New to Crappie Fishing

[Kencamp]

Any brands that your more fond of? I need to keep price in a reasonable range to satisfy my wife's record keeping, if you know what I mean.

[CrappiePappy]

Any brands that your more fond of? I need to keep price in a reasonable range to satisfy my wife's record keeping, if you know what I mean.

If you go by popular brands .... you're probably looking at $100 for a decent rod/reel. Sims is correct about rod length .... as 6.5ft is probably the shortest you'd want to use, and a 7-8ft rod would be way better if you're considering using a float. The extra length in those rods will help you take up the slack on the hookset, without having to run backwards up the bank or cranking like a madman before setting the hook.

Whatever reel you decide to get ... and make sure it balances well with the rod weight/length ... get one with a long or wide spool. That will give you greater distance on your cast.
Whatever rod you get ... it would be better for it to have a fast or very fast action tip, rather than a slow-moderate action. They cast farther & put more power in the hookset, as well as also keeping you from having to jerk the rod back over your head to compensate for the rod bend (of the slower action parabolic bend rods have).

This is all just my opinion, and others may differ ... and that's OK, because different people like different things.

[Sims]

You will get all kinds of responses to that. But for me when I'm buying an inexpensive set, which I keep a couple in my truck at all times in case they were stolen or damaged. I go with an ugly stick or Shakespeare excursion paired with shimano sienna size 1000 front drag. Runs around 50 for both. Works well. Now, that being said, I usually use B'n'M poles and either shimano or pflueger reels but I'm fishing from boat 95% of time. Now my boat is small and nothing fancy. 14 foot Polarcraft from the 60's and mid 90's Johnson 15. Just remember you don't need big or expensive to catch fish.

[Sims]

Agree 100% with CP

[Kencamp]

Thanks for all the info guys. I feel I'm already behind the eight ball in getting started. It looks like weather in NW PA is finally going to break in the 7-10 days. I'm just chomping at the bit to get some kind of combo to at least start with.