Minnesota guide and panfish guru Brian Brosdahl shares some of his favorite spring crappie gear.
Bro’s Spring Crappie Gear
Spring is one of the best times of the year to target and catch crappies. As the water temperatures increase crappies move into the shallows in search of warm water, food, and ultimately good spawning habitat.
Look for spring crappies in shallow bays, channels, weed beds, and near structure like wood or docks. These areas are going to warm up the fast and will hold fish throughout the spring.
Whether I am fishing a new lake or are trying to fish a large area; I like to start with a bait that I can fish fast and cover ground.
Search Bait: Northland Deep-Vee Spin
The Northland Fishing Tackle Deep-Vee Spin Jig in a 1/16-ounce paired with 3-inch Eye-Candy Minnow is my go-to search bait for crappies. It’s a fairly large profile for crappies, but bigger fish have no problem eating it. The willow blade on the Deep-Vee Spin jig adds extra flash and really grabs the attention of the crappies from a distance.
Once I’ve located a school of fish, that’s when I’ll change tactics and grab the float rods.
Using a float allows the bait to hang in front of the fish for longer and keeps your jig in the strike zone at all times. Both clip on floats or slip floats work well for springtime crappies and panfish alike. The following baits are jigs that I prefer to fish under floats.
Spring Crappie Gear: Tungsten Crappie King Fly
The Tungsten Crappie King Fly is a hand-tied tail on the Tungsten Crappie King Jig. It features a compact tungsten head that is 30% more dense than lead. It is available in a 1/16th-ounce and 1/8th-ounce size and variety of great colors.
Out the back is an ultra-sharp perfectly proportioned hook that’s designed for the delicate mouths of panfish. It features a hand-tied feather and tinsel tail giving it a ton of action that panfish can’t resist. The great thing about the Crappie King Fly is that you can fish it without livebait.
Spring Crappie Gear: Tungsten Flat Fry
The Northland Fishing Tackle Tungsten Flat-Fry Fly is designed as a small panfish jig that hangs at a 90 degree angle to imitate small baitfish which is a favorite forage of crappies and other panfish. The real feather hackle adds to the illusion of a swimming fry and gives this jig a lot of action in the water. This is especially important in pressured panfish waters offering something that looks familiar to their forage.
Both thew Northern Tungsten Flat Fry and Crappie King Fly can be fished under floats. Both slip and fixed floats work great throughout the spring.
FAQ’s
1. Can you fish hair jigs without livebait?
Yes, hair jigs work exceptional well for crappies without any livebait.
2. What is the best bait color for spring crappies?
White, pink, chartreuse, and red work very well for springtime crappies.
3. Why do crappies move shallow in the spring?
Crappies move into the shallows each spring in search of warm water, food, and spawning habitat.
4. What line should I use for crappies?
Most anglers use a line between three and six pound test for crappies.
5. What jig weight should I use for spring crappies?
A 1/32-ounce or 1/16-ounce are the preferred weight jig for spring crappies.
