One of the most underrated fish that can be found just about anywhere is the crappie. Called by a dozen different monikers throughout the country, from slabs, calico bass, papermouths, etc., crappies are just plain fun to catch and real table treats, too. Likewise, they are an all-season fish, though most of us think about seeking them during the spring season.

This scrappy crappie was fooled by a Panfish Assassin lure. Photo by J.B. Kasper.

One of the best ways of catching crappies is with small jigs and plastic baits and using ultralight spinning tackle. The evolution of crappie fishing with plastic baits has been a 50-year process that dates back to the 1960s; the end products we now use offer us some of the most deadly soft baits ever developed. Modern injection molding processes now produce the tiny, soft, natural looking and feeling goodies that crappies find irresistible. Let's take a look at five of the best plastic baits that have come along in recent years.

UNCLE BUCK'S CRAPPIE MINNOW
If I had to pick one plastic bait that defies logic when it comes to catching crappies, it would have to be Uncle Buck's Crappie Minnow. This bait comes in several basic and metal flake colors that are nothing fancy. This 2-inch slim minnow looks like something a kid would make from a plastic molding kit. But you know something? It sure does catch crappies! Its simplicity is the key to its productivity.

Uncle Buck's Minnow is ideal for working shallow waters when retrieved with a slow, steady motion while tapping the tip of your rod to give it a flutter. This 2-inch flat plastic bait makes a good choice in waters that have skinny type minnows present.

The best types of jigs to use with the bait are ones with long shank hooks in 1/64-, 1/32- or 1/16-ounce weights. Another good way to fish this particular plastic is to hook it up with a long shank wire hook and place a split shot or piece of strip lead about a foot to 18 inches ahead of the lure. You can then retrieve it with a stop-and-go motion that imitates a minnow moving from place to place.

LUNKER CITY FIN-S SHAD
Our next plastic bait is produced by Lunker City. The Fin-S Shad is the junior member of the Fin-S Fish line of plastic baits, which have been very effective for a variety of fish both in fresh water and salt water. This 1 3/4-inch plastic comes in 13 colors and natural patterns. A chunky body and thin forked tail make for a good imitation of all types of minnows and baitfish. Crappies, even the bigger ones, prefer smaller baits; this lure's small size is one of its big pluses. Its thin tail provides lifelike action that makes it ideal for dead-sticking crappies that are suspended in deeper water. A gentle breeze that causes the boat to rock up and down will put a dancing motion into the bait's tail, which crappies find very inviting. Here, too, you will want to keep your jigs small, 1/64, 1/32 or 1/16 ounce, and a short shank hook makes a better choice for this short bait.

BASS PRO SHOPS TINY BEAVER
The newest of the small plastic baits we are discussing is the Tiny Beaver, which is produced by Bass Pro Shops. The Tiny Beaver comes in 12 colors and natural patterns and it is a very durable bait. Tiny Beavers are a cross between a nymph and a crayfish, two prime forages for crappies. Their chubby body makes them an ideal choice when you need a slow-sinking plastic bait, especially in the early and late season.

Cold water is much denser than warm water, and as a result, Tiny Beavers dressed on 1/64-ounce jigs will cause the plastic bait to drift to the bottom at a slower pace. Flat- nosed jigs, such as a shad dart, will cause them to drift side to side as they fall, producing an enticing action.