My 5 Favorite Ice Fishing Moves to Make Crappies Bite

Small presentation and timing changes that put more slabs on the ice

Crappies are generally pretty cooperative, but even they can be finicky at times. Employ these five tips to help put more crappies on the ice. | Joe Shead

The red bar on my flasher slowly, but steadily rose to meet the green bar representing my jig. I wiggled the jig tantalizingly, lifting and pulling away from the fish. The red bar moonlighting as a crappie finally blended into the green bar, and about that time, my rod tip dipped. I set the hook, felt weight for a second, and then the fish was gone.

Crappies are some of the most popular species all across the Ice Belt. They're relatively easy to find and catch and they taste great. Catching them isn't rocket science, but these tips can help you put more slabs on the ice.

1. Go Easy on the Hookset

An ice fishing rod with a sensitive tip but a noodly backbone works well for crappies. The fast tip detects bites while the limber rod keeps you from tearing a crappie's mouth. | Joe Shead

Crappies are sometimes called "papermouths" for good reason. They have very thin skin in their mouths that tears easily. I set the hook the same way for literally every other species—except for crappies. Rather than give a quick jerk like I normally do for other species, when I know I've got crappies under me, I keep raising the jig and when I feel a fish, I just raise the rod and start reeling, never giving an actual hookset. An overly aggressive hookset like the one in the beginning of this story often results in missed bites.

Picking the right rod can up your hooking percentage as well. I like a rod with a fast, sensitive tip to detect bites, but overall, it can be kind of noodly to absorb shock and be gentle on a crappie's mouth.

2. Up, Up and Away!

Keep your jig moving and slowly raise it above a school of crappies. If you can get a crappie moving upward, it will often hit your lure. | Joe Shead

Crappies are predators, whether they are preying on plankton or minnows. Move your jig constantly and raise it up away from them. Crappies, like other fish species, look up. When they see a meal moving away from them, they often give chase, rather than let their prey escape. If you can get a crappie moving upward, you can usually convince a fish to strike.

3. Be Aggressive! B-E-Aggressive!

If crappies won't bite, sometimes you can fire them up by aggressively jigging above them. A lipless crankbait can be just the ticket. | Joe Shead

Sometimes you'll have a school of inactive fish under you that have no interest in your jig. This sometimes happens during the middle of the day or under high-pressure systems on cold, clear days. You sit there jigging and jigging and nothing happens. Often, it's wise to downsize your presentation to make finicky fish bite. But let's buck the system here. For finicky crappies, sometimes it's better to upsize. Put away the tiny ice jig tipped with a waxworm and upgrade to a spoon tipped with a minnow head. Or go wild and start ripping a small lipless crankbait like a Rapala Rippin' Rap above the school. It may be too aggressive for most fish, but it can absolutely fire up seemingly dormant slabs! At times, bigger crappies will rise up out of the school to investigate the commotion and hit your bait!

4. Deadsticking When Crappies Won’t Chase

If upsizing doesn't turn on crappies, deadsticking with a live minnow can sometimes trip their trigger. | Joe Shead

If crappies ain't havin' the aggressive lure, it might be time to deadstick. Put a minnow on a plain hook weighted down by a light splitshot. I set the rig under a foam slip bobber and wait for a bite. Usually a crappie can't resist a live meal dangled in front of it.

5. Night Time is the Right Time

Crappies are low-light feeders. If you can't get them to bite during the day, try for them at dusk or after dark. | Joe Shead

If you just can't get the crappies to turn on, don't force them to feed when they don't want to. Some of my best crappie outings have been after dark. Crappies are naturally low-light feeders. Fish that completely ignored your presentation early may start snapping after the cover of darkness.

Turning Lookers Into Biters

When normally aggressive and agreeable crappies get negative, a few small adjustments can make a big difference. By applying these proven moves I turn lookers into biters.