Nothing can usually out perform a minnow in the open water, but one thing I learned about five years ago that matches the success and has worked GREAT for a couple weeks right after ice out is using a ratso 4-6 ft. behind a bubble bobber fishing in the channels and mouths of feeder creeks, keep it moving slowly, you can cover a lot of water. Don't be afraid to go shallow, have caught limits of BIG crappie in March/April in 1-2 feet of water in channels next to heat absorbing structure (concrete walls, piers, overhanging trees/bushes).
Black/chartreuse creme mini tail tubes under a bobber. Fishin 1-1.5ft deep in 2-3ft fow. Had my limit in less than 2hrs sunday and tuesday. Look for muck bottom areas or places where lily pads grow right after ice off... Those areas warm up alot faster due to the bottom being black, wich atrracts alot of fish early!! Channel I fished today hit 50 degrees surface temp!
Been tearing them up on tubes the last few days on Morse. With or w/o a crappie king bobber and pretty much any color. I rarely use minnows in the spring. They are way to active and it would just slow me down.
x2 agreed!!! I rarely ever use minnows anymore in the spring...
