Quote Originally Posted by buck n duck View Post
I am really wanting to get into crappie fishing. When I was a kid my grandparents crappie fished a lot but I can barely remember their method. They had 10'-13' poles that came out of the sides of the boat. 4 on each side and they used slip bobbers with minnows I think they used a pretty heavy weight and just trolled by really slow next to brush poles and structure. I know they used to catch a lot of crappie. I have a duck boat that I want to use. The problem is I have to put my poles out the sides of the boat. There is just no room for me and my wife or one of my kids to both sit in front like I see most spider rigging boats do. So 2 questions. 1. What method would you consider what my grandparents did? 2. What is the best way to tightline from the sides of the boat, rig just like you would if they were coming out the front? Thanks


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My Grandparents were my fishing mentors, as well. But what they did was called "still fishing" ... tied off to a tree or between trees, fishing straight down over the side of the boat with 2 rods apiece ... sinker/hook/minnow (no bobbers) ... watching the rod tips for a slight bend downwards. Many call that "tightline" fishing, today.

I think what your Grandparents were doing would be considered "slow trolling" in today's terms. And it would probably be called that with or without the bobbers.

Short of tying up or using an anchor ... you could probably fish the same way your Grandparents did. How you equip your boat and what types of fishing equipment you use is your call. And just because both anglers can't sit side by side at the bow doesn't mean you can't "spider rig" .... one can point their rods out the front, while the other points theirs out the back. Boat speed, boat position, and boat control is done with the trolling motor ... and the other person just fishes !!