Jigs Too Big For Crappies?

[TommySkarlis]

Do-It's Kyle Steinfeldt and I were blessed this last weekend to place 4th in the Rathbun Crappie Masters Event and Qualified again for the National Championship.  Believe it or not - we were using 1/4 and 5/16 ounce Wire Keeper Tear Drop Jig Heads (Kyle left out the wire keepers) poured from Do-It Molds and Hutch Tackle tipped with 3-inch baits.  Holding it just above the brush - or "swimming" them 8 inches off of the bottom in 5 to 6 FOW on gravely/rocky areas was the key to the presentation.

Do-It team of Cory and Cody Batterson took 6th as well!!!!!

Here is the image from the gallery:  http://custombaits.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=2178

The 7 fish we weighed averaged a little over a pound and thumped the jig like big walleyes do!!!!

[smalljaw]

That is awesome information and congrats on qualifying for the national championship again!! I used to have guys tell me that I tied my crappie jigs with too long of a tail but they worked well because the smaller tails on them would end up getting bit by bluegill in my waters. I thought 1/4oz was a little big but tipping a 1/4 and 5/16 jig with a 3" bait is what I would consider huge.

[ctom]

I had an area on pool 4 of the Mississippi River where I'd troll #13 and #15 Rapala stick baits for walleyes and it was common to take crappies on those cigars.

Mr. Skarlis was nice enough to point out a little error here on my part. The Raps were in sizes 11 and 13. They did not make a 15. I knew that the 13 was a bait the crappies liked to chew on because back then I couldn't believe they'd hit something of that size. I wasn't certain if the other size was the 11 or 15....which I now know wasn't made. So, I am cleaning this little typo up for ya'll.

[Fatman]

Congrats!!!!!!  Read on another board where some of the guys have tried some bigger jigs and done well.  Good Luck at the Championship!!

[Denny Welch]

Way to go, Tommy, but I have an observation. If there were 100 teams in that tournament coming in fourth would be a really big deal. On the other hand, if there were only four teams, coming in fourth is kind of last place.  So, come on. How many teams were in that tournament? Spill yer guts.

[Muskygary]

Seven pounds for seven fish! How much did the winning string weigh? Oh, congradulations!

[TommySkarlis]

Thanks Guys - we weighed 8.06 and the winners had 8.88.  second and third were in the 8.3's

Denny - there were 3 boats in the Tournament

Here are the standings:
Team                                                           Wgt   
1   TAMIE MCGRANN-LANCE RISHER         8.80
2   CHARLIE ROGERS-KEVIN ROGERS        8.39     
3   KENT KEITH-BOB BETHELL                   8.33
4   TOMMY SKARLIS-KYLE STEINFELDT      8.06
5   RON BOYLAN-JASON BOYLAN                7.91
6   CORY BATTERSON-CODY BATTERSON    7.87
7   JOHN SCHANTZ-SCOTT HUNT                7.82
8   MIKE HOFFMAN-TERRY DAVIS               7.81
9   RONALD GIBERSON-MEGAN SIMMONS  7.50
10   SHANE MCGOVERN-KATE MCGOVERN    7.29
11   GREG OCKER-JASON ROBB                    7.25
12   CHARLES BUNTING-TRAVIS BUNTING    7.20
13   TODD CHIDESTER-JACK CHIDESTER      7.18
14   DANIEL EGBERT-DENNIS EGBERT         7.13
14   JERRY WEAVER-MARY WEAVER             7.13
16   MIKE DUNN-MARK ENGELHART             7.12
17   JEFF HAYES-Un-assigned                       6.95
18   CHUCK MATTHIESEN-JAMES CRIGGER   6.85
18   MIKE VICKS-MARK MUSSMANN              6.85
20   DAVID ALBRIGHT-DANA WALTERS         6.72
21   JOHN SHANNON-Un-assigned                6.54
22   MICHAEL BRIGGS-MIKE SINGLETON      6.09
23   KEVIN JONES JR-JON GILLOTTE             6.03
24   RUSSELL DOWELL-Un-assigned             5.93
25   ADAM BARTZ-ROBERT GEELAN              5.87
26   STU STETTER-BILL WAGNER                 5.68
27   DON DAKIN-SHARI DAKIN                     5.49
28   AARON CLARK-DYLAN CLARK                 5.33
29   JEFF HOEPPNER-JACKIE HOEPPNER        4.91
30   JAMES THRASHER-CONNIE THRASHER   3.81
31   JOHN ROSE-BRADLEY NEER                   2.76
32   JASON GEORGE-GARRY LAND
32   CHRISTOPHE HASH-ANDY ROBERTS
32   BILL HINES-RYAN DUFFE
32   JEFF PIERSON-TERRY PRICE

Teams Fished: 35  Average #Fish / Team: 6.17   Average Weight / Fish: .97  Total Fish Weight: 208.60

Press release.
http://www.crappiemasters.net/home/2014-bass-pro-shops-crappie-masters-tournament-schedule/news-articles/tour-press-release/577-mcgrann-and-risher-win-rathbun-lake

[Denny Welch]

Lol, Tommy.  One more dink and you guys would have won. 

[TommySkarlis]

More info on how we Do-It can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tommy-Skarlis/113435092067680?ref=br_rs

(and I guess more humor for you Denny!  )