Crappie take small plastic jigs, jig-and-spinner combos and live minnows. But the one you chose to try often makes the difference between a good day and a great one. Lures are often better for quickly covering shallow spawning areas, and they can enable you to find fish fast. If water temperatures are warm, they may also be the best choice for filling the fish box.

In sparse cover, a 1/32- or 1/16-ounce Beetle Spin is an outstanding, although often overlooked, lure. Relatively weedless, it can cover a lot of water quickly, and few veterans start their search without one rigged on an ultra-light rod.

If fish are located over a relatively clean bottom, shifting to a bare jig can often be a better bet, especially in clearer water. Crawled slowly over spawning beds, it's an offering few bedding crappie can resist.

In heavier cover, slipping a bare jig onto a cane pole under a float is a surprisingly quick way to probe small openings. Crappie normally strike the jig as it drops after it hits the water. Let it sink and twitch it twice, and if nothing happens hit another opening.

If the water is cooler, however, a live minnow is normally a better bet. These can be fished on a small gold hook or tipped onto a jighead.

In open water situations, savvy anglers fare better by mixing the bait selection - bare jigs, minnow-tipped jigs or just minnows. Crappie can be surprisingly finicky, and you often have to let the fish tell you what they want. It is best to have both bait and lures on hand.

Few fish are as color-selective as crappie, and their preference can change during the day. While every lake may have its "favorite" jig color combo, it is best to have a number of hues on hand.

In turbid waters, high visibility colors like pink, yellow, fluorescent chartreuse and pearl white are often the most effective, while clearer water calls for black, brown, green or pumpkinseed.

Regardless of which is working, however, when the action slows it is wise to start experimenting with different colors. That can often re-trigger the bite after the school has had a long look at the previous color.