Okay, we discussed some of our favorite flies for when we chase bluegills here recently. Let’s change pace and talk crappie. Do your flies change at all? What do you tie on when targeting slabs?
I always start out with a size 12 Springbrook Wunder jig. It works really good on crappie and other panfish.
Clouser’s pink over white or chart over white on a size 6 hook with bead chain eyes thread to match the top wing.
If the fish are shallow, yellow boa yarn leeches (especially in the evening or after dark) are my favorite. They have a nice slow fall rate, and incredible undulating action when wrist-stripped in. Also, Cornwall’s Crappie Killer and variations, and white woolly buggers.
If they are a bit deeper, Crappie Candy in white with chartreuse body. I’ve tied a couple of pink-and-whites, but haven’t tried them yet. And like Dale said, the Springbrook Wunder catches a lot of crappies.
on a #6 hook
This a brown over yellow, deceiver type fly. i was surprised at how well this fly worked on big crappie!
Bill
This year I’ve had good success at catching smaller crappies on a hare’s ear but the bigger ones have favored a size 6 deceiver type fly tied to imitate a small perch.
Oooo I bet that jig would get a few pulled through the ice as well!
Dave, I fished the Crappie Candys a lot two summers ago and had very good luck. What do you think about them vs a Clouser minnow about the same size? Clouser is a lot easier to tie, in my opinion. But the Candy does good work!
Clousers are quicker/easier. I honestly haven’t fished clousers much for crappies. I just know the Crappie Candy’s have worked very well for me when the fish were too deep to be tempted by a boa yarn leech or other unweighted pattern.
I think you could simplify the Crappie Candy if you wanted…maybe put the flash in the tail instead of pulled over the back, for example…and maybe put a bit of marabou in place of the deer hair under the body. I’ve even used Congo Hair for that, and it catches fish.
Or even tie a woolly bugger, but use chartreuse Estaz in place of the chenille/hackle. That’s probably a quicker/easier tie than either of the others.
The Crappie Candy sure does LOOK GOOD, though, and it definitely works!
Alternatively, you could experiment with materials other than deer hair, and tie a Clouser pattern. Materials like Craft Fur, Congo Hair, Wing-n-Flash, etc.
Great thoughts. In the end, variety is the spice of life! Why not use em both?
I’ve been “seriously” using Clousers for the first time this year and have had fantastic luck so far with calf tail, pink over white, and bead chain eyes.
My latest “crappie catcher” came from an idea steveks had. Super simple fly that really works. Get a 1x long or so nymph hook size 8ish (I’ve been using a Mustad 3366), black bead chain eyes, rabbit tail, and matching tinsel chenille body. It looks like a tube jig. Gills and crappie really like it, and it’s easy and quick to tie.
This one has worked well for me.
Very simple, marabou tail and polar chenille body.
Steve