Methods
If the fish are on the surface, let out just enough line to keep in touch with the fish. When hits cease, drop your lure right to bottom and work up until they are found again. Before moving, cast around to make sure the fish haven't gone a few feet in another direction. If there are no takers, let the boat drift or move further down the shore.
Being confined to shore fishing makes following the schools more difficult than angling from a boat. When boat fishing, if you don't see the telltale sign of crappie feeding -- "kissing the surface" -- start from shore and work out by reading the structures and casting in all directions. Once you hit a few fish, move in that general direction. If the school stays in one general area, cast anchor and enjoy some of the fastest fishing action you can find for any species of fish. But don't keep all of your catch if you're not planning to clean and eat them.
Black crappies bite best on minnows, but they will hit almost anything as long as it's small. Bobbers can be used or minnows can be allowed to swim freely. You don't have to use complicated tackle, as long as its light-action. It can be as simple as a long cane pole without a reel. Your line should be about a four pound-test for the smaller lures.
Jigs are effective, although they are not good "search" lures. In fact, once a school is found, try switching to jigs. It often takes too long to bait with minnows after a fish is taken. Jig colors don't seem to matter, but white and yellow are lucky for many anglers. Jigs laced with tinsel also produce. These jigs work very well fished under a float. Using a slip-bobber with jigs and the countdown method -- start at two, retrieve; start at three, retrieve; and so on until you get a hit -- is an ideal way to keep a lure in front of suspended fish.
For crappie, the most popular artificial would be the little one-sixteenth-, one-thirty-second-, and one-eighth-ounce lead-head jigs. Of course, which size to choose depends on the mood of the fish, what they're eating, and on water depth. The one-thirty-second- and the one-sixteenth-ounce jigs are fine up to about ten feet, then you tend to lose contact with the fish. Deeper water usually demands one-eighth of an ounce. Often, you can fish a two-inch twister tail on these jigs. White is a popular color, especially if it's flecked with black spots.
There are many ways to fish a jig. The standard way with a lead head is just by itself and casting and retrieving with different jigging motions (undulating, hopping, straight, etc.). Twister tails should be retrieved straight since they have their own action. Crappie usually don't like violent action, so experiment with your retrieve.
An excellent method for taking suspended crappies is by suspending a jig below a slip-bobber. It allows you to fish any depth, hold the jig in the fish-catching zone, and it provides the subtle action often required to take these fish. Make sure the jig is balanced with splitshot if it is not heavy enough to balance the float. Set it at the depth you want and use a simple stopper knot or a bead that comes with some of the floats. The knot should be tight around the line but the line itself should not be tied in a knot. Wind and wave action often supply all the movement you need. On calm days bounce the rod tip occasionally.
Small silver and gold spoons are good and many crappies are caught by fishermen trolling with spoons. Some anglers have taken a small piece of throat from one of their catch and used it for bait. Pearls have sometimes been effective, too. Black crappie, while feeding, exhibit jealous aggressiveness. When several fish eye the same bait, it is not uncommon to see them attack a bait in unison. This causes dissension among the ranks and has them attacking anything they think edible. Most anglers take advantage of this by putting bait in the thick of things.
Use small hooks, possibly a number six or smaller. These fish do not have big mouths, so save a day of missing fish by staying small. Their mouths are tender, too, so they must be landed with care so the mouth won't tear.
