Advice for setup

[Jakesdad]

I know this is a pretty general question,but my boys and I have decided to try getting into fishing,mainly crappie and bluegill.we have mostly done just cat fishing in the past but the boys find it to be pretty dull and setting jugs provide enough fish for a fish fry. My question is on equip setup.rods reels line jigs etc. I've already got 2 of the Shimano sienna 500 reels and a quantum ultra lite combo from Wally World. Was wondering what rods for mainly jig casting would be good without going broke buying them.what kind of line do you use? All I've got is the cheap mono zebco line from Walmart in sizes that range from 4#,6#,8# and 15# and 20# for cats.really don't know a lot about jig selection as far as weight size for heads and colors for jigs or really how to even fish them.dont own a boat so we are stuck on the bank or dock unless we go with friends. Sorry such a long and general post but since my fishing experience has been pretty much limited to drowning worms or stick bait I really don't know where to start. But I know we are all excited about starting and are jumping all in with both feet! Thank you and glad to be here!

[CrappiePappy]

to Crappie.com

You should be able to get some decent starter rods at Wally World for less than $30 ... like a Berkley Cherrywood. One of my fishing partners uses them, and has for MANY years, and he does well with them. A 6' or 6'6" length is a good length choice, as they will cast a good distance & their length will help take up slack during the hookset.

Stren, Trilene, & Vicious Panfish lines are all good lines ... and I'd suggest 4-6lb test for that size reel.

As far as jigs go ... the sky's the limit !! There are so many different types, styles, and shapes (and everyone has their fav's) that it's gonna depend on whom you ask ... as far as which ones are a "have to have" model. I favor 1/16oz jigheads overall, and while they can be purchased at stores usually with a #4 hook, I get mine custom made with a #2 hook ... so I can use various sizes of plastic bodies on them & still have a good gap between the hook point and top of the plastic body. And I also have them custom made with a weedguard, since I cast/vertical jig right down in the wood cover. Hair/marabou/feather (tied) jigs are also productive, and you can get the commercially made ones for a decent price.

As far as "how" you fish them (from the bank): casting is your primary option. They can be cast out and slowly reeled back in (just the jig) or they can be used with various styles of floats if you want to maintain a specific depth or a dead slow retrieve. Casting out and slowly reeling back, commonly known as "swimming" a jig, is generally done in conjunction with the "countdown system". That's simply casting out, on the first cast, and reeling back in starting at splashdown. Subsequent casts can be made to the same place as cast #1, but after splashdown you count "one Missouri" and then start reeling ... adding another second on each following cast. This enables you to cover a strip of water at various depths, as the jig will fall through the water at about 1ft per second (more or less). Following that series of casts through that strip of water, move your target a couple of feet to one side and repeat ... until you've covered the area of water in front of you. Generally you just reel in at a slow/steady pace, with no added action to the jig ... but, a slight "shake/jerk" of the rod every now and then, along the way, can make a difference. Not always, but it's always worth a try, on occasion.

Colors .... whole other "can of worms" ... but, solid white, solid pink, & solid chartreuse are good starting points (esp. with tied jigs) and black, blues, greens, pinks, & purples with a chartreuse tail or belly color (for contrast) is a good starting point for plastic bodies. The shapes of those plastic bodies is a whole other deal ... but, the stinger shad, slider grub (boot tail), and tubes seem to garner the most attention (at least for me they do !!). There's also curly tails and the "carrot" shaped plastics to consider. And size wise ... I'd stick with the 1.5" & 2" sizes (depending on brand & style of bait chosen).

Now, that's only scratching the surface ... and mostly what I am most familiar with ... so expect differing opinions from other members that may chime in with their opinions. But, basically what you want to do is imitate a small fish (minnow/shad/fry/fingerling) with your jig, and make it appear to be an easy meal.

When casting & swimming a jig ... a Crappie bite will usually come in one of 4 different line reactions. It may be a single "jump" of the line, a sideways movement of the line (rather than a straight return route), a heavy feeling (like you're dragging a leaf or small limb), or the line suddenly goes slack (and you know the jig cannot have hit bottom). In any of these instances, set the hook (being mindful that you have to take up any/all slack line when doing so).

[Slabprowler]

Welcome to c.c ..... you will find all the answers you looking for here . U can spend a fortune in a hurry but you don't have to . I have tons of equipment. !poles jig heads/ jigs / plastics etc but I have 5 or so go to colors that usually always work have seen a few times that they want something different. Black /chartreuse ,red/ chartreuse in tube jig. Etc. monkey milk ,blue ice ,shimmer shad etc in Bobby Garland . #2 hook 1/16oz jig head my favorite.

[Jakesdad]

Thinking of going with 4lb mono on everything as I'll be in mostly open water around brush piles. Will that be adequate? May go to 6lb on 10/12 ft poles if I go to vertical jigging anytime

[deathb4disco]

Thinking of going with 4lb mono on everything as I'll be in mostly open water around brush piles. Will that be adequate?

Yes. I've been doing the same thing for years.

[Crestliner08]

Welcome aboard! You've come to the right place for the information you need. Good luck to you and your kids and let us know how you make out. Those Cherrywood rods are hard to beat btw.

[vic n]

Welcome to the site!!!

[scrat]

from South Central Mississippi! You have came to the right place they are a lot of crappie knowledge here on Crappie.com. Welcome to the site and we will be looking forward to seeing some of your fishing reports and pictures.

[doggone]

you know...I have never even fished with them but I have read enough about them...that I think maybe a good start for a beginner may be one of the trout magnet kits with assorted heads and body colors. I have no doubt people are catching fish with them like they say they are .And the company seems to be offering kits with a good assortment should get you to the water with adequate ammo to start with and will help keep it simple at first. You can expand as you learn into all the other jig types and bodies and rigs.

I am going to start experimenting with them some myself.



Learn to use chartreuse chroma glow crappie nibbles... that's all I am going to say about that

[Jakesdad]

Our local farm and home has the berkley cherrywood light action in 5' 6" length for around $20. Would this be a good rod for jig casting? Also picked up a flueger trion 20 reel to use along with the Shimano sienna 50 I got the other day.hope I'm not asking too many questions but this is all very new to me and I'm anxious to get started!