proof that crappie eat big baits

[MO QWACK]

This shad came out of a 10 inch crappie, its a 2.5 carrot next to it. I would venture to say this shad would go 4 inches or more. I cant wait to try my 3.5 super fry

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[Botanophilia]

I had an 8" crappie take a 3" xrap before.  They've got big mouths, if it looks like a minnow, they'll swallow it.

[gstott]

I didn't fish for crappie last year, but I hooked one on a 4" soft jerkbait and caught one on a popper I was fishing for bass.  They are definitely more aggressive at times than they are given credit for.

[ctom]

On a lake just north of home here in Rochester I see winter crappies full of sunfish. Anything from 3/4" to two inch sunfish in a crappie gut is common. There are shad and shiners in the lake as well but those guys like to move around while the sunfish in cold mid-to late winter water just sink and stay pretty well put....easy targets for the crappies.

[crappiezilla]

We are constantly pouring 2-1/2-3inch baits for customers all the time. The bigger the better thats why we invested in the 3.5inch super fry

[MO QWACK]

We are constantly pouring 2-1/2-3inch baits for customers all the time. The bigger the better thats why we invested in the 3.5inch super fry

And that's why I bought the super fry as well I'm itching to catch some slabs on them . I might get sick this week :-)

[MonteSS]

I got about a dozen 12" crappie from a one acre private pond last week on a 1.5 squarebill crank. There is a 10 pound bass in that pond that two of my buddies caught and released. That fish eludes me though

Owner actually wants the big bass out of there. Says its eating all his crappie LOL.

....Bill

[WALLEYE WACKER]

 I have got them trolling for walleye at 1.5 mph on the wis. river with a #7 shad rap. They fell like a weed but when you look back there a 15" crappie skiing on the surface. Too bad when try to find them suspended they are no were to be found. mike

[ctom]

"....Too bad when try to find them suspended they are no were to be found...."


When ice fishing was high on my list, it always amazed me how so many people would stay glued to those blips seen at the bottom on thier locators We'd fish amongst them just going from open hole to open hole and not fishing with more than a couple feet of line below the bottom of the ice and smoke crappies. We'd be using some pretty aggressive baits too. On open water I seldom look at the locator other than to follow a bottom contour or to stay on a sunken form of structure. Those suspended crappies are very often feeding, just not moving much, and will chase a bait down like a wolf if they see it. Those fish are not going to be seen on any locator in open water or under the ice.

[WALLEYE WACKER]

ctom I still ice fish and don't use a camera or depth finder most the water I fish is 10' or less and your statement just below the ice is true more times than not.In open water when they are in close to shore I get then along a large sandstone bluff 90% are caught on a two count with 1/32 oz. jig and a 1" shad tail. But now I use the 2.5" fry. Also in deep around stumps and break lines. mike

[Bassman2169]

Couple years ago I was fishing an early spring bass tourney and throwing a three and half inch jerk bait.  Kept catching nice slabs, twelve plus inches.  Tied on a big x rap to try to get away from them, but instead the crappie got bigger!  Fifteen and sixteen inchers on bout every cast.  Can never catch them like that when I'm hungry, probably cuz I use my dinky crappie baits, when I should be throwing bigger bass baits.  Joey