Bobby Garland Slab Slay'R

The Bobby Garland® Slab Slay'R gives crappie anglers a subtle presentation for pressured, neutral or suspended fish. Its thin spear-tail responds to minimal movement, letting you work a bait near fish without relying on an aggressive retrieve.

A ribbed solid body pairs with a thin spear-tail that quivers with small rod-tip shakes, boat sway or current. That gentle, breathing action suits vertical presentations around brush and timber, along with casts to individual fish located on forward-facing sonar.

Choose the size that fits the bite: 3-inch baits come in 10-count packs, 2-inch baits in 12-count packs and 1.25-inch baits in 20-count packs. Each size is a separate selection.

Reach for the Slab Slay'R when crappie follow a bait without committing, hold around cover or call for a smaller, subtler presentation. Adjust location and retrieve through the seasons:

• Spring: Swim a bait slowly around spawning pockets, banks, brush, laydowns and docks. A 1/16 oz jighead is a suggested starting point; add pauses or fish beneath a float.
• Post-spawn: Shoot docks, swim beneath pontoon floats or suspend the bait under a slip float. Start with a light twitch-and-pause retrieve.
• Summer: Work vertically around brush piles and deep timber. Start with 1/16 oz to 1/8 oz jigheads and use small movements near suspended fish.
• Fall: Try the 2-inch size when casting to roaming crappie or fishing around young shad moving into creek arms.
• Winter: Hold the bait nearly still near fish, adding subtle rod-tip shakes. Let current and boat movement contribute to the presentation.

Target fish with forward-facing sonar

Locate a fish, cast beyond it and let the bait swing toward the target. Reduce forward movement as the bait approaches, then add tiny wrist shakes. Watch the fish's response and adjust the amount of movement instead of automatically speeding up.

Work docks and brush

For dock shooting, propel the jig low beneath a dock and let it fall into the target area. Around brush, hold the bait near the cover and use small lifts or pauses. Suggested dock-shooting weights are 1/32 oz or 1/48 oz; 1/8 oz is an option when open-water casting distance or depth control calls for more weight.

Fine-tune the tail presentation

Try rigging the tail cup side up, then cup side down to change its action before switching colors or baits. Keep movements small when fish show interest but will not bite. Suggested line is 4–8 lb test.

• 3-inch — 10 count: Choose the larger profile for aggressive fish or deeper presentations.
• 2-inch — 12 count: An all-around starting size for matching young shad and fishing several techniques.
• 1.25-inch — 20 count: Downsize for a finesse presentation around highly pressured fish.

Use water clarity to choose a starting color from the options offered for your selected size. These recommendations do not mean every color is offered in every size.

• Dirty water, under 1 ft visibility: Electric Chicken, Chartreuse Silver Chartreuse, Moon Bug or Hummingbird.
• Stained water, 1–3 ft visibility: Cajun Cricket, Fried Shad, Keystone Candy, Pink Lemonade or Monkey Milk.
• Clear water, over 3 ft visibility: Bone White Pearl White, Sour Milk, Double Silver Rainbow or Blue Ice.