One of the more popular lures for catching crappie is the jig. Jigs come in a multitude of shapes, sizes, and colors. (just like people…LOL) We will take a look at some of the best jigs to catch crappie and we are also going to review some of the top selling plastic jig molds so you can make your own.
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Making your own lures will give you a sense of freedom to choose your colors. You can also choose the shape of the plastic jig. These molds will give you personalized, unique plastic jigs that no one else has. You will have one of a kind tackle in your tackle box.
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Select Your Jig Color
When choosing your plastic jigs you want to choose the colors that are most visible to the crappie. Crappie search and track down their food with sight, not smell. A Lot of anglers have a theory; bright water = bright lure and dark water = dark lures. Jigs that are brightly colored will reflect the light on a sunny day, make them easily seen by the crappie.
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As for dark water, use you own judgement or experience. If the water is cloudy and the sun is shining the deeper water will be darker. It can also be bright enough on a cloudy day to justify the brighter colored jigs. Some anglers believe the opposite and swear by dark jigs on bright days and bright jigs on dark days. It all comes down to personal preference, spot, time of day, weather, and other factors.
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Plastic Jigs are the most popular lure for crappie
Jigs seem to be the most popular lure among crappie fishermen, old and new. Plastics being more so because of the different shapes and color variations. A great combo for catching crappie is to use a plastic jig paired with a minnow. The crappie will bite those like they are going out of style or being discontinued.
Some anglers swear by plastic jigs that resemble shad. Shad is a baitfish that crappie prey on. If you have a large variety of colors you are bound to have success. The plastic shad are versatile and can be fished from shore, boats, docks, and into coves. They won’t get tangled in the brush or heavy forage and depending on your retrieve, they can wiggle fast, slow, or not at all. The jig is intended to create a vertical jerking motion that mimics other baitfish.
The bait size does matter. You want them to be so close to the size of the live bait that the crappie are preying on. This makes it more of a temptation for the crappie. If the plastic jig is too small or too large in comparison, the crappie will ignore it. They are smarter fish than most people give them credit for.
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A couple of the most popular, premade plastic jigs;
- Slim SwimZ – these are approximately 2.5 inches in size. They have a curved paddle tail that has a lot of movement in the water. This particular bait is effective whether you retrieve it straight or on the vertical jig.
- Jerk Minnow Swimbait- (Viewable on my resources page) these lures offer a larger presentation to the crappie. This is a 3 inch bait with a split tail It fishes well vertically and on the swimming retrieve. You will want to pair this larger jig with a ⅙ ounce jig head for maximum fishing success. Available in a large array of colors for saltwater and freshwater fishing.
Let’s now take a look at some of the most popular plastic crappie jig molds. You can find these, in multiple places, on the internet. Conduct further research after completion of this article and choose which molds and colors fit your needs the best.
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With a 5 star rating, the first jig mold on our list is the Z-ManFinesse TRD 2.75 inch. This is an injectable mold and is the standard ⅝ inch size. This particular mold is made of engineered stone, with smart air-vents to ensure that the soft plastic fills the entire mold so that you don’t have any type of air gaps in your plastic jigs. This particular mold is cheaper than the aluminum molds that are sold today.
Also with a 5 star rating, Unique Store 4 U Bait Mold. This is a 5 inch mold that allows you to create different colors, shapes and firmness. Made of premium stone, this jig mold is durable and comes with a satisfaction guarantee. Finished lure size is 6.5 inches long and gives you the options to make these 100% unique just by the colors and scents that you choose to use.
The Reaction Innovation Beaver 4.2 inch is another top of the line plastic crappie mold kit. It has 2 parts to the stone injection mold. The mold material is artificial stone that is durable and long lasting with an injection size of ⅝ inch. The use of a lubricant will make the extraction from the mold move quickly and easily.
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FatFish Bait Mold V25 is the final one on our list today. This one is designed by the Do-it Corporation and can be made using plastisol or recycled soft plastic lures. lures can be made in different sizes, shapes, colors, scents, and flavors. The finished lure is 3.8 inches and are suitable for freshwater, saltwater & ice fishing.
Conclusion
There ya have it folks; crappie plastic jig molds. Whether you buy them premade or you are looking for a way to have something unique, that no one can find anywhere else. Then look no further! We have given you 3 of the top used premade jigs ad we have also given you the top 4 best selling crappie plastic jig. We hope you have success in finding the mold kit that works best for you and your budget and we can not wait to see pictures of crappie jigs that you have made yourself with one of the molds listed above. This can quickly turn into a hobby, a supplemental income, or a way to spend quality time with your son or grandson, making memories (and maybe even a little bit of money.