Part 3: Colors and Size:
One question that I get asked more than any other is what is the best color and size; unfortunately, there is no one size fits all answer. What I hope to do in this article is share some guidelines I use when determining what to fish.
Available Forage:
Fish are like humans in that they like to eat what they are used to eating. What I mean is you want to “match the hatch.” If the main forage is baitfish, then you want to try to use a color that closely resembles them, usually blue, white, or gray combinations work well. If the main food is insects, like in farm ponds or small impounds, yellow, red or dark green combinations work well.
The only color that often works well in different conditions is chartreuse. However, this color look nothing like any natural food sources it works well in most all water conditions.
Size is as controversial as color but my rule of thumb is big fish eat big baits. 1/16 oz jigs are a good all around size for most bodies of water all year round. Many people prefer small baits for crappie because they catch many fish, however; for the past two years I have fished 1/16 oz or larger jigs only and have consistently caught larger fish. You will be surprised at how small of fish you will catch on larger jigs; further proving the point that crappie will hit big baits.
The next time you are out try a few of the guidelines I use and see if they work. Feel free to let me know if you have some tips of your own.
This page has been viewed 14197 times