Minnesota guide Tony Roach shares his one-two punch presentation for wintertime crappies.
One-Two Punch for Crappies (Effective Spoon and Tungsten Jig Tactics!)
No matter where you fish for crappies in the ice belt mobility is the name of the game. You have to be mobile in order to stay on top of the moving schools of fish.
Throughout the winter months crappies can be found cruising along the muddy basins feeding on minnows and invertebrates like mayfly nymphs and bloodworms.
There are two presentations that I like to use when tracking down these roaming schools.
Spoons
Small spoons work fantastic for crappies, because you are able to fish them fast and they do a great job imitating baitfish. Most anglers tend to fish spoons between 1/32nd-ounce and 1/8th-ounce.
Spoons provide a larger profile which allows the fish to see your bait from a distance and typical attracts the larger fish in the school.
Two of the best spoons for winter crappies are the VMC Rattling Roach Spoon and the VMC Bull Spoon. Both give off a ton of flash and have a enticing action.
The VMC Rattling Roach Spoon can be fished without bait, because the feathered treble hook has a bug-like action in the water.
The VMC Bull Spoon is typically paired with a wax worm which gives the fish something to key in on.
If you mark several fish and can’t get them to bite that’s how you’ll know it’s time to make a switch.
Tungsten Jigs
When crappies in a lethargic mood or are feeding primarily on invertebrates that’s when you should deploy a small tungsten jig.
Two go-to jig options are the VMC Tungsten Larv Eye Jig or the VMC Tungsten Probe Jig.
The VMC Tungsten probe jig has a similar shape to a bloodworm and the plastic tail dances with the slightest jigging motions. This bait typical works best without livebait.
When livebait is needed that’s when you should make to switch to the VMC Tungsten Larv Eye Jig. Pair with bait with a wax worm or a few euro larvae and you’ve got a deadly presentation for those basin roaming slabs.
