent us a picture of a great big crappie he caught in February, 2008 on Barnett Reservoir in Jackson, Mississippi. The fish was 18 3/8 inches long, 7 1/2 inches deep, had 2-1/4 inch shoulders, and it weighed 3 3/4 pounds. Wilmer says he caught it on a Motor Oil 2 inch Puddle Jumper. He says this “I have used Puddle Jumpers since 1979 and it produces 80% of crappie catches. Some of the colors I use are milky blue ice, motor oil, root beer glitter, smoke glitter, chartreuse, and black.”