Spider Rigging 101

For those of you interested in starting to Spider Rig, there are several ways to go. My best advise is to buy the RIGHT equipment first. Don't go cheap and move up. That will cost you twice the money in the long run. Buy the best your budget will allow.

I'll try to give you some options on starting, as there is no right or wrong way to do it. What's good for one guy, may not be for others.

We'll start off buy looking at the basic equipment needed to start.

ROD RACK

You will need a rack of some sort to hold your trolling poles while fishing. There are lots of choices out there. Pick the ones that YOU like best. They all work very well. Tite Lok, Spider Lok, Hi Tech, Cumberland, Perotti, and Driftmaster are some of the most common and popular brands. Lots of guys even make their own racks if they have that capacity. Just remember to buy or use the one YOU like best. Your buddy may have different needs than you do. Name: ImageUploadedByTapatalk1435938912.627747.jpg Views: 837 Size: 37.6 KB

RODS
You next will need some Rods or as most spider riggers say, Poles. Again there are lots of choices. Length, price range, and style are something to consider. I suggest something that you can use for other types of fishing, or what I call an all around rod. A rod you could Spider Rig, Pull Cranks, Power Troll, and Long Line with if you choose to without buying another set of rods. You can get a more specialized rod for each style of fishing AFTER you y whether or not Spider Rigging is for you. BnM, Southern Crappie Rods, Pinnacle, Ozark, Crappiemaxx, and several others should have what you need. Each company makes a good all around model. The BnM PST, the Ozark Trolling pole are both good choices as are the Southern Crappie trolling poles. Buy the rod that gives you the most bang for your budget.

Most spider riggers use 12 to 16' rods. I think the 14' is by far the most popular. As with all of your equipment choices, choose the one that fits YOU best.


REELS
The next choice you will make is the type of reel you want. You can choose either spinning or bait casting reels, and your choice should take into consideration what else you will do with your poles besides spider rig. Both style reels work well, and buy the best you can afford of whichever one you choose. A quality, but inexpensive spinning reel is all you really need to hold your line unless you plan on expanding your trolling into Crankbaits, or Long Lining. If this is the case, buy a reel that will allow you to expand your fishing techniques when you get ready to do that.

LINE
This will be your next decision to make, and even tho there are different brand choices, I suggest a Hi Viz mono in 8-12lb test. You'll SEE the light biters moving the line better with a Hi Viz line, and will help you with less line tangles (which are normal). You'll learn to overcome most of the tangles after a few trips on the water. Use less poles to start until you get comfortable with your equipment and you'll have a more positive experience and catch more fish.

RIGS
This is an easy one, but very confusing for some. You can buy a nice pre tied rig from BnM (The Capps and Coleman rig), or you can get a really nice pre made rig at Grizzly Jig. You will want to buy a rig with a 3/8 to 1oz. weight on it. I use a 1/2oz rig in winter, and a 1oz rig when it gets warmer. Use smaller weight for colder seasons when the key word is SLOW (.1 to .4 mph), and a little larger weight during warmer seasons when you can speed up (.4 to .8 mph) to create a reaction bite. Some guys choose to use one size year round however. After you master the spider rigging technique, or should I say get comfortable with it, you then may want to start tying your own rigs the way you choose.

TROLLING MOTORS and ELECTRONICS
You are going to need a trolling motor and a fish/depth finder. You DO NOT need the best you can h to start, what you have now will work just fine. As you progress in your trolling, you can upgrade your equipment as you see fit. GPS, Side and Down Imaging, Remote Control Trolling Motors and the like are nice, and a lot of guys use them, but we are talking about getting started here. Don't go sell the farm before you know this style of fishing is for YOU!!!

In closing let me say that on Crappie.Com, you will find lots of Good People willing to help you out. If you have not tried spider rigging before, I'm sure you can find someone here that will be more than happy to take you out and let you see how things work. It will definitely help you make some of your decisions about what gear you prefer, and it will help you "Get A Feel" for for it.

Thank You,
BRM