Crappie

Worms, crickets and other live bait will nearly always catch panfish, but if you want to catch more panfish, switch to jigs. Bug-like jigs rate as outstanding imitations and tiny is better than big when it comes to picking the most effective jigs.

Fast-paced fishing for jumbo crappie, beautiful scenery, a get-away-from-it-all atmos

Spring's a productive time to fish crappie as these panfish stack-up on predictable spots and are often willing biters. Immediately following ice-out you'll find crappie in and around protected, shallow water. These zones are teeming with forage, and crappie will feed heartily for several weeks until the water's warm enough for spawning, which occurs between late spring and early summer.

The importance of zooplankton, insect larvae and other invertebrates cannot be understated when it comes to ice fishing crappie — and other panfish for that matter. When papermouths are fixated on a specific type of forage, having a top-notch replica tied on is essential.

One of the hardest things anglers face as winter begins to loosen its grip on the land is what species to go after.

Perhaps it's because of the long winter and high snow banks, but I'm itching — big time — for some spring crappie. I'm a bit of a fishing tackle junkie when it comes to baits, no matter the species. Here are five of my favorite baits for early-season slabs.

The challenge of bass fishing in the winter months can be made easier with bait tips from Jimmy Houston, host of Jimmy Houston Outdoors.

Winter crappie often hold on points sloping toward bottom channels. Among the best lures for fishing these areas are small, deep diving, baitfish-imitating crankbaits.

Freezing cold weather may not be the ideal time to be

Every serious crappie fisherman out there has his own thoughts on what works best and why. The majority of traditional ice fishermen you see braving the frozen lakes and ponds stick to live bait with the belief that not much can beat the real thing. However, high-tech materials and phosphorescent paints have been changing the minds of anglers as to what catches the most fish.