Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Mann
how big does a crappie need to be before it's worth eating?
As long as they are big enough to fillet for me . I usually keep Specks on most waters that have them since they are so prolific and some of their population sizes on some waters are just unbelievably huge. The statewide bag limit where I live is 25 per person per day. Some waters have size limits but there is no statewide slot limit where I live.

Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Mann
Also, what flies work well for crappie? Any other flies and retrieval strategies you can all recommend?
The one you mentioned (Crappie Candy) has been excellent for me in deeper water but I also have good luck on some wet flies like the Improved McGinty and Improved Black Gnat in shallower water. I have best luck when I fish the flies slowly if I don't get bites on the drop. I typically start with a wet fly in shallow water if the Specks are suspending but may switch to a Crappie Candy or other weighted fly to get the fly down faster if the Specks are holding deeper. I switch to a slow sink full sinking line with the Crappie Candy or other weighted fly if they are in very deep water (deeper than 8 to 10 feet). In canals and rivers, I just let the current move the fly on the drop and then slow retrieve.