Recently I decided to get a 15' crappie rod out of storage and try it out. I know the big rods are used for Spider Rigs but how about casting short distances, flipping or dipping? Sunday was the ultimate test using braid and 1/32 jigheads with 3" soft plastics because I knew from experience active panfish would be stacked in the dying pad fields after the cold front.

I held the rod at the reel or sometimes ahead of the reel and pulled line out for 4' flips. Other than that I just vertical jigged around the boat in 4 FOW in pad pockets, trolling slowly a few feet or so to the next spot.

Sure enough the bite was fantastic for many species and most times caught the same fish on the third attempt. The only time I lost jigs was when picks bit me off, otherwise setting the hook and bringing the fish out of heavy cover was easy!

Try it.