Rod lengths???? Newbie needs advise.

[idahoslab]

I have just started to really get into crappie fishing this year. I have been using my bass poles mostly. I have been using a 6'6" medium action shimano spinning and a 6' g-loomis mag light spinning for my crappie fishing this year. For smallmouth these work great but I don't know if these are the best choices for crappie. I will be mostly vertically jigging and vertically casting over rock piles, steep drops and casting towards banks in coves. I looked at a 8'6" micro-lite that has a ultra lite action. The tip is very flexible. Is this a good rod for vertical jigging. I see alot of guys use like a 4'6" rod out here in Idaho. I sure would like your expert opinions, thanks.

[slab_seeker]

I have just started to really get into crappie fishing this year. I have been using my bass poles mostly. I have been using a 6'6" medium action shimano spinning and a 6' g-loomis mag light spinning for my crappie fishing this year. For smallmouth these work great but I don't know if these are the best choices for crappie. I will be mostly vertically jigging and vertically casting over rock piles, steep drops and casting towards banks in coves. I looked at a 8'6" micro-lite that has a ultra lite action. The tip is very flexible. Is this a good rod for vertical jigging. I see alot of guys use like a 4'6" rod out here in Idaho. I sure would like your expert opinions, thanks.

You have come to the right place for options. I prefer 7 or 10 foot poles in ultra lite for verticle jigging and to cover a wider area drifting/trolling. For casting and using slip floats I use 6 1/2 -7 foot rods with a medium action. This works best for me and my style of fishing. Good luck fishing.

[Moose1am]

I fish with all kinds of rods when going after crappie. I cast, I slow troll, and I fish with a slip bobber while trolling and casting.

My favorite rod is about 7ft as it fits perfectly in my boats rod holder. Anything longer than 7ft has to be broken down in two pieces to fit in my rod holder.

Sometimes I use a 12ft long jigging pole when slow trolling or when anchored. I can use this long rod for vertically jigging with a drop shot weight and a jig or two tied to the line above the weight or I can attach a slip bobber rig to the setup and fish with a slip bobber and a jig.

I have several short 5ft rods UL very flexible that I use for casting small jigs or slip bobbers.

I have a 6ft rod from cabelas that I like very much.

I recently purchased a new 7.5 ft graphite rod from Richard Williams and I like that rod too. It's good for casting or for vertical jigging while moving very slowly

I have less line problems with the shorter rods and I have more line tangles with the longer rods. And I found that when I see a brush pile directly under my trolling motor that the 12 ft rod is too long to fish straight down where the brush pile is located. I have to back the boat up about 4 ft before I can fish that brush pile and then the bush pile is not showing up on my depth finder anymore. With the Shorter 7.5 and 6 ft rods I can fish right off the very front of my boat while in the front pedistal seat and see the brush pile on my depth finder as I fish. That way I know that I am right over the brush pile especially when in shallow water (ten ft or less) Even in 25 ft of water I know that I am very close to the bush pile. You can feel the bush piles when using a drop shot weight and a jig that is made weedless. So you know when you are in the bush pile.

I guess everyone has a favorite rod depending on how the fish.

I know a long time ago (25 years ago) we used long bambo poles to fish while anchored.

I have just started to really get into crappie fishing this year. I have been using my bass poles mostly. I have been using a 6'6" medium action shimano spinning and a 6' g-loomis mag light spinning for my crappie fishing this year. For smallmouth these work great but I don't know if these are the best choices for crappie. I will be mostly vertically jigging and vertically casting over rock piles, steep drops and casting towards banks in coves. I looked at a 8'6" micro-lite that has a ultra lite action. The tip is very flexible. Is this a good rod for vertical jigging. I see alot of guys use like a 4'6" rod out here in Idaho. I sure would like your expert opinions, thanks.

[CrappiePappy]

As you can see, to each his own .... everyone has a favorite brand, length, action, etc. It basically boils down to how you fish and what rod specifics are most comfortable to you.
Like you, I started out with light action Bass equipment to Crappie fish with. Once I got away from Bass fishing so much, and started concentrating more on Crappie - I went to a short UL outfit ... a 4.5ft Quantum rod & UL Zebco spinning reel. I've caught many a Crappie on this outfit, not to mention a few nice Bass up to 6lbs. I added some micro-light rods to my arsenal, many years ago, when I purchased a couple of 6.5ft Zero Gravity Carbon rods by Mitchell. Again, I caught lots of nice fish on these outfits. But, because of their tiny tip eye, I couldn't use line any larger than 4lb test. And realizing that, in some circumstances, I'd have to go up to 6 or 8 pound test - I decided I would need to get some more rods.
Fishing the Spring Fling Crappie Tournament, a few years back, I was forced to use a 7ft Bionic Blade/Shimano Spirex 2000 outfit and 6lb line to boat a handful of Crappie. The outfit would still cast a 1/16oz jig far enough to reach my target area, and handled the situation like a champ. My partner and I won that tourney and first place prizes included a rod of choice from BnM Poles. I chose the 7ft Sam Heaton Signature Series rod. It's now my #1 Crappie rod for jig casting. I still have the other outfits, and still use them in various situations.
I have zig zagged thru lengths and rod composition, from 4.5ft to 7ft and from fiberglass to graphite to carbon, and back to graphite. And, I've been fairly successful with all of them. That's one of the nice things about Crappie fishing ... you can be successful with a wide range of equipment choices, if you're willing to adapt your methods to the water you fish and its particular structure layout. If/when you want to "refine" your techniques to specific "styles" - THEN you may want to match your outfits to your "wants", rather than your "needs". If, what you are using now, works - and you are comfortable using them ... I see no reason to change. You seem to have some quality equipment, that serves multiple purposes....but, if you want to add to your arsenal or choose specific outfits for your preferred methods - then I can certainly recommend looking at the following: BnM Poles, Richard Williams rods, and Southern Pro rods.
I would stick to 7 to 8 foot rods as a maximum length for casting ... and vertical jigging. You can usually reach most places and depths with a rod of this length, by changing your casting methods or the addition of weight or a float (when necessary and effective). If you are a "converted" Bass angler, like myself, you are probably going to enjoy slinging jigs over most other methods ... and a 7ft rod will feel comfortable and natural to you. ..........luck2ya ............cp

[Moose1am]

I went fishing this afternoon and I have never been so frustrated in my life. I purchased a new reel. Shimano 2000 spinning reel and then put it on my BnM jig pole 12ft long. I used Berkely 8lb test Iron Silk line on this setup. I had nothing but trouble. Evidenlty the BnM pole does not have a line guide for some distance from the reel. I found that when I unleased the line guide that the Berkley Iron Silk would fall off the reels arbor faster than the line could go though the rod's guides. Also the line was constantly wrapping around the end of the rod. Now with a 12 ft long rod and a 16 ft boat I spend more time trying to unwrap the line from the tip of my rod than I did fishing. I bet that 80% of my time was spent untangling the line from my rods tip. I was about ready to quit fishing . I finally got my 7.5 ft rod out and that ended the problems. I have determined that I hate long rods or else I hate the Berkley Iron Silk fishing line. Not sure which one was the fault but I will figure this out.

I am coming to the conclusion that I like holding onto the rod and that 12 ft is just too long to manage when holding the rod by hand. I am starting to prefer the shorter rods.

I have just started to really get into crappie fishing this year. I have been using my bass poles mostly. I have been using a 6'6" medium action shimano spinning and a 6' g-loomis mag light spinning for my crappie fishing this year. For smallmouth these work great but I don't know if these are the best choices for crappie. I will be mostly vertically jigging and vertically casting over rock piles, steep drops and casting towards banks in coves. I looked at a 8'6" micro-lite that has a ultra lite action. The tip is very flexible. Is this a good rod for vertical jigging. I see alot of guys use like a 4'6" rod out here in Idaho. I sure would like your expert opinions, thanks.

[Joe]

I fish a lot of stained water in florida. Vertical jiging is the method that I use as do most other fishermen in this area. 12 foot poles are a little awkward to handle. I have 10 and 11 foot poles that I use. I have gradually decided that the 10 foot graphite is just about perfect for vertical jiging. Use a light weight
trigger spin and 6# line and you get good balance. I like to use high visibility
line that can be seen in most conditions. I have gone totally to jigs and very seldom do the minnow fishermen bring in more crappie. It is certainly more enjoyable not to have to deal with minnows and I don't miss the mess they make when they get squashed in the floor of the boat. I am not knocking
minnows or anyone's fishing methods. The main thing is to use methods that
fit your style and that work for you.
Joe

[chaunc]

Moose, I use the iron silk on my 10 ft B&M pole. I dont try to cast jigs with this setup anymore. Something about the slickness of the line. But i still use the setup to slow-troll over the brushpiles. I let out the proper amount of line, then set the pole across the bow,as i prefer this to rod holders. I do very well with this setup. Most times i'll use a 4# leader but sometimes i just tie the jig on the silk, if i'm losing a lot of jigs in the brush. Give this style a try and let me know if it works for you. Works pretty darn good up here in Pa. Smitty

[Tim The Lippa Rippa Mon]

I tend to agree with Joe. I think a 10' length pole in a light to medium light action is about the best all around pole to use. I prefer spinning reels though. I don't use anything shorter than 6' unless I am trying to shoot very difficult docks, then I drop down to an ice fishing setup to get back to the nooks & crannies. I think graphite is well worth the extra money, and my top choice regardless of the name brand. I think B & M, or Outlaws are tough to beat for the most part though.

Your G Lomis is an awesome rod for sensitivity! That will work great for casting jigs, and feeling those subtle strikes. Detection is a real important factor to your success with Crappie; the rest is mostly location!

<,"}/>{ Rippa

[Deacon]

I tend to agree with Joe. I think a 10' length pole in a light to medium light action is about the best all around pole to use. I prefer spinning reels though. I don't use anything shorter than 6' unless I am trying to shoot very difficult docks, then I drop down to an ice fishing setup to get back to the nooks & crannies. I think graphite is well worth the extra money, and my top choice regardless of the name brand. I think B & M, or Outlaws are tough to beat for the most part though.

Your G Lomis is an awesome rod for sensitivity! That will work great for casting jigs, and feeling those subtle strikes. Detection is a real important factor to your success with Crappie; the rest is mostly location!

<,"}/>{ Rippa

I just got a 10' Sam Heaton Signature Series graphite rod. To me it is absolutely the best! Not saying this is the only good rod. I mean more that graphite is the way to go and 10 feet is the perfect length for me. It is really lite and one can fish with it all day and not get sore wrists and forearms.
I fished with it for the first time yesterday, all day. I could feel everything going on at the bait end of the line. Think I will get another.

[Deacon]

I fish a lot of stained water in florida. Vertical jiging is the method that I use as do most other fishermen in this area. 12 foot poles are a little awkward to handle. I have 10 and 11 foot poles that I use. I have gradually decided that the 10 foot graphite is just about perfect for vertical jiging. Use a light weight
trigger spin and 6# line and you get good balance. I like to use high visibility
line that can be seen in most conditions. I have gone totally to jigs and very seldom do the minnow fishermen bring in more crappie. It is certainly more enjoyable not to have to deal with minnows and I don't miss the mess they make when they get squashed in the floor of the boat. I am not knocking
minnows or anyone's fishing methods. The main thing is to use methods that
fit your style and that work for you.
Joe

I agree with Joe, his fishing and our fishing in Louisiana would be pretty similar.
Hard to beat a 10 footer in graphite.