Are You Ready for Spring Crappie and Bugs?

It is nearing time for the crappie spawn on many lakes across the southeast. This is the time of year that you will notice bait shops running out of live minnows because many anglers will not consider other baits, but there are artificial alternatives to catching crappie successfully. Bugs make an excellent crappie bait, specifically hard plastic bugs by Rebel Lures, such as the Bighopper, the Crickhopper and the Bumble Bugs. These imitation insects are some of the best pan fish lures out there. Rebel continues to make new colors and designs such as the hellgrammite and now the frog that not only catch crappie, but the occasional bass. They are definitely worth giving a cast. Crappie anglers also use small tubes, grubs and jigs in shallow water with the lure tied about 18 inches to 2 feet below a slip bobber. With either hard plastic floaters or jigs and tubes beneath a bobber, cast to the spawning areas and every now and then give the rod tip a twitch. Spring Crappie will be curious about the movement and will bite. However jig fishing is a little harder in shallow water, but dipping the jig into cover can be productive. Many anglers prefer jigging after the spawn, but during the spawn they are worth the effort. My friend Joey Monteleone of Tennessee Wild Side and Wild Side Radio on WSM, reported over the weekend that he "caught em' good, kept 24, caught 149. Using tubes,1/16th on wood in 4 to 10 ft of water "  Joey is on the radio every weekday morning at 5:25 AM CST , he shares some great fishing tips.  You can listen to WSM (The Legend) on line by clicking here. Crappies tend to be more passive than bass not being as aggressive this is why anglers fish slower for them. When fishing a jig, anglers should present it slowly, pausing the bait near branches and cover long enough to allow the bait to remain in the strike zone long enough for the crappie to bite. Spring crappie fishing can be a lot of fun for kids and for people who are new to fishing. It is also a great time for anglers without boats to fish from the bank as the fish are shallow. There is much to be appreciated in nature in the spring as everything is blooming, becoming green and the earth seems to wake up from its winter nap. Happy Fishing! For more fishing tips from Joey visit: http://www.tnwildside.org/stories.asp?Guide=Joey+Monteleone