Advice for setup

[Slabprowler]

The pflugers r great and so r the Sienna's I use Berkeley solutions 4lb line works great on small spinning reels the best low memory and the least tangles out of all that I have tried so far.very stout too

[CrappiePappy]

Our local farm and home has the berkley cherrywood light action in 5' 6" length for around $20. Would this be a good rod for jig casting? Also picked up a flueger trion 20 reel to use along with the Shimano sienna 50 I got the other day.hope I'm not asking too many questions but this is all very new to me and I'm anxious to get started!

That would be a "good" rod for casting jigs, but a "better" one would be a 6' or 6'6" med action Cherrywood (IMHO) and I'll tell you why I say that :

Fishing from the bank, the longer rods will cast farther & take up more slack line during the hookset (and require less arm raising or speed reeling to do it). The "light" action of that brand may be a little too soft, without being more or less directly over top of the biting fish.

Unfortunately, not all "UL", "lite", or other power designations are equal among different brands. There's really no "standard" among them. The power designations are simply compared to the other rods of that brand's lineup, meaning that a "lite" action rod is just a little stiffer than an "ultralite" and a little "softer action" than a "med-lite" OF THE SAME MODEL WITHIN THAT BRAND. It may or may not compare to the same length and designation of a competing brand's rod.

Ideally, you would want a rod that had a medium power designation and a fast action tip. The "power" would guarantee you a strong hookset and the ability to control a large fish, while the "fast action" of the tip would help you with casting distance & sensitivity.

And understand, if you elect to use a float with your jig ... a shorter rod will be more cumbersome to cast with, and you will find yourself missing a lot of fish or losing them on the way in ... for the simple reason that you cannot take up as much slack, as quickly, as with a longer/stronger rod. Remember, most all of the hookset power is stopped at the float, because your jig is at a ~90deg angle to you ... so you have to move the float, thru the water's resistance, until you get it directly in a line between the rod tip and jig before the jig hook will have much power to penetrate the fish's mouth (esp. the roof of the mouth, which is where you always want the jig hook to be).

Casting with a jig, alone, it's not quite as dramatic ... but, you still have to overcome the distance, slack, and line stretch hard enough & fast enough to solidly stick the fish before it can spit the jig out.

Case in point : I'm over 6' tall, with a wingspan of over 6' ... I used a 5' UL rod for quite some time, for casting jigs. Setting the hook meant moving the rod/reel (and my arms) to almost above my head (with nearly totally outstretched arms) when I would get a bite at much of any distance. Since I went to my current 6'6" ESP PowerLite rod as my primary jig casting rod ... my hookset involves rod/reel/arm movement of less than 1/3 the distance I had to move the 5' rod. It really does make that much difference.

[Jakesdad]

So how do I know what action to go with between brands(light vs medium)? I was afraid if I went medium it would be too stiff using the 4 lb line. Wow I've got alot to learn!(not at all disagreeing with you on your suggestion as all I have to go off of is what I read which is why I thought light was better)any brand(s) and action(s)you could recommend would be appreciated

[Slowboat]

There is very good info on here from very experienced veterans. But don't overthink it so soon. Take notes on what you learn here and then just go out fish. Then you will know what works or does not work for you.
Then when you decide to upgrade you will have a idea of what you want.
Tackle will never make up for experience.
And as always go have fun!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[deathb4disco]

So how do I know what action to go with between brands(light vs medium)?

As CP said, there's really no standard on rod action. I don't think you'll go wrong with rods marked "light" or "ultralight", though. The Cherrywoods will work fine. I also agree with CP that a longer rod will help you, particularly if you're fishing from the bank.

[CrappiePappy]

So how do I know what action to go with between brands(light vs medium)? I was afraid if I went medium it would be too stiff using the 4 lb line. Wow I've got alot to learn!(not at all disagreeing with you on your suggestion as all I have to go off of is what I read which is why I thought light was better)any brand(s) and action(s)you could recommend would be appreciated

What I would do is go to a store and handle a few different brands. I'd hold the rod to see how heavy/light it feels. Then I'd shake the rod and observe the tip ... if it don't move at all, it's too stiff, and if it moves from the middle to the tip, it's too soft. What you really want is one that moves on the top 1/3 of the rod. THEN I'd read the labeling to see what designations that brand states, but don't fret over them. Just make a mental note of how that rod feels in your hands and how it reacts to being shaken. And if possible, put your choice of reel on the rod and then lay the rod/reel over your finger, right on the front end of the handle. If it will balance there, it's a perfect match ... if it tips slightly towards the handle or tip, it's a decent match ... if it drops like a rock towards either end, try another rod. Having a balanced outfit will reduce the stress on your wrist/forearm, when casting or holding the outfit for any length of time. Handle heavy outfits will just feel heavy, but tip heavy outfits will wear you out quick. Balanced outfits will feel lighter in your hand, and become an extension of your arm.

I can't really recommend any particular brand or model, simply because I'm not familiar with the newer ones of any brand. I have already accumulated over 20 rod/reel outfits, that can be used for different Crappie fishing methods (or specific ones), so I've not had any reason to comparison shop for replacements. I mentioned Cherrywoods because one of my fishing partners has used them for decades, and does very well with them, so I'm kinda familiar with that model of Berkley rods.

[gbhill]

I read that the newer Cherrywood rods aren't the same as the older ones. I bought one & to my misfortune shattered it the 1st time out. (my fault more that I can blame the rod) but I found the Cherrywood's too stiff for my liking. I like the Shakespere Micro Series. I have a 5'6 light action. I'm thinking about buying a longer rod of the same series. Might not be your fancy though. Best thing is to find a rod that feels right for you. I love checking out rods.

These guys offer great advice. I'm pretty new to crappie fishing also & built up a good inexpensive tackle box of jigs but I do catch crappie. I use Mr Crappie line, 6lb cameo I bought at WalMart & I love it cept the fact I have a time seeing the line to tie knots cause my near vision is bout a crap shootWell that's my

[Jakesdad]

I've seen the Shakespeare Micro at Walmart and was wondering if they were any good. May give them a try, the price is right

[Eagle 1]

our local private retail hunting and fishing store sells an Okuma rod (6 '2") with an Okuma size ten reel for just over $50.00 . good set up .

[Erin Brewer]

I have got a 7' shakespeare micro graphite that i use pulling crankbaits and it has held up to the abuse so far. I really like the rod has a nice tip and plenty of backbone.