Advice on long lining and spider rigging?

[MePreach]

I have been going back and doing a lot of reading on these two types of fishing and think I have the basic concept! I have a couple questions that I am not sure about.....will the B'n'M Pro staff rods work for both?......and I cannot figure out what length that I need?....if I understand it correctly you start wide say 14' then 12' then 10' etc. there is a 3 rod limit on lakes I fish but do take folks with me most of the time!...I am fishing out of an 1860 G3 boat if that helps any?.....i just dont want to invest that much money and find out I messed up! Thanks for the Help:D

[majflyboy]

I use BnM Pro Trollers in 16', 12', &10' for spiderrigging, 16, 12, & 8 for pulling cranks.

[RogerA]

I use 14 ft. Pro Trollers for spider rigging and the 14, 12,& 10 BGJP's for longline trolling and 6 ft. rods out the back for my partner. If you will send me a PM I can give you a phone # so you can call me and I can expain more about the 2 methods. I am no expert but have been doing both for several years and have caught many fish doing each.

[Wannabe...]

Most everyone down here uses the same length for spider rigging. Either 12, 14 or even 16. I personally use 14s but ran 12s last year. If you're going to long line and pull of the side, then staggering the length will be important, but if you're pulling off the back, you can easily use 3 poles same lengh when only using 3 poles. It'll get a little trickier 6 of the same lenght, but still will be doable.

Having said that, when spider rigging deeper water, a shorter pole is fine (say over 8 ft). To me, the only advantage to a longer pole is when you're fishing 6 ft or less by getting it further from the trolling motor and spooking less fish from the noise. The catch is, the shallower the water with a longer pole, the more difficult it is to land a fish with so little line out. To overcome this, I use baitcasters with a thumb release, so I can easily release the line and free spool enough out to bring the fish in.

PSTs are excellent for spider rigging, but they are very stiff relative to other rods. For shallow and big hard hitting fish, like Grenada, they're about perfect. The hitch is when the fish get deep and finicky or if the water is wavy. I've fished with other's Capps and Coleman Rods and I'd rather have those for deeper, finicky fish or when the water is rocking. However, they are so light action that a good fish will whip your tail when fighting him if you're not careful. Not sure what size fish you have in Neely Henry, but that might be a consideration.

Bottom line - I'd get 6 PST poles of the same length, then as your budget allows lay in some additional different length ones for when you long line 6 poles.

Wannabe...

[65pontiac]

You also want longer pools for spider rigging so that your line does not get caught in the prop of the trolling motor.

[monkscrappie]

I use 22 poles for long lining and Spider rigging. Lenghts are 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, and 8 ft. The Pro Staff is suitable for 3/4 oz lead or long lineing with 1/16 oz jigs.

Monk Monk's Crappie

[MePreach]

I will be long lining off the front sides for the most part...so I guess I need to stagger the sizes to begin with and then add others to my arsenal! I do very well pitching jigs but after reading all these post for a year about it and finally set back and watched a guy long lining on Weiss yesterday morning...I have just got to give it a try! I have never spider rigged or long lined and dont know anyone that does to ask or go with....so this forum has been my only scource to go on! I just dont want to buy the wrong thing and then wish I would have asked more questions....and I am sure I will ask a few more before I purchase! I dont mind learning by trial and error but just not wanting to do that with the equipment I buy! I figure if I get good equipment the learning process might not be as frustrating! The only lakes I fish or Weiss and Neely Henry...Both have good numbers and nice size crappie!

[gabowman]

Sounds like the info provided is spot on! I fish out of a narrow boat so I fish all my longlining rods off the back of my boat. I use 5.5' rods, 6', 8', 10', and 12' rods. One each for each side of my boat...using 10 rods in total. The reason for the different lenghts is to keep some distance between lines trying to avoid some tangles. My spider poles are all 13'ers. I'm set up to fish 8 of 'em off the front of my boat. I bought cheap poles and attached eyes and reels to 'em. I will say this though...once I began longlining it's HARD going back to spider rigging.:o:D:D

[ledouxmike]

I got into spider rigging about a year ago. I catch good numbers of fish and I just love it. It sure is fun when the bite is on and you bring in several good fish back to back. I have different length poles 10, 11,12. If I had to do it all again, I think I'd buy all 11 footers. When you fan out your poles, you get the separation between the line that you need. Put two poles almost straight ahead and then fan the other ones out evenly so you get good spacing. I use the bee ready adjustable rod holders. Don't use their non-adjustable ones, they aren't any good. Good luck with your endeaver.

[wilbur]

I never longlined But I like spider rigging. I run 6 silstar rods off the front on Hi -TECH holders 12 footers. With 1 oz. of lead. For reels I use cheap ice fishing spinning reels. Most of the time I do pretty well. I dont see how longling could be any easier. Sounds like alot to keep lines from tangling. If we hit a school SR we just keep circling. hard to do with 40 ft. of line out. One time we just put it on spotlock and murdered them 45 in 1.5 hr.