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Ask anyone who has been out on the fishing shores and lakes for any length of time, and they will tell you that there are certain topics even among anglers that are just controversial. For example, some believe that you should never kill what you catch; you should always throw it back, or vice-versa.
There are some who believe that it is better to use artificial baits, while there are still others who think that live baits are better. That brings us to our topic, which is whether crappie can be used as bait. What, you say? I thought you were only supposed to either eat the crappie or simply throw it back! Well, no, there’s actually a growing consensus of fishermen that are starting to use the CRAPPIE THEMSELVES as bait.
Can Crappie be used as bait? Any fish including crappie can be used as cut-bait for fishing. Usually the oilier the cut bait is, makes it more preferred as fish bait and there are definitely much oilier fish than crappie. Also, many anglers choose to eat the crappie instead of using them as bait because they are one of the tastiest. Keep in mind that some state laws prohibit using sportfish as bait.
Should Crappie Be Used as Bait?
Of course, when you start talking to anglers about using crappie as bait, you are liable to get ten different opinions on the subject. However, one of the things you will quickly realize after you “bite the bullet” and decide to try using crappie for bait instead of eating it is that this breed of fish can be incredibly nifty for catching the predator fish that feed on crappie.
Of course, do get ready for some rough comments. Some will say that you are simply wasting good crappie if you just use it for bait. Just ignore the naysayers, though, because crappie will make an excellent baitfish when needed, that is for sure!
Here are some good hooks for crappie fishing. size 8-12 are great!
The finnish J. Martin Filet Knife has been s favorite for anglers for many years. I have used one nearly my whole life. you can find this must have filet knife HERE on Amazon.
Naturally, if you are going to go with crappie simply as baitfish, you have to make sure that you know what you are doing. The best way to do this would be to manufacture the crappie into cut bait. The name for this kind of bait is pretty self-explanatory; it simply means that you are going to cut up a given fish and use it for bait for another fish.
If you want to catch a larger predatory fish, this is really the ticket, no ifs, and, or buts. In fact, a larger catfish species such as a blue catfish will usually jump at the chance for you to use any type of cut bait, including that of crappie bait.
Need CHUM ? Here’s an article you might like about chum for crappie.
Of course, there is a broad cross-section of anglers that will still scoff over crappie being used as cut bait, but simply ignore them. At the same time, there is actually a growing number of people who are starting to realize that it is useful for bait as well.
Of course, the next time someone makes fun of you for thinking about using crappie as cut bait, just use this wrinkle on them: if we, as humans, find the taste of crappie, how much more do you think that other larger fish might find them delicious as well!
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Be Mindful of the Local Laws
Of course, an added benefit to your decision of using crappie as bait is that you also get the added enjoyment of catching the bait as well as catching more fish! However, you definitely will need to be mindful of the local laws regarding your crappie bait.
First of all, just because you are only going to use your crappie as bait is not going to sway the opinion of any local game warden. That is, whatever you might use your crappie for, you will still have daily catch limits of crappie in many jurisdictions.
Moreover, are you going out of state to catch your crappie? If so, make sure that you do a little bit of research. Some states are stricter than your own state when it comes to crappie and what you can use them for. Check these laws just to be sure.
Which Fish Should You Go After?
Of course, the dominant elephant in the room would have to be just what types of fish you can catch with crappie bait. Either way, you will soon find out that crappie is a fish breed that isn’t just popular among humans, but also larger fish! Indeed, there are quite a few predatory species that love to dine on crappie. Some of these would include a broad cross-section of freshwater fish, including the following:
- Largemouth Bass
- Channel Catfish
- Striped Bass
- Blue Catfish
- Flathead Catfish
- Crappie
- Sunfish
- Smallmouth bass
How Do I Go About Preparing Crappie as Cut Bait?
The size of this chunk of bait will not only depend on the size of the crappie you have landed, but also on the size of the type of fish that you are targeting. For example, if you are targeting a larger species of fish, you will naturally want to cut up larger portions of your crappie.
Of course, if you are targeting blue catfish, you probably could get away with using a smaller chunk of crappie just because this type of catfish isn’t that much larger than the crappie, anyway.
Generally, a good rule of thumb is that if you are trying to land a fish that is in the trophy class, you might want to strongly consider a larger chunk of crappie bait. However, this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. Indeed, don’t think for a minute that a larger fish wouldn’t go after a smaller piece of crappie bait. They definitely will, but at the end of the day using larger baits is often just a matter of personal preference.
More about keeping worms alive after your fishing trip – what do fishing worms eat?
Follow The Steps
Once you got that basic knowledge out of the way, you should be aware of some of the steps to preparing crappie for bait right. The first step is to remove the scales.
Now, there are two different approaches to doing this. For the larger examples of crappie, you probably should remove them by simply starting at the tail and removing them simply by just vigorously running your thumb over the scales until they fall off. Alternately, if this is smaller crappie, you could simply just use a fillet knife to knock those scales off.
Next, you should make sure you remove the scales and cut off the fins. Finally, after you have retrieved the chunk you have used for bait, there is one cardinal rule: always leave it EXACTLY the way you got it from the fish. Leaving it unwashed makes it extremely more likely to catch a fish because there is more oil, blood, and other amino acids that will attract a predator fish.
Keeping this in mind will make your crappie bait experience a very enriching one indeed!
Darren Enns Author is a father of four boys. Trout, Striper, Catfish, and bluegill are their favorite fish to catch. I would rather eat Crappie than use it as bait.
