Carolina rig for crappie

[bigfish5]

has anyone ever tried a mini carolina rig for crappie? i was just thinking if you had a small weight and a tube jig that floated of the bottom that it night be easier ti fish? when the fish were holding close to the bottom? i just thought i would ask some of the crappie experts.

[smoothlures]

I'm no expert, but I don't think so. Though crappie will rarely feed down so you'll have to be right at the depth they're at, which is why either the counting down or marked line/rod methods work so good. And then you have the problem of getting the jig/tube/lure to float. Just my .02.

[Hoosierdaddy]

If you want to try it, I'd suggest using a small finesse weight, a Carolina keeper and a Northland Gumdrop floating jighead tipped with a minnow.

These finesse weights are skinny and don't snag as bad as some do. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...=SearchResults

The Carolina keeper is nice because you can change the length of your leader easily by squeezing it with a pair of pliers and then just slide it wherever you want it. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...L&cmid=PP_P1_2

These jigheads are great. Northland also makes some that are round if you prefer that style. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...=SearchResults

[CrappiePappy]

But, bare in mind a few things :

While there are many different floating jigheads ... colors, hook size, body size, price ranges ... NONE of them float with the hook point "UP" (as shown in this image). The jighead actually floats "upside down".

You'd have to have a pretty good sized floating jighead to lift/float a plastic body AND a splitshot on the line (as pictured) ... so you may be better served using a bobber stop of some kind, rather than the pictured splitshot.

Also, understand that ... with the hook point being pointed down ... you're most likely to hook the fish in the bottom of the mouth. That's most likely to be in the lower jaw membrane or tongue ... and isn't the most solid spot to hook up to. Unless the fish inhales the bait, and you set the hook instantly, you're quite likely to only get the hook into the soft mouth tissue ... making getting the fish in, a bit on the challenging side. Do-able, but subject to fish coming off more easily.

Another subjective point ... if/when Crappie are holding close to the bottom, they're generally in a neutral/off mode. They may not strike as hard, and just nip at the bait. It may be better to use a smaller body plastic, than the curly tail pictured ... more of a easy "snack", than a meal. A live, small mnnow would even be a better alternative to the larger plastic bait ... just as long as you remember to put the hook thru the minnow, in the opposite direction as you would if using a lead jighead (down between the nostrils and out under the jaw).

Last, but not least ... with the dynamics of such a rig, being what they are, and with the hook point in the down position ... you stand a much greater chance at foul hooking the jig, in any cover present. And though they usually have small hooks, that can be bent open easily ... you're still subject to losing them. You might want to consider, when using plastic body baits, hooking them on the floating jighead in a weedless manner. (aka - texas rigged, or texposed).

... cp

[ceb]

A carolina rig might work well, but for crappie holding in water just a foot or two off a clean bottom, you should also try a dropshot rig. It won't do very well in brush if you are casting.

Use a heavy weight on the bottom tied with any knot (or use an egg sinker with splitshot below to keep it on the line). If you get the egg sinker hung, you can put just enough pressure on the line to pull the splitshot and sinker off, and you get the rest of the rig back. Go up the line about 1' and tie a loop knot, keeping the loop no longer than 3". If you want to use two jigs/hooks, go up another foot and tie another loop knot. Just cast the rig out and slowly work it back to you. A heavier weight on the end will help you on windier days.

http://www.animatedknots.com/dropper...matedknots.com
or
my prefered loop knot, just keep don't clip any tag ends off.
http://www.animatedknots.com/surgeon...matedknots.com

[TnRidge]

A carolina rig might work well, but for crappie holding in water just a foot or two off a clean bottom, you should also try a dropshot rig. It won't do very well in brush if you are casting.

Use a heavy weight on the bottom tied with any knot (or use an egg sinker with splitshot below to keep it on the line). If you get the egg sinker hung, you can put just enough pressure on the line to pull the splitshot and sinker off, and you get the rest of the rig back. Go up the line about 1' and tie a loop knot, keeping the loop no longer than 3". If you want to use two jigs/hooks, go up another foot and tie another loop knot. Just cast the rig out and slowly work it back to you. A heavier weight on the end will help you on windier days.

http://www.animatedknots.com/dropper...matedknots.com
or
my prefered loop knot, just keep don't clip any tag ends off.
http://www.animatedknots.com/surgeon...matedknots.com

Ditto , I would be more inclined to use a drop shot than a carolina rig for crappie as they don't feed downward like bass do and are more likely to strike a drop shot rig with the jig or minnow dangling right in front of them .

[shipahoy41]

I will use a # 6 hook on a Carolina rig for deep shellcrackers and perch. Take a tube jig, then use some tweezers to push a bit of sponge in it till the tube is filled up. This floats the tube in the Carolina Rig. Add a few drops of your favorite scent. Go fish.

[bigfish5]

Ditto , I would be more inclined to use a drop shot than a carolina rig for crappie as they don't feed downward like bass do and are more likely to strike a drop shot rig with the jig or minnow dangling right in front of them .

i have always heard that crappie do not feed down? but one of my best winter technique's is to drag a jig super slow right on the bottom keeping in contact with the bottom. i catch crappie alot this way. a lot of time the crappie even have red clay mud on their bellies where they are buried on the bottom.my jig cant be over 3 or 4 inches off the bottom at the most.

[bigfish5]

I will use a # 6 hook on a Carolina rig for deep shellcrackers and perch. Take a tube jig, then use some tweezers to push a bit of sponge in it till the tube is filled up. This floats the tube in the Carolina Rig. Add a few drops of your favorite scent. Go fish.

yes i was thinking about a 3/16 weight , small swivel, a 3 ft leader, a # 4 or #2 hook rigged weedless into a tube with a small piece of a packing peanut inside to make it float. just my thoughts. it might not work but i am thinking about trying it on my next trip.

[CrappiePappy]

i have always heard that crappie do not feed down? but one of my best winter technique's is to drag a jig super slow right on the bottom keeping in contact with the bottom. i catch crappie alot this way. a lot of time the crappie even have red clay mud on their bellies where they are buried on the bottom.my jig cant be over 3 or 4 inches off the bottom at the most.

while it may be true that Crappie won't normally "look down" to feed, or chase a bait "down" for very far ... the notion that they won't feed down, on something below them, isn't 100% accurate. They are inclined to look/feed on what's above them, but they will "stand on their head" to grab something they want. I've seen Crappie do just that, in my home aquarium

And, to address your remarks about catching Crappie with muddy bellies, when your bait couldn't be more than 3 or 4 inches off the bottom .... how far off the bottom are the fish's eyes & mouth :p You weren't exactly fishing "below them", but more likely right in front of them.

Most people that make the statement that Crappie don't feed down, are actually saying that Crappie won't dive far after a bait, if it's fished below them. The position of their eyes is the giveaway factor, in their tendancy to feed upwards. Their body structure is the giveaway factor, in their tendancy to not be a long range "chaser" ... but, a stealthy short range attacker.

When you're fishing with a float, and that float tips over on its side or rises up, denoting that the weight of the bait has been lifted up ... it is possible that the fish came from above it, grabbed the bait, and is heading back to the depth from whence it came Or, in other words, it feed down. Granted, the bait probably wasn't very far below the fish ... but, it did feed on a bait that was below its position. It could also have been a fish that came up, from below the bait, grabbed the bait and did not immediately turn and dive back down ... but, the inertia of its upward movement wasn't halted. This is what I think happens when I experience sudden slack in my line, when I'm swimming a jig. I think the fish comes from below, grabs the bait, and while it's deciding whether to swallow or spit it, its upward movement continues ... causing the line to suddenly go slack. I don't know if the fish would eventually reject the bait, or turn and dive back down with it, because I've already set the hook before the fish makes that choice :D

... cp