he has a youtube channel, and uses these 1/32 oz jig heads, 2 to 4# test mono, and small bobby garland - idk what to call them... they're plastics, 1 1/2" to 2" long, very small, tapering to a long thin tail.  he fishes chiefly for crappie, or 'slabs' as he calls 'em, fishing very slow and "natural".  i think i'd say his philosophy would be "less (movement) is more."

but is his teknique effective against bluegill? i have been trying it for a couple weeks now.  i've had some success, and figure i'm just learning at this point.. and is it as effective as a worm? i've heard real bait fishing is the most effective way to get bluegill. but i don't find bait fishing for panfish fun.

WHOOOOOOO!!!!! oh yeah... i'm a northerner; i can't do that without sounding like a total weirdo or faker.

but happy WHOOOOOOOOO....  thank you.

He does have some good tips and yes, it'll work on all panfish species.

 

Another one to check out, who I follow instead of Richard is 'Flopping Crappie'

ty, mn.... i'll check out flopping crappie.. !

The Bobby garland baby shad doesn’t require action, it’s magic! 

Google trout magnet and crappie magnet. 1/64oz jig under a rocket bobber for gills and crappies

I've had luck with them fishing for shellcracker in the spring while they are bedding.

16 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

The Bobby garland baby shad doesn’t require action, it’s magic! 

They've got a subtle tail wag that crappie love, especially in cold water. If I could only have one crappie bait, this would be it.

10 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

They've got a subtle tail wag that crappie love, especially in cold water. If I could only have one crappie bait, this would be it.

is the bobby garland little plastic guys really that great? i've seen a handful of them at my fisherman's heaven.  richard gene seems to like them a lot, but there are so many little plastic things, even walmart has their versions... 

do these little guys stand out that much?

12 minutes ago, fishhugger said:

is the bobby garland little plastic guys really that great? i've seen a handful of them at my fisherman's heaven.  richard gene seems to like them a lot, but there are so many little plastic things, even walmart has their versions... 

do these little guys stand out that much?

I've used different brands. They all catch fish. It's just that style bait that matters. The glide and subtle tail wag that long flat tail provides is the key IMO.

14 minutes ago, fishhugger said:

is the bobby garland little plastic guys really that great?

I'm partial to the Strike King Mr. Crappie line myself. The Lightning Shad is pretty much the same as the Garland Baby Shad...but my favorite is the Crappie Thunder.

ok, guys... tysm... oh, i guess i'm headed to fisherman's heaven, (aka dicks) for cute lil plastix with tiny tails... !!! what i'll do for a fish or three..................

5 hours ago, fishhugger said:

is the bobby garland little plastic guys really that great? i've seen a handful of them at my fisherman's heaven.  richard gene seems to like them a lot, but there are so many little plastic things, even walmart has their versions... 

do these little guys stand out that much?

They are better than that great 

k, lads... i got some of the garlands... may get some of the strike kings crappie baits... got some jig heads... 1/32 to 1/64 oz... some 1/16... i noticed today a number of people fishing similarly to me, i guess. very close to shore, kind of quietly... one *was* using the bobby garland baits - didn't ask exactly what kind. she was using tiny rods, like mine. they move around.

then the soakers are on the piers..... 

thanks for the great advice, as always. 

 

1 minute ago, fishhugger said:

k, lads... i got some of the garlands... may get some of the strike kings crappie baits... got some jig heads... 1/32 to 1/64 oz... some 1/16... i noticed today a number of people fishing similarly to me, i guess. very close to shore, kind of quietly... one *was* using the bobby garland baits - didn't ask exactly what kind. she was using tiny rods, like mine. they move around.

then the soakers are on the piers..... 

thanks for the great advice, as always. 

 

What color did you get? Monkey milk and electric chicken are good ones 

Just now, fishhugger said:

got some jig heads... 1/32 to 1/64 oz... some 1/16

 

thanks for the great advice, as always. 

Slip bobber?

 

Light jig under a slip bobber is a killer - bare hook with plastic or a 'dressed' hook (hair, feathers, etc)

3 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

What color did you get? Monkey milk and electric chicken are good ones 

.. yes, i got monkey milk...  and, i think blue thunder, bs 142, but not sure ...  a hyper grub, curly tail, black/chartreuse/silver.... i've don't think i've ever caught anything on a curly tailed grub... but haven't fished them much.

5 minutes ago, fishhugger said:

.. yes, i got monkey milk...  and, i think blue thunder, bs 142, but not sure ...  a hyper grub, curly tail, black/chartreuse/silver.... i've don't think i've ever caught anything on a curly tailed grub... but haven't fished them much.

Curly tail grub is legendary!!!

3 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Slip bobber?

 

Light jig under a slip bobber is a killer - bare hook with plastic or a 'dressed' hook (hair, feathers, etc)

yes!  i got a couple sets to try... an assortment of thill, and a thkfish set of bobbers, 2.5"x.5"x4".  all these have those little springs with a slot at the bottom... i had a simpler mr. crappie bobber, but it caught a tree. 

do you fish mainly with a bobber, or with the hook/plastic --- just moving along on its own?  how do you decide - bobber vs no bobber....

ty.....

2 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Curly tail grub is legendary!!!

i no... i just haven't used them much, and haven't had any luck so far... i guess use them similarly to the garland baby shad? the curly tail seems - pretty universal....

5 minutes ago, fishhugger said:

yes!  i got a couple sets to try... an assortment of thill, and a thkfish set of bobbers, 2.5"x.5"x4".  all these have those little springs with a slot at the bottom... i had a simpler mr. crappie bobber, but it caught a tree. 

do you fish mainly with a bobber, or with the hook/plastic --- just moving along on its own?  how do you decide - bobber vs no bobber....

ty.....

i no... i just haven't used them much, and haven't had any luck so far... i guess use them similarly to the garland baby shad? the curly tail seems - pretty universal....

They will work that way but curly tail is best reeled. Bobby garland (baby shad with straight tail) is best sitting still or pendulum back to boat 

3 minutes ago, fishhugger said:

yes!  i got a couple sets to try... an assortment of thill, and a thkfish set of bobbers, 2.5"x.5"x4".  all these have those little springs with a slot at the bottom... i had a simpler mr. crappie bobber, but it caught a tree. 

do you fish mainly with a bobber, or with the hook/plastic --- just moving along on its own?  how do you decide - bobber vs no bobber....

I use Thill center-slide bobbers - either the Pro Series weighted or the Gold Medal series.

 

Rarely use just a plain hook - mostly 1/16-1/4 painted jigs (VMC Moon Eye) with 1.5"-2" plastics or maybe some Berkley Crappie Nibbles....

 

Set up is like this

 

Bobber stop - bead - bobber - bead - jig

 

I use the same oval stops and beads that you'd use for T-Rigs - they have stops for thin line (4#-6# mono).

 

Set the depth for where the sonar show a school - toss it out and wait...with the occasional twitch.

4 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

They will work that way but curly tail is best reeled. Bobby garland (baby shad with straight tail) is best sitting still or pendulum back to boat 

ok, i can remember that, maybe by --- ok, the baby shad just seems so subtle, so i can see it not moving a lot... the curly tail --- seems more active.. i'll give it a try.....

4 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

I use Thill center-slide bobbers - either the Pro Series weighted or the Gold Medal series.

 

Rarely use just a plain hook - mostly 1/16-1/4 painted jigs (VMC Moon Eye) with 1.5"-2" plastics or maybe some Berkley Crappie Nibbles....

 

Set up is like this

 

Bobber stop - bead - bobber - bead - jig

 

I use the same oval stops and beads that you'd use for T-Rigs - they have stops for thin line (4#-6# mono).

 

Set the depth for where the sonar show a school - toss it out and wait...with the occasional twitch.

ty for info, mn,

so i'll use your instruction - but no sonar for me, just a bankie... i'm assuming i'll just be using my bobbers in the shallows, since it would be hard to locate fish in the depths. unless i maybe had a chart or something.

1 minute ago, fishhugger said:

since it would be hard to locate fish in the depths. unless i maybe had a chart or something.

Try to find a chart....couple of the shore places I fish run up to 15' deep within easy casting range even with a light setup. I'll start at about 4' then move deeper in 2' increments till I find where they're hiding.

On 9/11/2022 at 6:18 PM, MN Fisher said:

I use Thill center-slide bobbers - either the Pro Series weighted or the Gold Medal series.

 

Rarely use just a plain hook - mostly 1/16-1/4 painted jigs (VMC Moon Eye) with 1.5"-2" plastics or maybe some Berkley Crappie Nibbles....

 

Set up is like this

 

Bobber stop - bead - bobber - bead - jig

 

I use the same oval stops and beads that you'd use for T-Rigs - they have stops for thin line (4#-6# mono).

 

Set the depth for where the sonar show a school - toss it out and wait...with the occasional twitch.

hi mn

ok... a couple questions... so i got the thill bobbers with the springs and notches --- i'd never used that style before, and assumed it (the spring and notch) was a thill - thing. but i  guess it's not. is the basic advantage of this style just that you can stick one on and off a line, wo retying? but the downside i'd say is it's not as good to cast as a sliding style, and it kind of kinks my 4# line, actually. 

so i just ordered a pro series unweighted 1/2" sliding bobber. i believe you use the weighted version -- is this  mainly for longer casts?  i'm content to be able to cast about 70', which i think i can do with an unweighted bobber... 

and i use small 1/32 oz to 1/64 oz jig heads, with little plastic things. so these dangle from a bobber, or are simply tied on to my 4# line.  the bobberless jigs, i cast  from the shore, and can go about 20'. i can slowly bring this in, or just drop it along the deep holes by the bank.  i figure this is my most natural presentation.

thank you!

any thoughts?

 

edit - i have no clue how to use the spring loaded bobbers... i'll have to uh...watch some youtube, lol........................... 

@fishhugger you can use this in your browser for charting during trip prep or on the go.