Rooster,
Welcome to the madness of Crappie fishing, I'm gonna go a different way than most have instructed already, if you're a X-bass fisherman go with that, Why not get you a good 5' to 6' med-light rod, good spinning reel, jig heads and body's and start by catching jigs to structure, it beginning to be the time when the fish will start the in the creek to the bank move and by catching and move Around you still cover water and you'll still be casting and then you can add to your technic. Just a thought if you going all out either way longlining or tightlining will get fish in your boat too.
If you don't get hung every-once-n-a-while you ain't jigg'n it right..:D
Member of:
South Carolina Crappie Association TX. Trail
Vexan Pro-staff Member