I live near a heavily timbered lake.  Locating crappie on it can be a problem, because of the fact that their is such a large amount of standing timber.
A year or two ago,  I was fishing and not having much luck, the fellow about 100 yards away from me was just ripping them in. After he left, I moved over to his spot and limited out. While pulling up anchor, I spotted a rope tied onto the tree I was next to. The rope was just below the surface. Curiosity got to me. I pulled up the rope , and found a 5 gallon bucket with holes punched in it. The bucket was filled with something or another as it was dribbling out the holes.

I caught fish here for the next week or so, each time pulling up the bucket to see if it had been rebaited. I eventually quit catching fish in this location, about the same time that I found the bucket to be empty.

What was in this bucket? I am thinking about making a bucket of my own, any suggestions?

Dogfood is what I'd suspect was in the bucket.
It will attract the smaller baitfish,which attract larger fish ...

Chumming for crappie? I think that several companies make a commercial chum/attractant.
I've used cat food and soured grain for catfish.
'Round here they build (and mark) brush piles and floating lights and minnows.

might not be legal to chum in your state..make sure you check the regs first.  i think it's illegal in WI..although as a youngster i chummed corn for carp.

Toilet paper!

I just had to.[:D]

if legal in your state, you might try a crappie light. its like a floating lamp faced into the water for night fishin. illegal in iowa