• The crappie is a member of the sunfish family.sunfish image by Lucid_Exposure from Fotolia.com
  
  The crappie (pronounced "croppy") is a freshwater panfish in the sunfish family, which means it's typically small enough to fit in a frying pan. Two of the most popular species that North American anglers pursue are black crappie and white crappie. You can catch these fish in a wide variety of fresh water, including ponds, reservoirs, lakes, streams and the backwaters of large rivers. If you're going crappie fishing, several bait tips can help you be more successful.
  
  

Preserving Live Minnows

• According to Dan Eggertsen's website Ask About Crappie Fishing, live minnows are the best bait for catching crappie. The two most common minnows are flatheads and golden shiners. The problem with fishing with live minnows is that unless the water you're holding them in is oxygenated, they will die either while you're fishing or before you reach your fishing destination. The website Hidden Fishing Tips recommends buying a small aerator, such as you might use for a fish tank, and installing it in your bait bucket. Two aerators are even better.
  
  

Hooking Live Minnows

• Now that you know how to keep your minnows alive, you can learn how to hook a minnow without killing it. According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, one of the best methods is to insert the hook just behind the minnow’s dorsal fin, making sure not to puncture its spine. This allows the minnow to swim freely. Alternatively, Hidden Fishing Tips recommends inserting the hook through the minnow’s bottom lip and then pushing it up through its top lip. This will allow the minnow to swim more naturally.
  
  

Jig and Minnow Combination

• As an alternative to attaching a minnow to a hook, try attaching a minnow to a jig. A jig typically consists of a weighted metal ball, a hook and a skirt or trailer that attracts fish. According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, chartreuse, yellow, and white are the best colors for jigs when it comes to catching crappie.
  
  

Ice-Fishing Baits

• Although minnows are by far the bait of choice for reeling in crappie, during ice-fishing season some anglers change their strategy. If minnows don't seem to be attracting any attention while you're fishing through the ice, try using bait worms. Some of the best options include mealworms, mousies, silver wigglers and wax worms.