Spider Rigging

[LittleJohn]

Hello all,here in Eastern,KY the lakes I fished dosn't have any bridges. To the ones thst does the Spider Rigging,do you used this method around bridges. I know bridges are hot spots for crappie. If you do spider rigging around the bridge pilings,how do you go about it and do you have lot of success.
LittleJohn

[CrappiePappy]

I don't spider rig, but I have fished around bridge pillars. Main method I use is casting a jig down the sides and across the ends. Another effective method is Vertical Casting a jig, down the sides of the pillars ( Crappie.com - Crappie Fishing Information and Adventure - Vertical Casting )

Generally speaking, the Crappie will be using the pillars to hide from the current (if there is any) ... and will school on the down current side of the pillars. They will, however, come out a little ways from the eddy, in order to snatch a passing meal. So ... considering that both the methods mentioned have produced for me, in the past, I see no reason why a spider rig setup would not work. But, you'd have to make a few passes, in order to find the depth they're holding at ... or ... use one or both of the methods mentioned, to find that depth, then S-rig by the pillars.

Even while using jigs, I have been known to also use a second rod ... slip float/minner setup ... and let it drag alongside, between boat & pillars. The slip float setup allows for enough time to lay down the casting rod, as opposed to using a tightline setup (where, upon seeing a rod tip bend down, one has to pick up said rod while trying to lay down the other :p ).

.. cp

[STUMP HUNTER]

I try my best to stay away from bridges while spider rigging because of the boat traffic. If I have my 16' rods on the front of my boat and even a small wake hits the boat you have 16' rods jumping. I know bridges are wake zones but there are some boaters that can't read or just doesn't care. I use spider rigging for fishing flats or drop-offs and even a line of brush piles. Great way to fish as long as you can find a place on your lake where the boat traffic is low.

[Countrytime]

You got that right Stumphunter. The snap crackel pop of $60.00 a piece trolling rods wouldn't sound too good. If you are going to do it, stay like Crappiepappy says on the down current side of a pillar kinda away from it, so you can kick the ole trusty Minn Kota on to avoid a catastrophe. Some idiots will put tsunami type waves on you.