Crappie Fishing Lures
Guide to selecting the best crappie lures.
About Crappie
Crappies eat most anything that resembles their wide variety food of sources, as long as it is small enough for them to get in their mouth. Most of all they love to feed on minnows and other small fish. So most crappie lures are designed to imitate minnows or bait fish. Follow the seasonal movements of crappie to determine where to find them and how to catch them.
Black Crappie
Black crappie are typically found in deeper, cooler waters. They are known for their distinctive black mottled patterns and their preference for submerged vegetation or woody cover. Anglers targeting black crappie often use techniques such as vertical jigging, casting with small jigs or minnow imitations, or fishing with live bait near structures.
White Crappie
White crappie are known for their silvery coloration and softer vertical stripes. They are more tolerant of warm water and can be found in shallower areas with less cover. White crappie are often found near submerged brush, fallen trees, or rocky shorelines. Anglers targeting white crappie in lakes often use similar techniques as with black crappie, such as jigging or using live bait.
Visit the crappie fishing page to get more insight into ways for catching crappie.
Crappie Jigs & Lures
CRAPPIE JIGS
Effective depth:
1' to 40'
Recommended line test:
2# to 6#
Ideal conditions:
Use crappie jigs in light weights, 1/16 oz to 1/64 oz. for all depths, water conditions and seasons. An ideal speed for trolling is about 1.2 miles per hour. Use the GPS on a fish finder to monitor speed.
SPINNERS
Effective depth:
1' to 6'
Recommended line test:
4# to 8#
Ideal conditions:
Use spinners when crappie are shallow and active. Sample shown is a Blue Fox Flash Spinner, available at Bass Pro Shop®.
SPOONS
Effective depth:
8' to 40'
Recommended line test:
6# to 10#
Ideal conditions:
Use small spoons, 1/8 oz to 1/4 oz, when crappie are schooled in deeper water. Sample shown is a PK Lures PK Spoon, available at FishUSA.
LIPLESS CRANKBAITS
Effective depth:
2' to 5'
Recommended line test:
6# to 10#
Ideal conditions:
Use small crankbaits when crappie are active in shallow water. Sample shown is a Blue Fox Flash Spinner, available at Cabela's®.
MINI CRANKBAITS
Effective depth:
2' to 8'
Recommended line test:
6# to 10#
Ideal conditions:
Use mini crankbaits when crappie are aggressive in shallow water. Sample shown is a BPS XTS Micro Light Mini Crankbait, available at Bass Pro Shop®.
UNDERSPINS
Effective depth:
2' to 8'
Recommended line test:
6# to 10#
Ideal conditions:
Use small underspins when crappie are aggressive and schooled in shallow to mid-depth water.
Crappie fishing and lakes by state.
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Crappie can be finicky.
The good news is that once you identify the right lure, depth and presentation, the action can get fast and furious. Crappie tend to run in schools. So if you find one, you may have found quite a few of them.
Fishing Information
