CRAPPIE FISHING HOW TO: JULY GUIDE

We’ll break down crappie patterns to look for during July and detail how to catch the most fish this time of year.

Each month of the summer offers a unique fishing opportunity and unique challenges for crappie anglers. We’ll break down each month and help you find the perfect pattern for your preferred style of crappie fishing this summer.

July Crappie Fishing

For most of the country, July is the toughest month of the year to catch crappie consistently and in good numbers. The reason for this is multi-faceted.

First, it’s just downright hot, both in the air and in the water. July also tends to be the driest month of the year meaning water becomes stagnant and low on oxygen. These factors make fishing of any kind tough. Add the fact that forage abundance is at its peak, and you have a recipe for tight-lipped crappie. Oh, and don’t forget. Boat traffic also tends to be at fever pitch.

You might be thinking at this point, “Then what’s the point in fishing at all?”

Well, for starters, fishing is awesome no matter when you get to go. Secondly, Bobby Garland Crappie Baits has designed jigs to not only catch crappie during the dog days of summer, but to excel at it.

In this July crappie guide, we’ll help dial-in your approach with tips and tricks from our firsthand experiences.

July Crappie Baits

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times: You’ve got to downsize your bait come summertime.

There are two main reasons for this:

• Forage Matching: If you use any electronic fish-finding devices made in the past 20 years, your graphs will probably show you a lot of bait in the water. Between aquatic insects, terrestrials and baitfish, there is more than enough food to go around in July. Most of these abundant forage species are less than 2 inches in length.
• Conditions: Water conditions are at their toughest, which makes crappie both picky and lethargic. Water clarity also tends to be at its clearest in July, making bait profile and color paramount to coaxing bites from crappie.

Bobby Garland designed the Itty Bit Series to combat these decisive factors.

• Itty Bit Slab Hunt’R – 1.25” jig features prop style tail for unique and lifelike motion, ribbing for natural vibration and scent application as well as a body design that excels across techniques. Comfortably fits jigheads with size 8 hook or size 6 sickle hook. Available in 25 colors. 20-pack MSRP $3.99.
• Itty Bit Slab Slay’R – 1.25” jig features a full ribbed body with concave spear tail. Great for dock shooting, slip-corking and vertical jigging. Rig concave side down for more tail action and slower fall. Rig concave side up for sleeker action and erratic fall. Comfortably fits jigheads with size 8 hook or size 6 sickle hook. Available in 8 colors. 20-pack MSRP $3.99.
• Itty Bit Swim’R – 1.25” jig features jointed tail with subtle swim paddle. Fantastic summer bait for crappie, sunfish and perch, especially in small water. Comfortably fits jigheads with size 8 hook or smaller. Available in 18 colors. 20-pack MSRP $3.99.
• Itty Bits Jighead – 1/48- and 1/64-ounce jigheads feature size 8 hooks and downward bait keeper for snug Itty Bit jig fit. 10-pack MSRP $4.99.

Forward-facing and live sonar have taught us so much about crappie behavior in the last decade. Every time we fish, we learn or confirm something new about crappie fishing. This has greatly influenced innovative crappie jig, jighead and accessory designs.

Forward facing sonar has taught us that the Itty Bit Series allows anglers to confidently jig fish when many other anglers switch to live minnows.

But you don’t need forward facing and live sonar to catch crappie in July.

Depth will be key and that can be determined by trolling, spider rigging or counting off your jig fall in reliable places like docks or standing timber. Actively feeding crappie seem to position at a similar depth across habitats in the same body of water, especially in the summer.

If your time on the water is limited, hop from dock-to-dock, pitching and shooting the shaded areas. Work all available angles allowing the jig to work through the different depths and keep moving until you find active schools.

Jig Colors

As mentioned above, water tends to be at its clearest in July. Understanding what crappie are seeing and how they are seeing it is important when selecting an effective color.

Crappie are usually deeper the clearer the water. Colors like silver, white, blue and chartreuse are most reliable in those environments.

Note whether landed fish have the hook in the lip or down towards the gullet. If the hook is in the lip continue to experiment with colors while you’re on active fish. If you catch more than one fish with the hook toward the gullet, stay on that pattern all day.

It’s important to give crappie a pronounced silhouette to key in on, no matter the water conditions. This is why laminate (top one color, bottom a different color) jigs are so effective for catching crappie.

• Clear Water: Natural shades work best. We recommend the colors Tadpole, Monkey Milk, Blue Ice, Blue Thunder, Natural Cricket, Mayfly, Bleeding Shad, Crystal, Purple Monkey, Patriot, Chartreuse Red Glitter, Bone White/Chartreuse and Pecan Cream.
• Stained Water: Bright colors are most effective. We recommend the colors Live Minnow, Threadfin Shad, Cajun Cricket, Electric Chicken, Bluegrass, Cherry Lime, Sweet Tea W Lemon, BBQ Chicken, Bayou Booger and Mo Glo Green Lantern.
• Muddy Water: Dark contrasting colors as well as orange perform best. We recommend the colors Blue Chrome, Hot Tater, Grenada Gold, Fried Shad, Lights Out, Black Gum, Mud Dauber, Horsefly and Black/Hot Pink.

Top July Picks

Best All-Around – 1.25” Itty Bit Slab Hunt’R rigged on a 1/32-ounce Overbite Sickle jighead. Best on medium-light action rod/reel and 4- to 6-pound test line. Add a medium-sized piece of split shot 12” to 18” above your knot for faster fall and jig control.

Clear Water Colors: Hummingbird, Monkey Milk, Glacier, Blue Ice, Purple Monkey, Blood Minnow, Coppernose, Bright White, Sandfly and Bone White/Chartreuse.

Stained Water Colors: Threadfin Shad, Pearl Chartreuse, Cajun Cricket, Bluegrass, Electric Chicken, Live Minnow and Green Lantern.

Muddy Water Colors: Fried Shad, Hot Tater, Horsefly, Lights Out, Grenada Gold, Mud Dauber, Bluegill Fire and Junebug/Pearl Chartreuse.

Best Vertical Jigging – 1.25” Itty Bit Slab Slay’R rigged on a 1/48 Overbite Sickle jighead. Best on medium-light action rod/reel and 4- to 6-pound test line. Add a medium-sized piece of split shot 12” to 18” above your knot for faster fall and jig control.

Clear Water Colors: Blue Ice and Bone White/Chartreuse.

Stained Water Colors: Cajun Cricket, Electric Chicken and Double Silver Rainbow.

Muddy Water Colors: Black/Chartreuse Silver, Black/Hot Pink and Black Cricket.

Best Pond/Creek – 1.25” Itty Bit Swim’R rigged on a 1/64-ounce Itty Bits jighead. Best on light action rod/reel and 4lb test line. Add a small-sized piece of split shot to the line a foot above your knot or clip on a small spring float for best casting.

Clear Water Colors: Blue Thunder, Crystal, Monkey Milk, Key Lime Pie, Glacier, Ice Out, Eclipse, Blue Ice, Mayfly, Chartreuse/Red Glitter, Ghost Sparkle and Pearl White.

Stained Water Colors: Bluegrass, Outlaw Special, Cajun Cricket and Electric Chicken.

Muddy Water Colors: Lights Out and Screamer.

Bonus Pick – 1.75” Live Roam’R rigged upright on a 1/24 Mo’ Glo jighead. Best on medium-light action rod/reel and 4- to 6-pound test line. Add a medium-sized piece of split shot 12”- to 18” above your knot for faster fall and jig control.

Clear Water Colors: Pecan Cream, Blue Shiner, Speckled Pearl, Monkey Milk, Blue Ice, Bleeding Shad and Blue Thunder.

Stained Water Colors: Cajun Cricket, Electric Chicken, Bluegrass, Live Minnow, Threadfin Shad and Double Silver Rainbow.

Muddy Water Colors: Lights Out. More muddy water colors coming in 2025.