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Thread: Trolling and Spider Rigging from you kayaks and canoes

  1. #1
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    Default Trolling and Spider Rigging from you kayaks and canoes


    Are any of you paddlers doing any form of trolling or spider rigging for crappie or any other fish from you paddle/pedal boats? I would love to hear from some of you and see your setups. Most of you have seem my setup from the contest where I spider rig using 4 poles for crappie. I've since been working with my setup and using only 3 poles and find it to be a little more managable. There is a lot of info out there about spider rigging with 2 men on the front of a boat with 8 poles. That's not possible in a kayak so I've been working on modifying these systems to use from my kayak. I think I'm getting the spider rigging system down pretty good and now I'm working on pushing crank baits. I would love to hear from any of you that have experience or and interest in this form of fishing.
    Mike Barnett

  2. #2
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    I use a form of spider rigging quite regularly from my kayak. 3 poles, a 20 footer, a 16 footer and a 7 foot rod and reel. I use this method very early after the ice leaves and then throughout the mid summer from time to time. Works quite well for me. I also troll, but do it a bit different then most would expect. I actually do it in reverse at a very slow pace. This allows me to keep a constant visual on my rods/poles. I use the same rods/poles as spider rigging until I find the fish, then I just concentrate one rod and reel on using whatever bait/jig and depth that I found the fish at. I start both methods with 2 different bait/jig combos on each rod at different depths. When I begin to hit fish on one or 2 of the rigs, then I just concetrate on that set up at that particular depth. Pretty standard I guess.
    It is not about the equipment you have to use,
    It is about how you use the equipment you have. :D

  3. #3
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    I have a few questions as far as spider rigging or pushing from a kayak. From what I have read, when pushing or pulling you use a heavy weight like 1 to 5 ounce to keep your line straight and jig or crank down. Now I have a 2007 Liguid Logic Manta Ray 12. I have a Scotty triple rod mount I can use on my front rod holder. The longest crappie rod I have is a Creekside Micro Series 12', 2 piece, Ultra Light rated for 2 to 6 lb test with a lure weight of 1/32 to 1/4 ounce. What rods should I look at getting for pushing or spider rigging from a kayak? In Indiana an angler can use up to 3 rods. I need the correct basic info to get me started. I currently do not use a fish finder. I have also never spider rigged or really did any trolling on a boat. I am sure I would set up at different depths with different cranks and jigs to find the crappie. Once found, switch over to depth and crank or jig where they are caught. Thanks for the help. Here is a pic of my rig on top of my car.


    Mike P.

  4. #4
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    prybis, Right now my setup spider rigging is I have 2 nine foot #8 fly rods set out front on my kayak about 4 foot apart. But I'm only using usually one 1/8 oz jig on each pole, two jigs if I'm in really open water. I will usually have my other pole a BnM 10' jig UL in my hand jigging in the brush as I pass it. I'm sure when I try this pulling cranks I'll have to get out my wally marshall 10' stiffer poles that I have.
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    You can kind of see in this picture my two rod setup
    Mike Barnett

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    I do push jigs a lot of times from a yak. Sometimes I'll only use two poles, depending on what I"m working through. I use the advantage of smaller watercraft to weave in and out of the thickest timber. Most of the time I'm moving at less than a mile an hour. Sometimes I'll edge up next to the stucture and then paddle back just a bit. Since I'm moving rather slow, 1/16 or 1/8 oz. is generally ok.

    Just like anything, time on the water playing around with it will help the most. Good luck!

  6. #6
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    ff it sounds like you fish a lot like I do except most of the time I use 2 or 3 poles if I'm in a lot of brush or 4 poles if I'm in open water. What type kayak do you fish from? Do you hold your poles or do you have rod holders? A lot of the time I will have 2 rods in holders fishing and one in my hand jigging in the pretty tops as I pass them. I agree with the stealthness of a kayak. Sometimes I catch crappie 3 feet deep right beside my yak.
    Mike Barnett

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    Quote Originally Posted by mb4850 View Post
    ff it sounds like you fish a lot like I do except most of the time I use 2 or 3 poles if I'm in a lot of brush or 4 poles if I'm in open water. What type kayak do you fish from? Do you hold your poles or do you have rod holders? A lot of the time I will have 2 rods in holders fishing and one in my hand jigging in the pretty tops as I pass them. I agree with the stealthness of a kayak. Sometimes I catch crappie 3 feet deep right beside my yak.
    I use an old town dirigo 10'6". Pushing jigs in a sit in yak seems like it would be a better choice. We've got two sit-ins, next one I get is no doubt a SOT. I fish and hunt out of mine, but knowing the added stability of a SOT makes me really want to try one.

    I use the bee ready rod holders on mine. Since my legs are covered, I have the rod holders mounted right in front of me. Most of the time I've got the paddle in my hands and just two rods out. When I get to something that needs some extra attention, I'll just grab one of the rods and jig around whatever it is. Even with just two poles in the water, I've had one fish on and something bigger try and take my other pole and wrap it all the way around me!

    I like a 7' rod. Still a good jiggin size and I seem to be able to land fish in my lap, if need be. I tried a 9' once, in deeper water. It was effective, but in deeper water, why would I need a longer rod? I'm probably not that hardcore? When I need to cover more area, I get a bigger boat. To me, fishing out of the yak is another man's fly fishing, or painting, or reading. It has a lot more to do with the solitude and closeness to nature...but, that's just me.

  8. #8
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    I fish from a 14' Commander, using a 12' and a 14' rod. each is mounted to provide about 5' spacing, achieved by using a Spacer bar out front with the reel ends resting at the center of the yak! I typically paddle into the wind, allowing me to fine tune my speed as I slowly approach cover, head on. In doing so, I can switch out paddle for a rod with any sign of a take, resulting in my speed slowing to a stop and drifting back away from the cover as I take the fish! With the noted rod lengths, the jigs are 10-13 feet out front of my paddling, allowing a stealthy approach, picking off the singles out away from a targeted cover area. And as I drift back from the "strike", I can easily reposition for the next approach once that fish is in the cooler or released!
    In standing timber, I will use a bungee tether attached to a "fast clip" brush grabber, drifting out, (down wind) from an anchoring point, allowing the breeze to swing the yak on a "dangle", covering a wider area to either side of straight down wind! This line is fitted with floats about 12" apart (smallest ones, used on ski ropes!) thus keeping it from sinking and running risk of subsurface tangles! You can control the the positioning of the yak with a light flip of a paddle hold or reposition the yak while allowing the float line to hold an area! Most times, I work with one rod (often switching to a fly rod!) to fish in this way so as to avoid tangle with the float line! To release and relocate, I simple take in the line and store it in a milk crate while drifting away from the anchor point, then reposition with a slow paddle approach to the next area!
    Learn to allow the wind to do the work for you! There is a method known as "farrying" where you allow the "hydrological affects of current" to pull you up stream as well as to move you from side to side (think "tacking" with a sail boat to travel up wind!) Saves a lot of energy and allows you to fine tune your speed!
    give it a try!

    Great times to be had!
    FliTrap

  9. #9
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    Flitrap I would love to see a picture of your rig all set up. Where do you fish? Do you mostly crappie fish? I use mostly the same tactics you use except sometimes I anchor a long line and use my anchor trolley instead of anchoring to a tree. I've thought of adding a clip anchor as I have one on my old motor boat that I rarely use any more. I'm no familiar with the farrying and tacking terms, but I think I know what your talking about. When I bought my first kayak, a wilderness ride 135, I went to buy a comander 12 and bought the Ride instead. I have sinse ventured into a Hobbie Outback. I love the Outback. I wish now I had bought the comander though. I think it would be a great river kayak. Thanks for the post, very informatie.
    Mike Barnett

  10. #10
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    I'm fishing mostly in the Greater St Louis Area with some plans, this summer to fish east into Illinois and north, possible trying Mark Twain Lake. I have nothing on the schedule for a few weeks so will try to get pics on the next outing, most likely after the 4th holiday!
    Wished I could have gotten out more this spring.... only two day trips on small lakes! I'm still new to the yak and have a few ideas to rig my gear more permanent but wanting to be sure before such attachments! (Once you drill.... its a hole! Rofl)
    I mostly fly fish, including all my crappie fishing so shifting back to long polls is taking some time for adjustments!
    Do you fish Table Rock? or Bull Shoals? I hear good things about those lakes! With all of the high waters running, Wade fishing Trout is on the back burner! Too, unpredictable! That's the reason I went with the yak!
    There are a lot a great waters across the Midwest, for Crappie, Bass and Bluegills!
    Who knows!
    We may need to schedule a Yak Attack Campfest... gathering of like-minded fishing fools for a weekend!
    I see some regular boat guys do that on the Crappie Fishing BB!
    Like sea yakking floats but in the Midwest!
    Who knows!
    FliTrap

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