1.75 small fry

[kipbass]

I just bought this mold and I don't know anything about Crappie (White Perch) fishing!

1) What size jig head do I use?
2) Do some colors work better than others? Probably fish stained water.
3) Soft or medium plastic?

Anyone answer up, I know there are some Pro Crappie Fishermen here!

Thanks again.

[Dave]

I have found them a lot of times in structures that bass hang out in. Mostly thick stick-ups, etc. The color of water is that nice greenish clear.

[andrewlamberson]

Crappie are minnow eaters...so study up on what minnows are common on the water you fish. Chances are the DNR has done a study on the lake/river and you can find what they found.

For example...Emerald Shiners are common in the Mississippi River...they are silver with purple backs.

Check on crappie.com and see if anyone fishes your water and has suggestions.

I would ask CrappieTom about jig sizes. He makes some really nice jigs and is the crappie fishing expert. He has a good selection of hook sizes/weights that would fit the bait well.

My favorite colors for the small fry have been:
Clear with silver flake (been trying purple back laminates)
smoke blue with silver flake
chartreuse with green flake
black
blue
A lot of crappie fisherman like pink in their baits....I don't know why.

[ctom]

I just bought this mold and I don't know anything about Crappie (White Perch) fishing!

1) What size jig head do I use?
2) Do some colors work better than others? Probably fish stained water.
3) Soft or medium plastic?

Anyone answer up, I know there are some Pro Crappie Fishermen here!

Thanks again.

Jig size will determine your drop rate, sometimes pretty important with crappies. A 1/32 will  take these little fry down, but a 1/16 might provide a bit more hook gap, also an important thought on these fish. I combine the extra hook gap of the#4 hook found in a 1/16 head in a 1/32 jig. The #4 hook is slightly heavier and helps in sinking these slightly bouyant baits.

These shads were absolute murder on crappies on the Mississippi River in Minnesota last summer and well into late fall. I'm just beginning to play with this mold, but Baitman from Microspoons made a bunch of super solid products for me last summer and they proved to be winners. You'll enjoy the mold and the baits. Use a collar-less head design and use some super glue to hold the bait on the jig....works like a million bucks.

[pjmcla]

A great place for ideas for heads is Crappie.com - the Jig tyers sub forum.  A head type  similar to what Ctom mentioned is this one.
From RonDon's website.



It is flat sided with a shallow indent to put a stick on eye into.  The sickle hook has a lot of followers.  Most will powder paint and oven cure the head, add an eye and overcoat to seal the eye on.  Glue the bait to the head ( I use Pro's Soft Bait Glue ).  Head color / eye color / bait color ( or colors )  is where the fun begins.  For stained water, many will suggest opaque Chartreuse ( Green or Yellow), Black, Blue, Pink or red, should be there either in the head or body color.   Probably the #1 suggested combo would be a silver or gold prism eye on a black or blue head and a Green Chartreuse body.  A dingy water bait that was fished a lot in this area this past year was a pink head prism pink eye and a Yellow or green Chartreuse body ( or a laminate called Electric Chicken ).  

[RonDon]

Calling them white perch huh!  Must be from north LA??  As far as colors go minnow colors work and a good one to "copy" is blue thunder.  I use a lot of chartreuse (blue n chart, silver n chart, orange n chart....).  A great color often overlooked is salt n pepper.  Put a pink jighead on S&P and its time to clean fish here! 

[pjmcla]

Ron Don;
Salt & Pepper -- > Is that anything like Monkey Milk?  Up Until this last flooding rain you could not find a monkey milk bait in north Alabama. It was almost as hot as the Alabama Rig.   
Kipbass;  Monkey milk is a strong color when and if the water gets reasonably clear ( green ; not brown ) or clearer.  most folks think it is the combo of the "broken" pearl and the blue highlight ( possibe UV ).
The black glitter in it breaks up the solid pearl.  Some of these crappie fishermen really get serious about their colors ( and their crappie ).   

[kipbass]

Calling them white perch huh!  Must be from north LA??
Yep, just north of I-10. Plan on trying them at Bundick Creek, the grass has moved off the water and the perch like to hang out at the bridge!
My father swears by "Illusion Pepper" on Toledo Bend, clear bait with black glitter.
Where can I find a link to Ron Don's site?

[andrewlamberson]

Jason: How about a NB Pink colorant?  Sounds like we need it!

[BareKnuckleJigs]

Calling them white perch huh! Must be from north LA??

   I call 'em Sacalait!  ...which means "Bag of Milk"...

Good lookin' out, RonDon!   

[pjmcla]

Ron Don's Website is --  labaits.com

[Jason]

Jason: How about a NB Pink colorant?  Sounds like we need it!

I will check on it.  Thank you!

[ghostbaits]

M-F Bubblegum does not bleed. Also, you can use 1 drop of NB red and 3 white to get a nice cotton candy. Go stronger for pink.....

Jim

[Muskygary]

OK, What's the recipe for making monkey milk?

[pjmcla]

Monkey Milk ---> White Pearl (  Just translucent, almost opaque as the base,  Black glitter to taste ( usually .040 larger baits sometimes .015 in small baits ). Not too much glitter, just enough to break up the bait, then blue hi-light powder.  It has been a good color in green water.  Has a shad like overall color to it.   There are other recipies also.  But these three base ingredients are in all of them.  Tinker too taste from there with small glitters ( .008 ) in small doses for sunshine or clear water if you really must.
I Just remembered -  Monkey milk in a picture - In the gallery; under panfish baits is a lure box of 3 inch skinny carrots.  The bottom row; far right hand bait compartment is as close as I can get to a Monkey Milk coloring.