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.

Carolina rig fishing for bass can be effective throughout the year and at a wide range of depths, but it works best in more than 10 feet of water after bass are done spawning. A Carolina rig can be a ...