Crappie Flies

[Fishidiot]

As many spin fishermen know, crappies can be selective and requiring of some finesse and very lightweight jigs. My favorite crappie flies are usually tied with some flash and almost always with very lightweight bead chain eyes. The pic shows an example of one of my favorite crappie patterns: about an inch in length, flashabou/tinsel wing, small bead chain, and some soft fur underbelly. In part, I like the bead chain to keep the hook upright and less prone to snag the woody cover where crappies typically hang out. White is always a good color and a bit of red or chartreuse seems to help sometimes. The small bead chain provides jut the right sink rate as crappies often seem to like a fly that almost seems to suspend. They’ll hit bigger flies but, at least in my experience, often won’t get the hook on flies much bigger than an inch. Keep your crappie flies small and lightweight so they sink slowly and get sucked in far enough for a solid hookup.

 

[buffalo7]

The best crappie lure I ever used is a chartreuse zonker around heavey cover. they sink very slowly. The crappie useually will kind of float up out of the cover and roll on it.

The flies in the picture are old and used, I don't tie show flies.

 

[littlelehigh]

oh ha I was gonna say I've got 5 boxes I carry of crappy flies I tied myself at all times on stream.

Nice tie guys!

 

[gaeronf]

those don't look very crappy to me

 

[sniperfreak223]

nothing special here-my crappie fly box is just a bunch of size 8-14 streamers (mostly clousers), a few poppers and foam spiders (biggest crappie I ever landed took a #12 black foam spider), and a bunch of size 10-14 wet flies, mostly just soft hackles.

 

[tomgamber]

black or white buggers always work for me.

 

[jdaddy]

tomgamber wrote:
black or white buggers always work for me.

100% agreed. Those are minnow eating fools.

 

[ryguyfi]

I caught this slab last year on a sz 8 streamer hook with a short black marabou tail and black cactus chenille with a cone head.

 

[sandfly]

I use a lot of different flies for crappie, but these are a few of my favorites.

 

[buffalo7]

Hey sandfly how are you?

You should frame that top picture and hang it on the wall, it's realy colorful. The other one is nice also. The ones on top, are they painted beadheads or are they casted, did you paint them?

I don't know if they'll catch as many fish as my flies, but they are a lot prettier.

 

[sandfly]

Hey Buff,
They are painted on. I like your flies as well. might have to try em. working on some new flies now, will post when done. Oh yeah doin good now.

 

[BrookieBuster101]

You guys should give yourselves more credit. I think they look pretty good. :lol:

edit: oop gaeronf beat me to the pun

 

[sniperfreak223]

sandfly wrote:
I use a lot of different flies for crappie, but these are a few of my favorites.

I tie a fly similar to the first set for bluegills, but never tried it in crappies...just a size 10-14 scud hook with a brass or tungsten bead, a tail of rabbit clipped from a zonker strip, a Hare's mask dubbed body, and a few wraps of dyed grouse hackle, it's dynamite on my local pond.