Fishing Articles & Pro Fishing Tips

Over the span of his professional fishing career, Author and Outdoor Educator Joel DeBoer has authored many, many top-notch articles on the "How To's" of becoming a better angler. On this page you will find just a sampling of some of his articles and tips - we hope you enjoy!

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Crankbait Crappies
Fishing Articles & Pro Fishing Tips >>

Slab crappies are a favorite target of many anglers for a variety of reasons: they're delicious in the pan, willing biters, and their schooling behavior often means the ability to catch numbers of fish once you locate them.
 
Any good crappie angler knows that these fish can be caught a variety of ways. Crappies make a great fish for kids to pursue as they are easily fished under a float utilizing a simple baited hook and a few split shot. Float rigs are a perfect presentation for crappie in shallow water or for tightly-schooled fish. Crappies in the wood eagerly inhale light jigs tipped with soft plastics or live bait.
 
Yet one of the most unlikely techniques for catching crappies-especially larger, active fish-are crankbaits. We often think "small" when selecting crappie lures only because the bulk of panfish are caught by anglers using lightweight, smaller-profile presentations. But when crappie suspend high in open water, or invade the shallows in the spring on their annual feeding frenzy prior to the spawn, crankbaits catch crappie, and often more consistently than traditional options.
 
Crappies will suspend at any time throughout the post-spawn open water period. When schools of crappies gather near the bottom, float rigs or a variety of jigging techniques will catch fish. But when crappie rise high in the water column, often in pursuit of schools of suspended baitfish, crankbaits will catch crappie better than any other lure. Specifically, the fish key in on minnow-size baitfish, thus a minnow-imitating lure triggers strikes.
 
Crankbaits allow you to cover water as well. Where a jig generally is worked slowly to the boat and depth is difficult to control without attaching a float, a crank can be fished quickly in all directions. A crankbait can be selected that runs at a specific depth, so you can always have your lure in the strike zone.  The largest crappie in a given school also will usually be the first to attack a crankbait, meaning the overall quality of your catch improves as well.
 
Select your favorite crankbaits from your tackle box, focusing on smaller, minnow-profile lures. Shad imitators are an excellent option for catching suspended fish in open water. Thin-bodied minnow imitators have their time and place as well. Typically, suspended open water crappies are actively feeding on schools of baitfish, so small minnow imitators do the job.

In shallow water, select crankbaits that run shallow, or try a crankbait worked erratically just below the surface. Generally, stick with natural colors like white, shad, or silver unless the fish show a preference for something gaudier. Occasionally when the crappies are really on the feed or on bright, sunny days, lure colors like orange or firetiger will trigger strikes more readily than natural patterns; experiment to find what works best on any given day.
 
Choose a 6 1/2 - to 7 foot light action spinning rod paired with a quality spinning reel spooled with four- to six-pound monofilament. I prefer to tie lures directly to my line as snap or barrel swivels only impede the action of these small crankbaits. A longer rod permits longer casts, and a light-action seven-footer provides quite a thrill when fighting bigger crappies. A spinning rod also handles lightweight crankbaits much more effectively than a baitcasting outfit, especially in windy conditions.

Crappie can be caught in all seasons and with a variety of presentations. But there are times when cranks will deliver the most consistent catches. Crankbaits for crappies, try 'em-they work!  I'll see you on the water…

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