Slab crappies are meat eaters—sure enough minnow munchers. They take artificials well at times, especially jigs—but big crappie will turn their noses at even the best of the best crappie lures.

Water level is 7.98 feet high and stained to clear. Water temperature in the low 80s. Bass anglers still reporting good numbers on heavy Texas rigs flipped in flooded brush. Fishing guide Mike ...