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Talking bass-type jerkbaits! I was reading this older-ish In-Fisherman post talkin' about using bigger baits for spring crappie and came across this absolute π§ info from MO pro and Crappie USA national champion Travis Bunting.
Whether you fish clear water guy or not, there's a TON to learn about spring patterns in this deal:
> "In any lake with clear water, big crappies love big jerkbaits. The pattern heats up when the water temperature chills down to 45 [degrees].
> "Our best baits have been 3/8-oz and heavier Megabass X-80 Trick Darters β sometimes Smithwick Rogues.
> "We fish them on 6-8-lb fluoro. I don't want any give, so I use a 6' dock-shooting rod. Stiff blanks throw these baits a mile and a half, then set hooks with authority.
> "Crappie in these reservoirs suspend 10-15' down over depths of 30-50' a lot β the lure only gets down 4-5', but they come up for it.
> "Work jerkbaits with a snap-snap-pause retrieve β crank it down to its running depth and work it. You want the bait to turn nearly 90 degrees. The right sequence and the length of the pause vary from day to day, but find the trigger and crappies bust big suspending baits.
> "They're eating shad, and shad are big this time of year. That's why wind has such an effect on the pattern. Shad follow plankton, crappies follow shad. The colder it gets, the larger the lure [they will eat]."
Where he fishes 'em
> "Wind is a big part of the pattern β anything more than a 2-day blow in the same direction piles crappies up wherever the wind is blowing into βmain points, secondary points, weed flats or any kind of cover.
> "Sometimes they're right on the bank or schooling around cables coming off marina docks. Sometimes it's just grass on a flat, way back in a creek.
> "Flats 10' deep with vegetation become key spots where the wind is blowing into the area for days."
I've caught A TON of big crappie on jerkbaits between Jan and Mar β some on purpose, some not. Regardless, here's a couple of cool options for ya that I've come across:
Berkley Stunna
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