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Originally Posted by ekim22
I'll assume you meant to type : (that if the lines AREN'T perfectly vertical then they aren't as deep as I'd thought they were)
And if that was what you meant to type .... you'd be perfectly correct.
And you don't count the length of line from rod tip to the surface of the water, when calculating. That's another reason why you see most jig "pushers" with their rod tips just a few inches above the water's surface. Spider Riggers do that too, but I think they're mostly doing it to see the rod tip go underwater (indicating a bite), since they're more or less fishing vertically ... so they already know how deep their bait is, by the length of line they have out.
Spider Riggers measure the length of line they have out -- from water's surface to the bait.
Jig Pushers measure the length of line they have out -- from water's surface to the weight. (since they're going at a faster speed, the jig will be trailing the weight - not hanging below it.)
Another thing having that weight on the main line is good for, is when you run into the brush or snag the bottom ... you just back up and drop the weight below the bait, and that will "usually" knock the jig (or hook) off whatever it's snagged on.
I pre-tie a bunch of leaders with jighead on one end & loop knot on the other. On my main line I have a barrel sinker, then a plastic bead, and a duo-lock snap (or you can use a swivel). Then if I should get snagged too bad & have to break off ... I just throw on another leader, put a plastic body on the jighead, and I'm back in business. I have my jig/leaders wrapped around a 4" section of a "pool noodle", and keep three of those noodle sections in my tackle bag. My main line is always a way heavier pound test than my 6lb test mono leaders, so the leader is the weak link. That way I only lose the jig, & not the barrel sinker. I can replace a broken leader & be back fishing with that rod in less than 1min.
Luck2ya if you get to go !!
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Keeper
I live in Louisana and I use regular cane poles 13ft -16ft. After years using them I got fiberglass cane poles. I troll on a party barge with 20 poles out at one time , 2 hooks on each pole. I troll at 1.5 to 2 mph with a yamaha 115hp with a troll plate on it. Poles have string as long as pole with a 2 oz weight , crappie rig with a beetle spin and a spinner with a minnow. Troll in july- sept, 18-28 ft of water.
Keeper
Not new to fishing, but new to spider rigging. I have a 18.5" Ranger I had set up to bass fish out of. Nice Lowrance HDS units front and back, stucturescan ... the whole nine yards. Got tired of bass fishing, decided to slow down and simplify things a bit and start targeting crappie. Boy was I wrong. I started all this last summer. Here is hat I have learned: 1. This is not simpler, or easy. 2. start slow. 4 rods is a lot to keep up with at first. 3. locating fish and staying on them is key.
These are a few things, in order, that I have found to be important.
1. use high-vis line on your main line. you need to be able to see you line to detect light/subtle bites
2. get good electronics. sidescan, downscan, gps etc. several good mid priced units that work really good. these wont guarantee you will catch fish, but you will be fishing where there are fish.
3. variable speed TM. Boat control is at least as important as the 2 items listed above. It is the one thing I struggled with the most at first, and still do. Im looking now at a MG Xi5.
4. rod holders. I use Bee Ready. they work great. but if I were to start over, I would probably get either Spyderlocs or Millennium, but that's a personal preference.
5. lastly ... what rods you get really is the least important decision at first. I started with West Point 12', still using them. probably not as sensitive, but they are 1/2 the cost. And what reel you use is even less important. I use the MR. Crappie mini baitcasters.
The most important thing is getting on the water and spending time behind the rods. Trust me, at first you will wonder what you have gotten yourself into. but eventually you will start getting in tune with everything that is happening around you.
What this technique has taught me more than anything else is .... PATIENCE and SELF CONTROL.
Good luck
Keeper
first time spider rigging will be tomorrow. I have a 21 ft Center console bay boat. put spyderloks on the bow yesterday.
couple of questions....
I have not yet put a fish finder on the bow (waiting on Helix 9 to go on sale) I have a SI unit on console. I know this is not ideal but I should be able to get in the general area and be ok?
I have 4 14ft southern crappie rods but will have 2 buddies with me. I think between them they have 2 12ft rods and several 7ft rods. I'm thinking put the 14 ft in front middle and shorter rods out to side? shorter rods in back of boat..
anything I am missing or should consider with what I have to work with tomorrow?
self tied capps and coleman rigs with gnats and minnows / bobby garlands.
this thread has been very informative thanks all for contributing.
Keeper
Use console unit to locate fish ( area, depth, how they are relating to structure, etc), set out some marker bouys. This is for reference. Have someone watch console unit to monitor speed. It can definitely do done. Have fun
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All things considered, I think your plan should work. Just try and position everyone's rods so that they aren't directly in line with rods/lines of the guy in front of them. Even a foot difference is better than having the line be running through the same exact area of water as the rods in front of them. You want all the rods/lines to be going thru new water, and not water a bait has already passed thru ... unless they are running at different depths. Once you find the right depth and speed, and start catching fish, is when you want to make sure everyone's rods are running in "new water" ... because then everyone should be at the same depth. You don't want the guys behind you to feel like they're fishing in "used" water.
Keeper
great info I know this is a little late so I may not get a response but what is the typical speed for this type of fishing. Have an Ulterra so I can get specific. I'm guessing like .2 to .4?
Keeper
1/2 Oz weights will be in less than 10ft of water if that helps...
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Yeah .... 0 - 0.4mph is about right. When I push jigs I am normally running at 0.6 - 0.8mph and my 1/2oz weights pull the line back to around a 45deg angle. That's what I want, so I can calculate how deep the jig is by multiplying the length of line under the water by 0.6 .... that means that if I have a 14ft rod that the rod tip is 1ft over the water's surface, and I let the line out to where the weight was at the butt of the handle (~14ft overall length), then I have 13ft of line below the water. 13 x 0.6 = 7.8 ... so I figure my jig is between 7-8ft deep. It's not dead accurate, but it's close enough. I figure it's better to be dragging the jig "over" the fish, than "under" them, so I err on the side of being too shallow, rather than too deep. My speed variations & boat turns will cause depth fluctuations of my jig, also, which is why I say it's not "dead accurate".
At "Spider Rigging" speeds (up to 0.4mph) you won't lose near as much depth, but you will still have to consider your depth as being where your bottom bait is, if using a C/C rig ... especially when going under 0.4mph.
Keeper
I usually start at .2, but have caught fish from almost a standstill up to about .6 in the areas that I fish. Usually not deeper than 15 fow with a 1/2 oz weight. I started off always trying to stay at .2/.3 mph. Found by accident, wind drifting me back, one time that the faster I moved the more bites I was getting. Fishing by yourself in the wind will really test your skills controlling your boat!! My usual rig in about 10 fow is a 3/8 oz weight with a 3/16 or a 1/4 oz jig on bottom and a plain hook w/ minnow on top. Deeper than that I would go to a heavier weight in an attempt to keep my mainline nearly vertical.
Again, I am relatively new to this style of fishing,but am really trying to learn how to do it successfully.
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