Never fished for crappies from a kayak before but I'm visiting a reservoir this Sunday where I've heard the spawn is going on. Any tips for techniques and/or favorite lures/baits? I'm not a live minnow type of guy (just preference) :). Thanks!

Small 2 to 3" grubs on a jighead will slay those slabs all day if you can get on em!! Gulp minnows and crappie magnets are all I use when targeting them. Jighead or dropshot. 

 

In my area they like to hang around sunken trees..  and when I catch one there is always more. 

 

 

Micro hair jigs on UL spinning gear is what we used to catch them on, back when we had a closed bass season.  Get an assortment of white, black, brown, and chartreuse in 1/16 to 1/50 oz.

Around here you're going to get out fished 10:1 if you're not using live minnows, but to each his own. Being in a kayak could make transporting live bait difficult, so I understand that aspect. 

 

We generally catch them in the downed trees, stumps, and old root systems using fathead minnow's on 1/8oz. jigs. 

5 hours ago, fishballer06 said:

Around here you're going to get out fished 10:1 if you're not using live minnows, but to each his own. Being in a kayak could make transporting live bait difficult, so I understand that aspect. 

 

We generally catch them in the downed trees, stumps, and old root systems using fathead minnow's on 1/8oz. jigs. 

Call me crazy, but I get more fulfillment catching Slabs with artificials. I'm a fly-fisherman at heart who is trying to be a bass-crappie-angler wannabe.  

I like live bait, and forget about "crappie" minnows, they are too small. Small to medium fatheads under a float with as small a sinker as you can get away with, on a long shank gold eagle claw hook. I'll also use 2" gulp minnows on a jighead. As far as technique, stick and run. What I mean by that is keep moving. If you're not getting bit, keep moving until you do. Then put in a little time until the bite stops and move again. Don't sit and wait for them to come to you.

19 minutes ago, slonezp said:

I like live bait, and forget about "crappie" minnows, they are too small. Small to medium fatheads under a float with as small a sinker as you can get away with, on a long shank gold eagle claw hook. I'll also use 2" gulp minnows on a jighead. As far as technique, stick and run. What I mean by that is keep moving. If you're not getting bit, keep moving until you do. Then put in a little time until the bite stops and move again. Don't sit and wait for them to come to you.

Love me some 2" gulp minnows. You fish those under a bobber too and how do you work that jig back?

7 minutes ago, Dorado said:

Love me some 2" gulp minnows. You fish those under a bobber too and how do you work that jig back?

Under a float and I pop it a few times. No bite move on to the next dock post. I'll hit every post on a dock before I move to the next one

minnows are hard to beat. I also use slider head jigs with a white grub3". and thin wire jig hooks with smaller bubble gum with charteuse tail grub2" I also like 10 to 12' poles for easier dipping in those holes or edge of weeds. it lets you pick your minnow straight up and down so as not to get hung up as bad. not sure how the long pole will be in a kayak tho. show us dinner!!

Going to start off long lining this Rig from the kayak to cover water. I can interchangeably swap those baits with Slabalicious paddletails to various grubs. Have some beetlespins too that I'm going to get creative with. 

 

 After I find the concentration, going to target with roadrunners or crappie magnets paired with gulp!alive! Minnows. Will hopefully post dinner tomorrow night!