Minnows or Spikes for Crappie??

[dk_kon]

  I have had great luck with both, they almost seem to be interchangeable, but i was curious what you guys thought.  I know minnows are the standbye, but i gotta say i have done better with a minnow head on a teardrop jig, or a few spikes.  So let her it!!!

[twintrades]

Most of the time its just a plain ol minni

Once in a while ill get a day that they only want waxies or spikes. But most of the time minnows are the way to go.

[Fishin is the Mission]

Minnows for tip downs.  Small jigs with spikes or waxworms work well for jigging.  Good luck.

[Indiana_Lou]

dk kon, My set-up on a dead stick is as follows. On the bottom. I use a horizontal type jig such as a Marmooska, fat boy, or a hair jig that I tie. I tip it with either maggots or a wax worm. Above that approx. 12"-16", I tie a plain thin wire hook. I bait this with the typical "crappie" type minnow through the lips. I find the swimming minnow helps to give my "dead stick" just the right amount of action. If the fish are being aggressive often times it will result in catching doubles. Lou

[johns73]

Minnows, also power bait, the little green marshmellows.

[djkruszewski]

the lake you fish has a big part on what bait works better for crappie.  my lake i fish, crappies only will bite on a minnow.  i have tried to use spikes in a group of crappies with no success, but i put a minnow down the same hole and did get a few crappie.  for some reason crappie only hit the minnows on my lake.

[gunner]

I tend to use a small jig (greenish-yellow) tipped with a spike or moussie. I do agree certain areas or lakes tend to have a favorite food of choice. Good luck on the ice--stay safe a few fish aren't worth it to your families.

[Smitty71]

What's going on guys?  Just found this sight a few weeks ago and finally got logged in.  I'd have to say that minnows work great, but we've been outfishin guys that had minnows all year with teardrops and waxies.  This is on farm ponds however.

[Quack_Attack]

Usually have a waxie tipped jig on one rod and dead stick a minnow on another, if the the minnow is out performing the waxie I'll switch to two dead sticks but this seldom happens.

[edfalc]

Usually have a waxie tipped jig on one rod and dead stick a minnow on another, if the the minnow is out performing the waxie I'll switch to two dead sticks but this seldom happens.

i agree with this method.........use every bait you can find untill you figure out what they want...

[gonephishin19]

What's going on guys?  Just found this sight a few weeks ago and finally got logged in.  I'd have to say that minnows work great, but we've been outfishin guys that had minnows all year with teardrops and waxies.  This is on farm ponds however.

Smitty welcome to the site....I usually jig spikes and use minnows on tip ups or tip downs

[bigredonice]

experiment, experiment, experiment.

I've seen it written that crappies like maggots best during the light and dark periods, and take minnows best only during morning or evening.

I think it is different at EVERY SINGLE BODY OF WATER.

Some lakes I fish they will not eat any minnow of any size, but will suck up maggots with reckless abandon, yet on others they take both, and then on some lakes they only want jigging rapalas   Fish are fish...which means that they will eat what they want when they want, and it is your job to figure it out.

Big yellow perch and walleyes are the same way also...


Stay flexible and always be willing to experiment.

[Brooks]

and sometimes they don't want anything-go home -play with computer

[fishinjim]

This past weekend red plastic was my hotest rig. Tyred waxies, spikes, and minnows.

[papermouth]

I like spikes in the day time and minnows at night!!!

[scavengerj]

Whatever they tell me they want. Can't say one is any better then the other. Alot of factors come into play.

[icecaptain]

MinnoWs

[fishfry]

Both.

[Preacher_man]

 Have had my best luck with waxies! Have tryed spikes but still like my waxies!

[seaweed01]

Iv'e had my best luck with minnows, but spikes, waxies and mousies all work at times.