Ice fishing crappie lures are a popular lure that is typically used as bait. They can be made from wood, plastic, or metal and come in many different shapes and sizes. The ice fishing crappie lure was first invented to create something that would attract the fish using sound instead of a hook.
As ice anglers know, ice makes it difficult for hooks to penetrate so they came up with this idea which has been proven to work very well since its invention.
In order to have an effective ice fishing experience, you need to use the right and the best ice fishing gear. In this article, we will review 10 products to help ice fishermen find the crappies lures that fit their needs best.
Each crappie lure listed below has a short summary, some pros, and cons of each one based on customer reviews, so you can compare prices from multiple stores.
They are hard to choose and confusing, but we’re here to help. We’ve done the research and found 10 ice crappie lures that will work for you no matter what your budget is or where you live.
Our guide includes reviews of gear from top brands like Rapala, Berkley, and more!
What Types of Ice Lures Catch Crappie?
The best crappie ice fishing lures will have a variety of features including size, weight, and blade shape.
Crappie will often be in the shallower regions of a body of ice water so it is recommended ice fishermen pre-fish for them on ice jigs or winter crawlers to figure out the depth they prefer.
The best lures for fishing crappie through the ice are small jigs, 1-2 inch spoons, and wigglers.
These give them the structure they need to feed on minnows or other small insects while avoiding snags that can ruin your line! Jigs are available in a wide variety of sizes and colors, and even shapes. They also offer glow-in-the-dark options.
Generally speaking, the natural colors work better in clear, shallow water, while bright colors, chrome, and glow colors work best when you’re fishing at the deeper depths and low light times.
Tungsten jig is a denser and heavier metal than lead, which means you can make the same-size jig with a heaver tungsten one. Tungsten sinks to the correct depth more rapidly and provides a better response to your jigging strategy.
Tungsten is a somewhat harder metal, which means it is more sensitive to light bites. Here’s a brief rundown of the many types of crappie ice fishing lures:
Small Jigs
The smaller the jig, the better. Larger crappie like to eat various sorts of food and attack their prey in a variety of ways, so smaller jigs are an excellent fit for them.
You can jig them in many directions including vertically, horizontally, or held stationary on the bottom or at a precise depth. The size ranges from 1/32 to 1/64 oz for shallower water and 1/16 to 1/32 oz for deeper water.
Soft Plastics
Plastic baits come in a wide range of forms with features like tails, eyes, and cilia-like appendages.
They have an alluring wiggly and wavy motion that makes a crappie’s mouth water. crappie plastics are fantastic ice jig additions, especially when the bit gets difficult and live bait are not getting any results.
Small Spoons
Spoons mimic the appearance and movement of a startled or wounded minnow or shad.
The concave sides and rattles emit flash and vibrations to catch the fish’s attention, as well as sometimes making them snap at them. Go for larger spoons when crappie is holding deeper.
Jigging Baits
Solid-body lures imitate baitfish or other forage that is commonly used in horizontal lure approaches with wings and fins attached to create an unpredictable swimming motion. Jigs with nose, tail and treble hooks have a great hook-up ratio.
Best 10 Ice Fishing Crappie Lures
VMC Tear Drop
Summary
This crappie ice fishing lure is perfect when fished with a float, dead stick, or tip-up.
It features an oversized holographic eye that mimics fingerling-sized baitfish and other aquatic food that active feeding predators seek out at all times of the year.
VMC Tear Drop is available in UV colors. It is also available in natural baitfish, holographic finishes, and Ultra Glow pigments lasting up to 15 minutes.
Berkley Powerbait Crappie Nibbles
Summary
Berkley Power Bait Crappie Nibbles is one of the best ice fishing crappie bait you need to get on fish.
This ice fishing for crappie bait features dissolving pellets that disperse a scent cloud crappies and other panfish can’t resist.
Berkley Power Bait Crappie Nibbles are made to be perfectly sized to use it on hooks and small lures. They dissolve slowly in water. It comes in a chartreuse color and a 0.9-ounce jar.
Pros
- Good for beginner in ice crappie fishing
- Easy to use and comes off the hook very easily
Cons
- Smaller than expected
Rapala Ultra Light Rippin’ Rap
Summary
Rapala crappie lures are a great way to get the ice fishing crappie. They are considered one of the best ice fishing options.
The Rapala Ultra Light Rippin’ Rap is one of their best because it has lots of features. It’s not good for ice fishing in dark water, but it’s just right for clear ice or ice that’s stained.
It also casts really well and makes a distinctive sound when retrieving quickly or slowly. If you’re looking for an ice fishing crappie lure, this is the one!
The Rapala Ultra Light Rippin’ Rap has a long-casting body that will help you cast for longer distances.
The features include a variable running depth, textured scales and gills. There are also deep-set 3D holographic eyes and a lipless deep belly profile that is designed to crank and swim and rip.
It also includes tall skinny sides which flutter on the drop and a hard vibrating action on slow retrieves.
Pros
- Great for ultralight fishing.
- Works for various kinds of fish.
THKFISH Ice Fishing Jigs
Summary
The THKFISH jigs come with durable and heavy duty fishing jigs. They are made of lead material and the hooks are sharp and durable as well as designed to replicate the natural colorization process.
It’s important that ice fishermen know that these crappie lures come with 10 different shapes, 54 pieces in total that all come in high quality plastic boxes.
They also can catch various kinds of fish and all the ice fishermen need to do is select the right shape for their desired species.
THKFISH Jigs is designed to attract your target with its simulation fish scales design on the head which can reflect light.
With this product, you have 24h friendly customer service and email support as well as features chemically-sharpened barbed hook point ensures better penetration will improve hook-up ratios.
The heavy duty lure drops quickly due to its weight so it’s perfect for all types of fish!
Pros
- Great value for the money
- High quality
Dancin’ Waxie Super Soft Plastic Fishing Lures
Summary
Dancin’ Waxie Super Soft Plastic Fishing Lures has four features that make them stand out among other ice work ice fish lures:
- It is made from super soft plastic to provide maximum action
- intense Baitfish scent to attract fish from further distances
- glow in the dark to attract fish, even more, when natural light or black light is present
- Glow effect needs natural light or black light to start to glow action
The Dancin’ Waxie Super Soft Plastic Fishing Lure has all of these features which will help your ice fishing trip be a success.
Pros
- Worth the money
Cons
- A little bit fragile
- Maybe they need to glow more
Tungsten Ice Jig Kit with Premium case
Summary
Tungsten Ice Jig Kit is an ice fishing jig kit that includes 24 ice jigs, 18 UV Painted ice jigs and 6 silver/gold ice jigs. You will also find that some glow in the dark!
This kit includes super sharp Hayabusa Japanese hooks. It has a small profile and helps to feel lighter bites better. You can feel the bottom better through the tungsten as well as a premium case to store your jigs safely.
Pros
- The lure holder is compact and shuts solid.
- Small and good for traveling
Lindy Little Nipper Jig Hand
Summary
Lindy Little Nipper Jig Hand is a great crappie lure for ice fishermen. It has 2 per pack, comes in a variety of colors and feathers that are tied and glued to the lure. The feathers add more action to these baits while continuously moving in the water.
It is effective on panfish, trout, walleye, steelhead, crappies, and other panfish because it can be used in colder waters since there are no soft plastics involved.
Pros
- Durable
- Works for various species.
- Qualiy fishing lure
THKFISH Ice Fishing Lures 26 pcs for Crappie
Summary
It’s hard to find lures of more high quality than what THKFISH has to offer. This crappie lure is made of high-quality carbon steel which gives the ice fishing lure its weight.
The reason why they are so effective is the weight when the fish are a little deeper. It works great on dirt, rock, or gravel bottom. It also comes with part jigs glow in the dark for darker water and low-light conditions!
They are also incredibly attractive to the targets because they are balanced with different glow in the dark colors. The lures are made to attract fish from a wider area by using some slobs, good all around action, and Vivid colors.
Pros
- Good value for the price
- The container is good
- High-quality product
Cons
- The paint has some rashy missing spots and not very good.
Acme Tungsten Sling Blade Ice Jig
Summary
Acme Tungsten Sling Blade Ice Jig is an ice fishing crappie lure that can make any bait come to life. With its hook swinging action on a singular axis, it’s able to produce any lure with an unparalleled tail whipping action for more aggressive bites.
Tungsten Glow Jig Kit with Tackle Box
Summary
This ice fishing crappie lure kit includes a custom painted tungsten glow jig, two ultra-sharp hooks with eyelets clear of paint, and a tackle box that functions as both storage for the lures and an ice chest.
The foam slots in the ice chest allow for easy removal and storage of them while also keeping them organized. In addition to bluegill, this grapple kit is suitable for perch or any sunfish species.
Pros
- Amazing for different fish species
- The UV colors works great
- High quality
- Durable
- Good packaging
Cons
- The eyelets is small
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best bait for ice fishing crappie?
The best crappie bait for ice fishermen is probably live minnows. One way to find the right bait for a certain fish is through trial and error.
For example, if you want larger white crappies then minnows are usually going to show up as most effective when fished around structures in deeper water with slower speeds such as jigs. Black bass can sometimes be caught on lures that have grubs well enough!
How do you catch crappie on the ice?
Jigging is one of the most used ways of fishing for crappie. Here are a few steps to learn it:
1. Just drop your bait until it reaches the bottom through the holes.
2. Reel up and try to keep moving upward slowly and lightly.
3. Sooner or later, you will start to feel some bites.
The Bottom Line
ice fishing crappie lures are very important as a fisherman to have in your arsenal. Not only do they provide the bait for catching fish, but they also attract them through their colors and movement patterns.
it’s all about what you can see underwater. To make sure that your lure is up to snuff, we recommend picking one of our ten best crappie lures on this list! Many of these crappie lures work well with almost any species of fish so if you want something versatile then these may be just right for you.