thudpucker, the cajun spins come in different styles, but the one I use is a 1/32 with one tiny blade that is probably a 00 size chrome plated. I never tried the 1/16 and 1/8, they looked too much like a betts spin for my taste. heck they even have a 1/64 size, the legged one is called the cajun crawler.
You can also add different size jig heads for a slow or faster fall,use like was said any and everything.I use sliders and curly tails mosty but beetle spin makes a white grub with a red spot on top and a black with green strips down the side that are good.
I put on a 1/32 oz jig head and then put a cricket on the hook. No plastic needed.
For crappie you should try using a 1/16 ounce or smaller size road runner. Black and chart hair roadrunner is a good one or try buying the roadrunner head and spinner, then place a bobby garland baby shad on it. My buddies and I have racked up hundreds on these crafty little baits. For me, these baits have worked well in lakes, not so much in ponds because it mimics a shad and the concentration of shad aren't as high in the ponds around here. There's a pic of one at the top of the screen.
beetle spins will work fine and so will a lot of other things. if i am fishing from shore i often use a bubble float, the ones you can half-fill with water, and i trail a small fly behind it on maybe a 3-foot leader.
also, try to be on the water very early or at dusk, and you may see them schooling around feeding near the surface...it's always fun to chase them around that way.
i dont have any electronics so i often/almost always drift fish until i get into them and then i may anchor up
1/16 and 1/32???
How the heck do you cast that little teeny stuff?
I have water filled floats. For years I've used them as a casting aid for my Bait casting reels. I have never mastered those things.
I wound up with some 1/8 Oz Roadrunners. I guess I'll have to chop some of the lead off or special order the smaller ones.
A guide in Canada really loves those Roadrunners. Every time we went up there we brought him a sack full.
I just wish I could be better at fishing. Or maybe luckier!:D
thudpucker, I use 4 lb. line for 1/16 and 2 lb. for 1/32 when it comes to casting a lure by itself with no additional weight. but you need the rod to be matched to the line. daiwa has some great ultralite rods for cheap. I believe mine is a spinmatic x, they also make a spinmatic c rod. don't go to 2 lb. line until youve messed with 4 lb. for a while. light line takes some getting used to, and there are times where using it around cover is a little tough.
Starting "What's a good line for crappie" threads since February 2006