Slab:
There are about as many crappie fishing rigs as there are crappie fishermen. Everyone has a favorite and some used various techniques.
I can't speak for everyone but I can tell you what I have been using over the years.
Presently I am using a Graphite rod that is 7.5ft long with fugi type guides, a Daiwa Ultra Light Open Faced Spinning reel, Trilene XL 6lb Test line and Bass Pro Shop Squirmin Squirt Jig Bodies that are 1.5" long. I use 1/32oz and 1/16 oz lead head crappie jigs. I add a crappie nibble to the hook. I use a small foam slip float and thrill bobber stops which are comprised of about 6" long thread tied onto a small plastic tube with a nail knot. The thrill bobber stops also has some 3MM diameter bead that are used to stop the bobber from sliding down the line. I slip the bobber stop over the line and slide the tube with the line tired around the tube up the line. Then I slide the bobber stop line off the tube and tighten the bobber stop line onto my fishing line. I slide the old tube off the line. Then I slide a bobber stop bead on the line up to the bobber stop thread. Then I slide the bobber onto the line and then finally I tie the jig to the end of my fishing line. I add a plastic jig body to the jig head by threading the hook into the head of the jig body and then down the middle of the jig body and out though the opening at the end of the jig body. Now I add a crappie nibble to the hook. I tighen the bobber stop knot onto my fishing line at the proper deph. I can then cast the entire outfit out from the boat and the jig will sink until the bobber stop hits the bobber and stops the jig from sinking. I can slide the bobber stop up and down the fishing line to set the depth that I want to fish. Finding the right depth is key to crappie fishing. I am able to fish anywhere from 1ft deep to 8ft deep with this setup.
I also use a 12ft bnm jig pole and fish the jigs tightling with no bobber. I simply tie the jig about 2ft above the end of the line with a palmar knot. Then I add a drop shot to the end of my fishing line under the jig. You can find the finess drop shots at
www.bassproshops.com
I also have used a long cane pole and 12lb test monofilament line with a Kentucky Lake crappie rig attached. This outfit can be found in most stored down by Kentucy Lake. I used live bait with this outfit. Shiners or Chub minnows of about 1" to 2" long will work great. You can fish this outfit tighline or with a bobber attached to the line.
Any long pole with some line and hooks can be used to catch crappie when the crappie are in shallow water.
I am sure that others will have other methods that are effective.
Many people will used a rod holder on their boat and fish with multiple rods.
That is called spider rigging.
I recommend the book "Crappie Wisdom" which is a great book on crappie fishing. It covers about everthing. Also the magazine "Crappie World" is another good source of information on the who what when where and how of crappie fishing.