jig or minnow depth

[okeechobee fisher]

if i wanna spider rig how close is to close to put my jig or minnow to the boat? will they come allthe way up to the boat to hit it or will they be spoked of the boat?....im talking depth wise.

thanks :D

[whiplash]

if i wanna spider rig how close is to close to put my jig or minnow to the boat? will they come allthe way up to the boat to hit it or will they be spoked of the boat?....im talking depth wise.

thanks :D

cracker I spider rig 6 14' out of the front ---never more than 6' deep[usually 4-5] 6# line .03-.05 mph [gps]---never had trouble catching specks yet......but there is days my wife catches more out the back running corks 15-25 ft behind the boat

[whizkids]

Water clarity comes into play here. I have caught them 1 ft deep with 12 ft poles. However if you were 8 ft from the rod tip with 12 ft. poles at .5 miles per hour the bait may be only 7 ft. deep 10 ft. in front. As you speed up the bait would get shallower and closer to the boat. In off colored or choppy water or in deep water this may not matter. In 10 ft. of water on a calm day the fish may spook from the trolling motor.
In North Carolina I may fish 6 ft deep with 12 ft poles over 30 ft of water with no problem. The fish can go down for awhile if they spook.
If I were fishing in 10 ft. of water if they spook they may leave the area, having no way to go deeper.
The shortest rod I have used to tight line is 10 ft. and I used it at 90 degrees out the side. I had less success on those rods than I did 12 ft rods out the front. Whether it was closeness to the boat or some other reason, I can't say.
I have gone to all 12 ft. rods, only because I can't get approval to buy all 14 ft. rods (8) and I have found no 16 ft. rod with a soft enough tip to fish a 3/8 oz. sinker. If I find a 16 footer with that tip, I will probably break it in the first crappie condo I hit.