Top Panfish Baits
Spring is upon us and panfish will begin to gorge themselves in preparation for the spawn. This is an excellent opportunity for anglers to stock their freezers while the water is still cold and fish are concentrated in small areas. Here are the 10 top baits to add to your panfish arsenal this season:
- Berkley Gulp! Alive! Minnows
If you have not used this bait yet and you are a panfish angler, you are really missing out. The Berkley Gulp! Alive! Minnows offer both excellent color schemes and scent. They come in both a one-inch size for those small bluegills and wary crappie, and a larger two-and-a-half-inch size for big crappie and perch. These baits are deadly when twitched and seem to catch fish regardless of the conditions.
- Southern Pro Lit’l Hustlers
Don’t let the price or basicness fool you, Southern Pro Lit’l Hustlers catch fish. These tubes come in the perfect sizes for most panfish applications and in a large range of colors. They also are very economical which comes in handy when tearing through a bunch of plastics. These are made of a very soft rubber which helps keep the fish from dropping the bait before setting the hook.
- Berkley Gulp! Alive! Maggots
Imagine this: You just got to your favorite fishing spot and all of your bait is dead. Berkley Gulp! Alive! Maggots will end up saving your day. These baits are as close to the real thing as you can get and are excellent for tipping jigs or fishing on a single hook and can be deadly effective for all panfish.
- Leland’s Panfish Magnet 85 Piece Kit
This is your “couple hours to fish” kit. Leland’s Panfish Magnet 85 Piece Kit offers a wide range of colors and includes jigheads and a box. These are the perfect size for most panfish and the Trout Magnet kits work just as well.
- Bobby Garland Baby Shad
This bait is an absolute crappie and perch killing machine. At two-inches in length, with a slim body profile, the Bobby Garland Baby Shad is perfect for just about any day. They also come in a huge variety of colors for almost anywhere in the country. This bait is a sure bet to put more fish in your basket.
- Strike King Mr. Crappie Slabalicious
Reading its name should be a compelling enough argument to give the Strike King Mr. Crappie Slabalicious a try. You can go from jigging the bottom with it to fishing it under a float like any other jig and it remains highly effective. This bait is very popular in the pro crappie circuit and is another important tool for your tackle box.
- Southern Pro Tiny Worms
This is the perfect bait for anyone to tie on and catch fish. With a soft body and a scent fish cannot resist, the Southern Pro Tiny Worms do a great job. The tail of this jig dances with the slightest jig or chop on top of the water. Whether you are targeting bluegills or crappie, give this bait a try.
- Berkley Gulp! Alive! Fish Fry
This bait has been on the market for awhile and is highly overlooked. The size of this bait makes it very diverse and the Gulp! Scent is a proven fish producer. The Fish Fry are enticing to even the most finicky fish.
