Jeremy Smith breaks down the effectiveness of corking for crappies and how a simple set up can be so deadly for springtime panfish.
Corking for Crappies
One of my favorite things to do in springtime following ice out is corking for crappies. During the spring schools of crappies make a push towards the shallow in anticipation of the spawn.
These panfish tend to favor areas with good weed growth during the beginning of the year and warm water. If you can find both of those you can generally find crappies.
When choosing a setup for corking crappies there are basically two different floats/corks/bobbers to choose between.
One is a slip float and a clip on float. The clip on float is best suited for when you are fishing sparse submerged cover, whether it is weeds or wood. Simply clip the bobber to the line at a measured amount. Generally you will bait your bait a foot or so off the bottom.
This allows you to work the bait back and it will stay at that predetermined depth.
I personally like using a clip on bobber if I am fishing for pre spawned fish in that three to six foot depth range.
Slip floats work best when you are fishing in heavy emergent cover, like cattails, reeds, or think weed growth. The compact system lands into tough to reach places and the jig drops directly below the float helping it stay snag free.
Under the float I like a VMC moon eye jig paired with a plastic or a live crappie minnow.
The bottom line is fishing with a float for crappies in the spring is a great way to catch a pile of fish and have so fun.