How to rig a soft plastic grub on a crappie jig head

WOW Grub 2" Soft Plastic Fishing Grubs

Thread the hook through the nose of the grub and bring it out so the curl of the tail bends the opposite way from the bend of the hook -- that keeps the tail kicking instead of fouling against the hook point, and it stops the bait from twisting your line. Then match the jig head to the conditions: the lightest weight you can still feel, from about 1/32 ounce in calm, shallow water up to 1/4 ounce once you're fishing wind or water past 20 feet deep.

Push the hook through on the seam

Arkansas's AGFC describes pushing the hook in through the center of the grub's nose and threading it forward until the hook's bend begins, then bringing the point out through the plastic. The agency's tip for keeping the bait running straight instead of swimming off to one side: line the hook up with the seam left on the body from the mold it was poured in. A crooked hook through a straight seam is the most common reason a grub spins or runs sideways on the retrieve.

Point the tail away from the hook

Once the hook is through, twist the grub on the shank until the curl of the tail curves opposite the bend of the hook. AGFC says this is what gets the most action out of the tail and keeps the bait from twisting the line on the retrieve. It also keeps the thin edge of the tail from wrapping around and catching on the hook point -- a grub that's hooked the wrong way can cost a strike because the tail is already covering the hook when a crappie closes its mouth on it.

Match the jig head to the conditions

AGFC's rule of thumb for a 2-inch twister-tail grub, the size most crappie jigs use, is to start around 1/32 ounce in calm, shallow water and go as heavy as 1/4 ounce once you're fishing wind or water deeper than 20 feet. For crappie specifically, the agency pairs a 2-inch tail with a 1/16- or 1/8-ounce head most of the time. Missouri's MDC gives similar light-tackle advice for spring, when crappie move shallow to spawn: a 1/32- to 1/16-ounce jig worked slowly along the bank. The idea behind both is the same -- use the least weight that still lets you feel the bottom or feel a bite, because a lighter jig falls slower and gives a crappie more time to look at it.

Slow down as the water cools

How you work the grub once it's rigged matters as much as how it's tied on. MDC says the key to crappie fishing in cold water is a very slow retrieve, since fish aren't chasing anything aggressively once the water cools. In summer, MDC points anglers to brush piles in 15 to 20 feet of water, with the jig suspended 10 to 15 feet down -- count it down to the fish instead of bouncing it on bottom. Let the fish tell you the depth and speed that works that day rather than fishing the same way every trip.

Common mistakes

  • Threading the hook off the seam, so the grub spins instead of swimming straight.
  • Hooking the tail so it curls the same direction as the hook bend, which cuts down on action and can let the tail cover the hook point.
  • Tying on a jig head too heavy for the conditions -- it sinks past suspended fish before they see it.
  • Fishing a fast retrieve in cold water, when a very slow retrieve is what gets bit.

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Frequently asked questions

Should a crappie grub's tail point up or down?

Think of it relative to the hook, not up or down: AGFC's guidance is to rig the tail so its curl bends opposite the hook's bend. That's what gives the tail the most action and keeps it from twisting your line.

What jig head weight should I use for a 2-inch crappie grub?

AGFC pairs a 2-inch tail with a 1/16- or 1/8-ounce head for crappie most of the time, going as light as 1/32 ounce in calm shallow water and as heavy as 1/4 ounce in wind or water past 20 feet.

Why does my grub spin instead of swimming straight?

The hook is usually off-center. AGFC recommends lining the hook up with the seam left on the grub from the mold so it runs true instead of swimming to one side.

How slow should I retrieve a jig in cold water?

Very slow. Missouri's MDC says a very slow retrieve is the key to catching crappie in winter, since the fish aren't chasing anything aggressively in cold water.

What depth should I fish a grub in summer?

MDC finds summer crappie holding around brush piles in 15 to 20 feet of water, suspended about 10 to 15 feet down -- count the jig down to that depth instead of fishing bottom.

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