Tightline...questions about bait depth

[robw]

Just trying spider rigging for the first time this year and would like some advice from some of you tightline experts. When you are fishing the river or creek ledges just cruising along looking for fish, how do you determine your starting fishing depths (assuming you are not fishing some particular piece of cover or structure). Do you base it on bottom depth, bait fish depth or something else entirely. I realize that you have to figure out what depth the crappie are feeding at, but many times on the graph it is easy to see the baitfish and determine their depth, but it can be much harder to see the feeding or suspended crappie. So do you typically set your bait depths just below the bait fish depths or do you use use some other method to start out. I have only tried spider rigging a few times this fall with little success. I know there are crappie there but I suspect I am not getting the bait depth dialed in. I have been fishing double rigs so I can cover a range of depths on each pole. The last time I tried, it I was on the river ledge in 12-18 fow, most of the bait balls were between 6-8 ft deep, so I had my baits running 7-10ft deep but just never felt like I was getting in front of the fish like I should be.

I know there is no magic answer to every situation but just looking for any advice you can give a beginning tightliner. Thx Rob

[Slabprowler]

I would have tried to run 5'-7' if it had been me The bait needs to be at or just above the fish you might been fishing under them.

[Ditch Basser]

Crappie will come up to take a bait, but don't look down. If most of the fish/bait is at 6 to 8 feet, then set you depth at 6 feet.

Always error more shallow then deep. If you think your fishing slow enough, your not. Slow down.

[robw]

Thanks for the info guys, I was likely fishing too deep, but I think my speed was ok, I was at .4 to .5mph

[RogerA]

SLOW DOWN

[BAMA S]

Then slow down some more.......

[robw]

LoL OK guys I get it now....slooooooowing down! Thanks for the advice

[Ditch Basser]

My GPS normally says 00.0MPH when I'm spider rigging.