Top Texas Panfish Lures From the lakes in the East Texas Piney Woods to cold Texas Hill Country streams panfish of all varieties are popular among Lone Star State anglers. And, whether it be crappie, bluegill, Rio Grande perch, or any other of the myriad of panfish that call Texas home, there are a handful of lures that every panfish angler should have in their box. One of the most overlooked - but productive - panfish lures is the Creme Silverside Minnow. This tiny, flashy minnow imitation comes in a variety of colors and sizes and also in either marabou or flat tail models. This bait is particularly deadly in Hill Country streams, where tiny minnows are a mainstay of the resident panfish's diet. In this setting, Silverside Minnows also tempt plenty Hill Country trout. Silverside Minnows are also highly effective on crappie. Another easy-to-use, must have is the Blakemore Roadrunner. With it's distinctive horsehead and spinnerblade design, the Roadrunner appeals to fish with both flash and action. Available in a number of body styles, including marabou tail and curl tail, Roadrunners are also excellent ultra-light lures for small black bass and white bass. The Mister Twister curltail grub is another classic panfish. Whether paired with a plain jig head, a head and spinner harness or a Roadrunner head, curltails should be among the basic building blocks for every panfish box. One more recently released lure that is deadly effective for larger panfish - crappie in particular - is the Creme Spoiler Shad. Over the past few years, swimbaits have become very popular among bass fishermen and saltwater anglers. However, until Creme released their Spoiler Shad in 1.5- and 2-inch models, the panfish crowd was left without an adequately sized 'rigged' swimbait for their quarry. Anyone who's a fan of unrigged swimbaits should consider Creme's Lil' Fishy, one of the earliest swimbaits on the market for any species. And, when it comes to catching jumbo crappie, few baits can outproduce the Rebel Teeny Crawfish. This classic crawfish-imitating crankbait is an excellent producer of fish in any body of water where crawfish are a primary forage item. The Rebel Ghost Minnow is another hardbait that should be in the tackle box of anyone seeking trophy-size panfish. Of course, everyone knows panfish eat worms and insects whenever the opportunity presents itself. The Creme Trout Worm is an excellent nightcrawler imitation that can be fished as a stand alone bait or beneath a bobber. Burke's Original Lifelike series offers a number of natural looking 'critters.' Among the most fun to fish are the crickets and hoppers. These lifelike imitations can be fished weightless on the surface, pinned a few inches behind a split shot or suspended beneath a bobber. In ever instance, they attract plenty of attention. Ditto for Creme's Tru Lur series, which produces frogs, craws, crickets and more.  Both Tru Lur and Burke offer prepackaged critter assortments as well. Although this list contains far more baits than you're likely to need, the 'fun factor' is always high when chasing panfish and some of these lures should be included for that reason alone. So, whether your chasing slab crappie or tiny sunfish, having a well-stocked panfish box will assure you've got just what you need for both trophy fish and good, clean fun.