Is Spider Rigging Worth it?

It's just like everything else...you either get something from it or you don't. I usually do something for a while then get bored with it and do something else. You can start with a three rod rig and do that for a while and then figure out if you want to expand. I got hung up a few years ago on casting and I just can't seem to quit. The only way I will do anything else is if the casting pattern is dead for a while.But it's just a personal thing....if you are running a bunch of poles to just load the boat then thats commercial fishing in my book not sport fishing,but if it's legal and that's your thing then do it. Sometimes you just have to try something to know for sure.

It really depends on what you enjoy. I would try to go on a trip with someone that spider rigs to see if you enjoy it before you make the investment. We started spider rigging because when the weather gets hotter and the fish suspend in deeper water it was a way for us to keep enjoying fishing. Spider rigging allowed us to keep some air moving and cover more area verses sitting still in the blistering sun. We spider rig some now in as shallow as 3 foot of water with a 1/4 jig during the spawn, just depends on what the fish are doing and how we decide that we want to fish for them. We may even change during the day. Start a lot of days in early summer spider rigging and then switch to our cranking poles and back pulling rack. We starting pulling crank baits about 4 years ago and have been doing some long line trolling the past 2 years. I'm taking clients wade fishing this March on Grenada(all time favorite lake), water levels permitting. This will be my first time to wade fish for crappie, I'm really excited to give this a try, I'm like a kid waiting on Christmas right now! I have never tried side pulling but watched Roger Gant doing this on Grenada while he was pre fishing for the Crappie Masters last fall.

I typed all of this to say I'm with Greg, I enjoy learning and trying new techniques. My wife and I fish a lot together, her favorite is pulling cranks and spider rigging for her is a close second, as for me I love it all! which makes it more expensive! Haha!

I'm not sure where you live but you are welcome to go spider rigging with me sometime. I'm by no means an expert but I have a heck of a time trying. I live in SE AR mainly fish in MS, SE AR, and a little in NE LA, I can get to these lakes quicker than Central AR lakes. I'm sure that you can find someone close to take you spider rigging if not send me a pm sometime.

If you like catching a crappie It is well worth it, all lakes are different, some fish better with different methods, the more methods you learn the better off you will be to catch crappie anywhere they swim. Learn all methods from single poling too dock shooting and you will soon be able to just look at a lake and have an idea on what to do. Now get out there and start learning and you can Thank me later...

I LOVE spider rigging! Sometimes it depends on your very first trip. My buddy hates it but we didnt do well and now he is negative towards it mentally. We smoked em on my first trip so I love it. If the spider bites ya, you will be buying gear. Just do yourself a favor (and not do like me) buy exactly what ya want the very first time. It may be a little more expensive on the front end but definitely cheaper later on. I tried and re-geared 3 different times before I settled in on what I think is the best equipment. New I wanted the equipment (I now have) from the very beginning. I tried to cheap out and it ended up costing me alot of money! lol. Single poling is very effective! Im not saying that it isn't. But the more tricks you have up your sleeve the more consistant you will be. Now I need to follow that advice myself and learn the art of single poling!

Thanks again guys for all the info! I feel like I am probably going to take the plunge eventually but gonna save up like LowePro said and buy what I want the first time. In the mean time it looks like I will be going with a single pole. I'm not looking to just fill my freezer until I cant shut the door but I do like to eat fish and crappie seem to be the best so far, but I was brought up to only take what you can eat while fishing/hunting with my dad. Crappie were always a mystery fish growing up bass fishing with my dad and he always said he wished he could catch a mess of crappie but we never could, I just want to be able to repay my dad for all the tangles and lures of his I lost growing up by taking him and catching a mess of crappie!

Is it worth it? Sometimes... The first time you hang up 5 poles in a brush pile, you may think not.

X2 on buying quality equipment. You'll thank yourself later. Good luck with your crappie fishing adventures.

Going to Red Lobster once a week, and spider rigging cost about the same by the time you buy fish finders,trolling motors and so on. Just eat at Red lobster every week and enjoy....:cheers2

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Originally Posted by crappie cowboy

Going to Red Lobster once a week, and spider rigging cost about the same by the time you buy fish finders,trolling motors and so on. Just eat at Red lobster every week and enjoy....:cheers2

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What is a pound of minnows now ? 13 to 15 bucks most places after tax ? Bait alone will set ya back price of a good meal cause most spider riggers use a pound and using 2 lbs in a day is not unheard of !:yikes

Nimrod, it's only money, green paper, if ya have it, it ain't no big deal. If ya don't some think it is the holy grail.. Me, I just wanna go fishin.

Try it all, see what you like. Spider rigging is work to me . I go fishing to relax and enjoy the THUMP. I catch plenty fishing a pole in each hand. I tie my own jigs and have just ordered stuff to build my first pole. There is not a wrong way to catch fish, but some are much more enjoyable. For me, simple is better.