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.

Almost every Arkansas angler loves to catch a big mess of good-eating crappie. Winter provides a great time to do this. Crappie feed actively this season and often gather in large schools when the ...