What colors do crappie like?

In deeper water, blue-white and purple-white are excellent. In stained water (coffee color or with tannic acid) with bright-light conditions, my four predominate crappie catching colors are: green, chartreuse, lime and orange. Lures that contrast two of these colors, or matching them with brown or white are great.

What colors do crappie see?

Just like people, they have both rods and cones in their eyes, so they are able to see contrasting whites and blacks in low light, but also recognize color when enough light is available.

What are crappie fish attracted to?

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.

Do green lights attract crappie?

The green light draws in a ton of zooplankton which will eventually draw in crappie. Most fishing lights come in the green color and for crappie, green is the color you will want. Green also works great for nighttime ice fishing.

What time of day are crappie most active?

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.

How Much DOES COLOR MATTER in Crappie Fishing?

What color jig head is best for crappie?

Orange-white is good at times, but all-white is not so good. In stained water, low light, all-brown, brown-orange, black-lime and all-black have been consistent performers for my best crappie action. In stained water with a heavy algae bloom, the best colors are chartreuse and orange.

Do crappie bite when it's cloudy?

Crappie fishing can be excellent on days when the conditions are cloudy or overcast because the reduced sunlight and cooler temperatures will encourage crappie to leave shady cover and hunt for prey.

What jig is best for crappie?

What is crappie favorite food?

Mature crappie prey on shad and minnows of all kinds, but insects, crustaceans like crawfish, and small amphibians like frogs are definitely on the menu. You may have heard that crappie “feed up,” and while that's largely true, they're not going to pass up an easy meal on the bottom if they can find one.

Does jig head color matter?

If you're fishing in clear water, red is a good idea to choose for the jig head color, but if you're fishing in murkier water, chartreuse is a good idea because it will attract more attention.

Can crappie see fishing line?

With this information, we can draw the conclusion that either one of two things is certain: Crappie cannot see or don't mind the Hi-Vis line, or the increased benefit of detecting strikes outperforms the decrease in strikes from fish shying away from the bait.

What color jig is best for crappie in muddy water?

“Jig heads will be pink, chartreuse or orange and a like a glow bait on the jig. I also like a Muddy Water Glo Series body or a Bobby Garland Baby Shad pattern in bright colors.” Sunny days will find crappie suspending just beneath the surface in muddy water lakes.

Do crappie bite during a cold front?

During the fall, a cold front may slow the bite down for a day or so, but the cooler weather can actually trigger a good crappie bite. As waters cool down during the fall, crappie will school up big time and put the feed on before winter arrives.

How do you attract crappie?

Will crappie bite after a big rain?

Do crappie bite in the rain? Yes, they do. Now, before you throw a tantrum and drive home without hitting the water, keep one thing in mind: you can absolutely catch crappie in the rain.

How do you attract crappie at night?

Jigs and minnows are the best crappie baits, day and night. But at times it pays to vary the menu for discriminating nighttime diners. If crappie are feeding on shad attracted to your lights, shad may outproduce minnows.

What size hooks for crappie?

The Best Hook Sizes for Crappie

Crappie have large mouths relative their size, and we'll often fish #2 and #4 hooks, moving up to a #1 for really big minnows. While you might fish #6 and #7 for bluegill, these smaller hooks can more easily tear themselves free from a crappie's mouth, just by virtue of their tiny gap.

What size line should I use for crappie fishing?

Crappie anglers also have multiple choices of lines to try ranging from 2-pound test monofilament or fluorocarbon for fishing in clear water for pressured crappie to 20- or 30-pound braid for fishing in standing timber.

What is the best month to catch crappie?

The best time of year to catch crappie is during the spawning season which takes place from February-May. During the spawn, both male and female crappie move from deep locations into shallow and concentrated spawning areas. This makes them very easy to target, as they are actively feeding and defending their nests.

Why do crappie stop biting?

Crappie may stop biting for these 4 reasons: 1. They were spooked by the angler or another predator, 2. They followed their food source elsewhere, 3. They are moving in relation to cold or hot weather, 4.

How deep are crappie right now?

You're likely to find the crappie hanging out in waters 6 to 12 feet deep and remember, finding structure is not as important as finding food for the crappie.