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The Best Crankbaits for Crappie: A Complete Guide

By: FishUSA Staff

September 18, 2024

Crankbaits are one of the most effective and versatile lures for crappie fishing. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned angler, using crankbaits to target crappie can help you cover large areas of water, trigger aggressive strikes, and consistently land fish. In this guide, we’ll break down the best types of crankbaits for crappie, recommend specific products, and provide tips on how to use them effectively.

Crankbaits are one of the most effective and versatile lures for crappie fishing. Whether you' a beginner or a seasoned angler, using crankbaits to target crappie can help you cover large areas of water, trigger aggressive strikes, and consistently land fish. In this guide, we’ll break down the best types of crankbaits for crappie, recommend specific products, and provide tips on how to use them effectively.

Table of Contents

  • Why Crankbaits for Crappie
  • Best Shallow-Diving Crankbaits for Crappie
  • Best Medium-Diving Crankbaits for Crappie
  • Best Deep-Diving Crankbaits for Crappie
  • Best Lipless Crankbaits for Crappie
  • How To Fish Crankbaits for Crappie
  • Crappie Crankbait Buying Guide
  • Final Thoughts

Why Crankbaits for Crappie?

Crankbaits offer a unique advantage when fishing for crappie. They can be used to cover a lot of water quickly, making them great for locating schools of crappie. Their action mimics the swimming movements of baitfish, a key food source for crappie. Crankbaits also work well in different environments, including shallow and deep waters, making them highly versatile for crappie fishing throughout the year.

Benefits of Using Crankbaits for Crappie

  • Versatility: Crankbaits work in both shallow and deep water, making them useful for different seasons.
  • Coverage: Crankbaits allow you to cover more water compared to other lures, helping you locate schools of crappie faster.
  • Attractiveness: Their swimming action mimics baitfish, making them appealing to crappie, especially during feeding times.

Best Shallow-Diving Crankbaits for Crappie

Shallow-diving crankbaits are ideal for targeting crappie during the spring or early fall when they are found in shallower waters. These crankbaits typically dive between 2 to 6 feet, making them effective when fishing near submerged cover, docks, or shallow weed edges.

Berkley Flicker Shad

Buy The Berkley Flicker Shad

The Berkley Flicker Shad is one of the most popular crankbaits for crappie. With its tight wobble action, it mimics small baitfish and dives to 5-6 feet, making it ideal for targeting crappie in shallow water. It also comes in a variety of colors, allowing you to match the local baitfish or water conditions.

Key Features:

  • Small sizes dives to 5-6 feet
  • Tight wobble mimics baitfish
  • Available in multiple colors to suit water clarity

Rebel Crickhopper

Buy The Rebel Crickhopper

A timeless classic, the Rapala Shad Rap is known for its natural swimming action and dives between 4 to 6 feet. It works well in both clear and stained water, making it a great option for spring and fall crappie fishing near shallow structures.

Key Features:

  • Dives 4-6 feet
  • Natural, tight swimming action
  • Works well in both clear and stained water

Best Medium-Diving Crankbaits for Crappie

Medium-diving crankbaits are the go-to option for crappie fishing when crappie are suspended in deeper water, typically between 6 and 12 feet. These crankbaits allow you to target crappie near ledges, drop-offs, and deeper brush piles.

Bandit 200 Series

Buy The Bandit 200 Series

The Bandit 200 Series is perfect for crappie holding in deeper waters. With a diving depth of 6-8 feet, this crankbait is excellent for fishing drop-offs, submerged structure, and along deeper channels. Its wide variety of colors allows anglers to adapt to various water conditions.

Key Features:

  • Dives 6-8 feet
  • Ideal for deeper structure fishing
  • Available in a range of effective colors

Strike King Pro Model 3XD

Buy The Strike King Pro Model 3XD

The Strike King 3XD is designed to dive quickly to medium depths, around 10 feet, making it ideal for crappie in deeper channels or near deep structure. Its sharp wobble and fast diving action make it a great choice for targeting crappie in transition.

Key Features:

  • Dives to 10 feet
  • Sharp, tight wobble for aggressive bites
  • Suitable for deeper structure and suspended crappie

Rapala DT Series

Buy The Rapala DT Series

The Rapala DT (Dives-To) Series is designed to dive to a specific depth and maintain that depth throughout the retrieve. The DT6 model dives to 6 feet, making it perfect for mid depth crappie fishing. The consistent running depth makes it ideal for working around submerged cover.

Key Features:

  • Dives to 6 feet
  • Consistent running depth
  • Available in a range of colors

Best Deep-Diving Crankbaits for Crappie

When crappie move into deeper water, especially in cooler months, deep-diving crankbaits are essential. These crankbaits can dive between 10 to 20 feet, allowing you to target crappie in deeper lakes, reservoirs, or river channels. It can be a challenge to find a good deep diving crankbait for crappie as most have a large body size. The following crankbaits match a deep diving depth with a small body size, perfect for crappie. 

Bandit 300 Series Crankbait

Buy The Bandit 300 Series Crankbait

The Bandit 300 Series Crankbait is designed to reach depths of up to 12 feet and has just a 2” body, making it perfect for crappie fishing in deeper water. Its wide wobbling action triggers bites from crappie holding in deeper channels or near deep structure.

Key Features:

  • Dives 10-12 feet
  • Wide wobble action
  • Ideal for deeper channels and ledges

Rapala Deep Tail Dancer

Buy The Rapala Deep Tail Dancer

The Rapala Deep Tail Dancer dives up to 15 feet and is excellent for targeting crappie in deep lakes or reservoirs. Its slow, rolling action is perfect for triggering bites from crappie that are feeding on deeper baitfish schools and its body measures just 2 ¾”.

Key Features:

  • Dives to 15 feet
  • Rolling action for deep-water crappie
  • Great for large reservoirs

Best Lipless Crankbaits for Crappie

Lipless crankbaits are unique because they lack a traditional diving bill. Instead, they rely on their weight and action to produce intense vibrations, making them highly effective for crappie in open water or over flats.

Strike King Red Eye Shad

Buy The Strike King Red Eye Shad

The Strike King Red Eye Shad is a favorite among anglers for its high vibration and loud rattle, which attract crappie from a distance. It’s especially effective in open water or for fishing near submerged structure.

Key Features:

  • Intense vibration and noise
  • Effective in open water or over flats, especially around weeds
  • Available in various sizes and colors

Rapala Rippin’ Rap

Buy The Rapala Rippin’ Rap

The Rapala Rippin’ Rap is a versatile lipless crankbait that works well for crappie in both warm and cold water. Its loud rattles and vibrating action make it great for vertical jigging or casting.

Key Features:

  • Loud rattles for extra attraction
  • Works well in both cold and warm water
  • Ideal for jigging or casting

How to Fish Crankbaits for Crappie

Trolling Crankbaits

Trolling crankbaits is one of the most efficient ways to cover water and locate crappie. Use shallow-diving crankbaits like the Berkley Flicker Shad or medium-diving crankbaits like the Bandit 200 Series depending on the depth where crappie are holding.

Casting and Retrieving

When crappie are holding near structure, casting crankbaits like the Rapala Shad Rap or Strike King Red Eye Shad is highly effective. Cast past the structure and retrieve slowly, pausing occasionally to mimic a wounded baitfish.

Vertical Jigging

Vertical jigging with lipless crankbaits like the Rapala Rippin’ Rap can trigger aggressive bites, especially in colder water when crappie are holding tight to the bottom.

Buying Guide: Choosing the Best Crappie Crankbait

Diving Depth

The depth range is crucial. Shallow-diving crankbaits are ideal for spring and fall, while medium and deep-diving crankbaits work best in deeper water during summer and winter.

Color

Match the color of your crankbait to the water conditions. Natural colors like silver and shad work best in clear water, while bright colors like chartreuse are more visible in stained or muddy water.

Size

Crappie are relatively small fish, so selecting the right-sized crankbait is important. Most crappie crankbaits range between 1.5 to 3 inches, with smaller sizes being more effective for targeting schools of crappie.

Final Thoughts

Crankbaits are a highly effective tool for catching crappie, whether you’re casting around structure or trolling open water. By selecting the right type of crankbait based on diving depth, size, and color, you can increase your chances of landing more crappie. Don’t forget to adjust your techniques based on the season and water conditions to get the most out of your crankbait fishing.

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