School me on crappie tackle

brownisdown

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
We have always been a catch whatever bites family but I'd like to target crappie a little more specifically. What do you guys like in rod length and line type? Fluorocarbon leaders? Setups that work for both jigging and casting?
 

Crappie_Hunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
It really depends on how you want to fish, tightline, troll, live scope, single pole brush pile.... all these approaches have their place and are effective. Regardless of which style you want to gear yourself towards (heck, get enough to do all of them!!) but Southern Crappie Rods, Ed Duke in Concord, NC would be where I would go. He will be a 1 stop shop to get you going in crappie fishing. I know your profile says Raleigh but trust me the drive and time spent talking to Ed will be WELL worth it.
 

kilerhamilton

Old Mossy Horns
Where I have room to cast a med 7’ rod with a 2500-2000 reel with 14# braid
1/16-1/8oz jig head and curly tail.

tight in the woods a short 5’ rod and braid because I’m fishing in the creeks that are full of debris.
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
Big fan of the ACC rods. I like Eds rods, but haven’t used the ones I have much. They’re a little heavy and whippy for single poling IMO

I’ve got 2 ACC 11’ Crossovers rear reel seat, and wouldn’t pry them from my hands unless you have me a 13fter. Got a 13ft ozark coming and will have a 13ft ACC unless the ozark blows my mind.

Forget the minnows. They have their time and place, but unless $$ was on the line, and I wanted to make sure I had everything, forget them.

They were hungry today. Hair jigs for the win.

Ive got to thank Gobbler for getting me back on the hair jigs and on those rear seat rods.

Spend time with that new fish finder. Look for structure and fish. Spend more time looking for those than actually fishing, and it’ll pay off.
 

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nchawkeye

Old Mossy Horns
I guess it depends on how you fish...I fish brush piles in 15-30 feet of water in High Rock and Badin...I usually have a 1/16 oz jig tied on so I like a Diana Regal LT 1000 spooled with 6 pound test, 2 pound diameter braid and a 6 pound mono leader...I have 3 rods, one a micro in 5 1/2 foot, love it!!! But I also have a 6 and 6 1/2 foot ultralight as well...
 

DarrinG

Six Pointer
I'm still learning crappie but I recently bought a new Crappie Maxx 6'6" light action rod that I'm really liking. paired it with a Abu Garcia reel (small size, not sure of the model at the moment) with 4# mono and its quickly becoming my favorite. I dont long-pole jig any yet for now but prefer casting, dock fishing and slip-bobber fishing and I really like the combo.
 

Loganwayne

Ten Pointer
We almost always troll. So rods from 5’ all the way to 12’. I also like to use the minnow body rubber jigs always have a couple of styles but the minnow body always does well. Summer time we will troll crank baits
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Single pole, I use a 6 1/2 or 7’ micro lite with a pfleuger president and 10/2 or 5/1 power pro.

Longlining, 6-14’ rods in a spread with 10 lb. mono mainline and 6 lb. leader.

Tightlining 12-14’ Southern Crappie rods. And minnows. I only tightline in the winter when I can’t catch them the other two ways.
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
Yesterday they choked on hair jigs. Tackle was 11ft ACC cross over, Okuma Solaris spinning reels, 4lb smoke fireline with 10lb Berkley vanish leader, with a 1/16oz bullet weight pegged above it.
Got a 13ft Ozark hybrid coming and a 13ft ACC crossover.
No hogs yesterday, 1.38 was big fish, with several 1.22-1.27 mixed in, and all the eaters you’d want to catch. Got tired of catching and came home at 1:30. All new spots. Never fished them before, and fish on everything I found.

Screen grab from a video from yesterday. They’re still on brush but starting to pull off with the water cooling down.
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DarrinG

Six Pointer
Thanks for sharing Justin. As a newbie crappie fisherman, this time of year, once the water cools down and as you said starting to pull off the brush...where do they typically go from there? Shallower or deeper? Looks like those fish on the live view were pretty deep already.
 

darenative

Twelve Pointer
Yesterday they choked on hair jigs. Tackle was 11ft ACC cross over, Okuma Solaris spinning reels, 4lb smoke fireline with 10lb Berkley vanish leader, with a 1/16oz bullet weight pegged above it.
Got a 13ft Ozark hybrid coming and a 13ft ACC crossover.
No hogs yesterday, 1.38 was big fish, with several 1.22-1.27 mixed in, and all the eaters you’d want to catch. Got tired of catching and came home at 1:30. All new spots. Never fished them before, and fish on everything I found.

Screen grab from a video from yesterday. They’re still on brush but starting to pull off with the water cooling down.
View attachment 79629
What was the water temp?
Our water temp is 50-52 and our crappie have not transitioned to deep water points yet in any numbers.
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
Thanks for sharing Justin. As a newbie crappie fisherman, this time of year, once the water cools down and as you said starting to pull off the brush...where do they typically go from there? Shallower or deeper? Looks like those fish on the live view were pretty deep already.
Deep. Usually suspend around shad. I’m sure some stay all winter. 🤷🏼‍♂️ Don’t let that fool you, one thing live sonar has shown me is nothing Js absolute. I caught fish over a 20ft difference in depth yesterday.
What was the water temp?
Our water temp is 50-52 and our crappie have not transitioned to deep water points yet in any numbers.
57°
 
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