On a recent fishing trip I could see the Crappies off the dock but they were just nibbling on the tubes and grubs I was using. Anything you can think of that would solve this problem?

First, you have to diagnose the problem, and I see two possibilities.  It could be that the crappie simply aren’t hungry enough to go after what you’re presenting.  If this is the case, I would suggest trying something more appetizing.  Look for something with a strong, sharp scent that will attract their attention.  When I want to motivate crappie into action, I’ll grab some stinkbait.  The smell permeates the water and seems to excite the appetite.

The other possibility is that the crappie recognize your presentation for what it is – bait.  A couple of things could be going on here.  I don’t know how clear the water is where you’re fishing, but the fish could be spotting your line.  Try using thinner line – crappie aren’t big and heavy, and you can use lightweight line.  It could also be that your lures aren’t realistic enough and are spotted as phonies.  I know it sounds ridiculous, but crappie aren’t as stupid as you think.  Try something that moves in a more realistic fashion, like spinning jigs.  Aside from these looking more real, they also make it difficult for “nibbling” to occur, forcing fish to take a real bite and get hooked on the line.

One other thing to take into consideration is the size of the lures you are using.  For crappie, your lures should be relatively small because the fish’s mouth isn’t large.  If you have a lure that is oversized, the crappie literally can’t do more than nibble, and you’ll never get a real bite.

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