Rigging Crappie Jigs

[jjoel]

I've used maribou jigs and roadrunners and that sort of stuff but I'm not real heavy into crappie fishing and would like to get more into it. Does anyone have any pictures or good articals with pictures on how to rig up various crappie jigs, perhaps a good starters "must have" tackle box? I live in Atchison kansas and will soon be moving to lee's summit, mo so i've fished around that area quite about (usually for bass) but like i said would like to get my crappie skills refined. thanks for any help!

p.s. i have 1 lightweight spinner, and 1 medium action spinning rig (6'6), that'll give you a good idea what i'm able to throw.

[Raintree]

I use alot of varios road runners but just this year I started using tube jigs too. I prefer the jig heads with red hooks that have the lead that goes inside the tube. Big differance in the amount of fish I have caught this year too.

Colors vary these are real good chooses to start with Chart, Chart/Black, White, White/Blue, Pink, Black

I like the 1.5 or 2" versions that have alot of salt on them.

I also prefer the Thil bobbers medium size. I think they don't spook the fish as much as plastic.

Also often I tip my jig with a berkly crappie nibble. White or the new glitter versions.

Good luck.

[jjoel]

i guess what i'm also asking is how do you rig jigs up regarding a bobber? and how fast do you reel them in and all that stuff. basically all i've ever done is cast my jig out with a floater and real it in pretty slow and sometimes i'll get a bite (no real strategy unlike my bass fishing).

[slammedskat]

I am just getting in crappie fishing also. I am looking for some of the same advice. Thanks

[Raintree]

Technic varies depending on time of day, Season and especialy water temperature

But as a rule I start with a bobber and about 3 feet between my jigs and work deeper depending on where I think the fish are. Also color seems to vary depending on water clarity. Brighter colors for dingier water and vice versa

Note: There will be days where they want you to leave it perfectly still and there will be times when they want you to slowly reel them in and give slight twitch's

Also I catch alot of fish without a bobber by just casting a jig and reelling it in fast enough to keep the moss and snags off but slow none the less. Also twitch the tip every few turns of the handle.

All of what I mentioned above works for both jigs and minnows.

I do prefer to use jigs and latly I have been using a berkly crappie nibble on each jig i fish. But there are times where they just will not hit a jig and thats when I go to minnows. Also I think (Personal opinion) bigger fish prefer minnows. Probably why most of my fish tend to be a little small.

Also I rig my minnows two ways either right behind the dorsel fin on their backs or just before there eyes. I prefer the first way I mention

Gear. I also gear way down in size. "ULTRALIGHT" Bank fishing I fish a 2 poles one 6" mighty light Bass Pro yellow fiberglass spinning rod rigged with Wally Marshal 4lb camo line and a 5'6" IM6 bass pro mightly light ultralight spinning rig rigged with again the same line.

From the boat I use those same 2 poles for casting but for spider rigging (which I am new too) I use Wally Marshal 9' pro series and the matching crappie delux reels rigged with either wally marhal 6lb yellow line or 4 lb camo line. (DOn't pay full price for these rigs BPS runs sales regularly on them) I run 4 rigs in front using driftmaster t-bars one on each side of the bow and stearn so I could run 16 rigs at once but I really only run 4 on the front and rear.
This technic is new to me and I am learning still, so far I get alot of tangles between rods and find boat control dificult to master. Not to mention it's difficult when multiple rods have bites and fish. Fun but challenging.

Alot of people fish alot of different ways one isn't better than the other its just personal preferance. I surly don't do it perfect I am sure but I do catch my fair share of the slabs.

I hope some of this helps you find more fish and how to convince them onto your line. Good luck too you.

[michaelj1978]

My favorite method is to use a ultralight spinning reel with 4-6lb test and rig weedless tube jigs about 12-15 inches apart. Vary the colors on each jig and after you get a few in the boat switch to whichever color caught the most.

I just bought some wooden slip bobbers and I'm going to give them a try this weekend in the shallow water.

[longshot]

jjoel

I use tube jigs. The jigs are 1.5" scale head jigs. A scale head jig has a glitter coverd head. When I say glitter covered head I dont mean just scattered flakes, but the glitter covers the whole head. 1/16oz unpainted jig heads. 1" round foam floats. We also use berkley crappie nibbles.

7' PRL or 7' shrimp special All star casting rods. Quantem omega (smaller series) spincast reels. 6'6" lite spinning rods and spinning reels. We use 6# test bass pro excell green line. We like the longer rods casting jigs on the flats.

We use two jigs on each rod under the float. We tie the first one on the line using a surgeon loop and then the lower one again with a surgeon loop. The surgeon loop lets the jig hang level and gives it more freedom of action. We are usually fishing 3-6' of water and tie the jigs @ 18" apart.

When we retrieve the jigs we use several methods. The most common is twitch-twitch- pause as you work it back to the boat. We also slow reel, slow reel pause, and just let it sit if there is a little wave action. We start catching the fish on the 10-12' flats in Feburary and progress to the 3-5' flats by mid march. The slower less agressive retrieve is used early in the year and we get more agressive as the fish move shallower.

Example: We were catching crappie in 18"-2' of water on the 30 @31 of December in the afternoon. The top jig was @ 8" from the float and the bottom one was 15" deep!!!!! If you get a day the is sunny and fairly calm crappie will move REALLY shallow in the winter. 2-3' of water is fairly common in the afternoon starting in feb. if the sun is bright. In winter fish shallow flats closer to deep water channels or creeks, and as early spring gets closer go further from the deeper water.

One of the most important things is to NOT use the trolling motor much. It spooks fish!!!!!!!! If at all possible dont use it at all in the 3" or less water.

good luck
longshot

[slammedskat]

Thanks guys that did help. I have been reading a good bit about rigging jigs and I am going to try it this weekend. I will be fishing of of a dock but it will still be good practice.

Thanks Again
Steven

[Bruce Carp]

Patience is the key, keep working and experimenting with equipment and techniques. I learn something every time out, even after 20 years of active crappie fishing. Fish with lots of folks and learn a little every day. good luck ps I use poles from 5 to 14 feet depending on the conditions and seasons.

[TwainGang]

I would get familiar with slip bobbers and bobber stops. There are many different types out there and they are better than fixed position bobbers usually.


Another method I am really enjoying is long-pole dappling (basically the "flipping technique" for bass fishing) for with a 1/16 oz jig. I usually use a 10 or 12 foot crappie rod and a trigger type underspincast reel. I have 12 feet of line out so the jig will hang down to about the end of the rod butt. I hold the rod with my right hand and also hold about 3-4 feet of extra line running through the fingers of my left hand. This enables me to pendulum the jig out to the target and use my left hand to play out line as the jig drops. I "check" the jig every three feet or so during its fall through the water column in order to check for a fish. This gives the jig a little "hiccup" in its fall path that may also entice a strike from a crappie that might not strike otherwise. I often don't really knowor care how deep the fish are- I just drop the jig down next to a tree or other cover and yo-yo it down to the bottom and jig a couple times. If nothing takes it I bring it back up and try the other side of the tree or even out away from the tree. Getting a good fish on with extra line in your left hand is kind of like fly fishing- you have to get that line on the reel quickly or you can lock your line against the rod blank with your hand. I usually use a net when I get them close to the boat because I've lost too many when I try to hoist them into the boat. Dealing with a 12 foot rod does take some practice and I do better with monofilament spooled on because it slides through the rod guides better than superlines. These outfits aren't really expensive- you can get a underspin reel for under $20 and a good rod for about $30. You can really cover water (vertically horizontally) and using this technique!