How Do You Rig Crankbaits For Crappie?

Do crankbaits work for crappie?

The Bandit crankbaits come in assorted sizes and colors but are popular due to their consistent diving depth. Driscoll uses the 300 series bait which he claims can reach fish down to 15 feet, depending on the amount of line out. “The 300 is a small, crappie sized crankbait that runs true and deep” Driscoll said.

What crankbaits to use for crappie?

Quick glance at the best crappie crankbaits:
Strike King Slab Hammer Crappie Cranks. Bandit Crappie Crankbaits 300 Series. Rebel Wee Crawfish. Rapala Ultra Light Crank.

Do crappies like crankbaits?

It is no longer a secret that pulling crankbaits is a highly effective technique for tough-to-catch, warm-water crappie.Professional guide Brad Whitehead spends the summer months taking eager clients out on Pickwick Lake in Northwest Alabama, and he prefers pulling crankbaits for big crappie because it produces fish.

How fast do you pull crankbaits?

Changing speeds is key
Typical crankbait trolling speeds are 1.5 – 3 mph, and there are times when it makes a big difference. If you are marking bait and fish but not hooking up, don’t be afraid to speed up or slow down. Making “S” turns is also a good way to test several speeds at once.

What speed do you troll for crappie?

Trolling speed is critical when it comes to crappie, and Duckworth bases his speed on water temperature. Right after the spawn when water temperature is 65 to 70 degrees, he trolls at 1.8 mph. With water temperature between 70 and 75 degrees, trolling speed is 2.5 mph.

What are the best baits for crappies?

Minnows, worms, insects—just about anything can catch a crappie’s attention. You don’t have to worry about the color of the bait, and you’re only throwing them what they would be eating anyway. Minnows are hands-down the favorite used by most, and some even tip a jig with a live minnow for a double-whammy.

Can you catch bluegill on a crankbait?

Moving baits like spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and rattling lipless crankbaits are all perfect for creating reaction strikes from bluegill, crappie, or perch. When panfish are finicky, the key to catching them on these baits is to slow it down.

What is long lining for crappie?

The “push” technique of the pros is “tight-line trolling,” a vertical technique executed with multiple rods on a “spider rig” arrangement. The “pull” technique is called “long-line trolling,” and it presents crappie jigs on multiple lines pulled horizontally behind the boat.

Can you troll with a crankbait?

When trolling crankbaits, use a bait casting reel and a medium heavy rod, six to seven feet in length. I prefer to use Magnathin in the ten-pound test (walleye color). The new superlines will also work. Longlining crankbaits is a very simple technique that will produce fish.

What is the best speed for trolling?

So, what is the best trolling speed? The best trolling speed depends on several factors including the type of fish, water conditions and lure choice. In general, trolling speeds between 1.5 and 2.5 mph, as measured by GPS, are a good starting place for most species like walleye, trout and salmon.

What time of day is best for crappie fishing?

In the case of crappie, the best time to catch them is during their feeding time, which is most frequently between the hours of midnight and 2 am. Additionally, during dawn and dusk can be good times to catch them, with many of them also feeding during these twilight hours.

What action is best for crankbaits?

A good crankbait rod should have a relatively slow action. In other words, the rod should start to bend down about half way down when moderate pressure is applied to the top section. Fast action means that just the top third will bend with the same pressure.

Do crankbaits have to hit bottom?

For professionals like Skeet Reese, Todd Faircloth and Mark Menendez, mismatching crankbaits to water depth — especially in the shallows — has become less an exception and more the rule. “As a general rule of thumb, you want a bait that will be in contact with the bottom at all times.

When should you throw crankbaits?

Crankbaits work best in the spring, summer, and fall, except during the few weeks a year fish are spawning. Use medium-diving crankbaits when waters are about 50-60 degrees. As the season moves along and the fish start moving from the banks toward deeper waters, use a shad-colored crankbait.

How deep is a bandit 300?

Weight: 3/8 oz (10.60 g) Hook Size: #6. Cranking Depth: 8-12 ft. Trolling Depth: 16 ft.

Can you troll for crappie at night?

Fishing vertically is the best technique for catching summer crappie after dark, either slow-trolling vertically or setting over fish and dropping baits directly down to them.

How far can you cast a crankbait?

According to a lot of great anglers, extending your range 10 to 15 yards is very doable for most of us. Casts out to 50, 55 or even 60 yards are in the ballpark if we gear up and get the mechanics of the cast just right, these pros tell us.

Are mini crankbaits good?

There’s no doubt about it, the crankbait is one of the most popular fishing lures. It’s an easy lure to present and a very effective one for quickly searching the water for active fish. More importantly, a crankbait is a blast to fish with. Now, that enjoyment is being offered in a light-tackle size.

What is a crankbait lure?

A crankbait is a lure with a plastic lip that dives underwater when it is reeled in. Crankbaits are used to target fish at specific depths. The length and angle of the plastic lip is what determines the depth that the bait can reach. Longer, less-angled, lips dive deeper than short, sharp-angled, lips.