If done correctly, a spider rig not only catches a lot of crappie, but big ones. Of course this technique requires having the right gear and using it correctly. The last thing you want is to have eight crappie rods tangled together.
Although spider rigging is an effective technique for catching crappie there are times when other techniques are more productive. “The best time to catch big crappie when spider rigging is during the prespawn. That can be from March and run through April depending on where you are fishing,” explained crappie fishing pro and Bobbie Garland pro staffer Dan Dannemueller.
Dannemueller did note that the drop-offs next to the spawning grounds as the best area to fish during the prespawn. Of all the seasons, Dannemueller does believe that winter is a productive time to be spider rigging. “Once the water temperatures get cold in the winter, crappies become more lethargic and don’t eat as much. During that time it’s better to be fishing for crappie around down trees or using a more slow presentation since crappie will not move much to strike a lure,” insisted Dannemueller.
There was one exception to the winter time rule of not using a spider rig. Dannemueller would use this technique if he was fishing extremely slow over a brush pile.
Presentation is extremely important when spider rigging. Going too fast will result in fewer bites if any. Dannemueller prefers to trolling using his trolling motor at .3- to .4-mph according to the ground-over-speed read out on the sonar unit. As the water cools, he will slow up moving only .1- to .2-mph.
Wind can be an important factor in speed when spider rigging. If the wind comes up, Dannemueller will change the weights on the fishing line to up to 1-ounce to keep the lures in the strike zone.
Fishing line and premade rigs also plays a part in how successful an angler will be spider rigging. Like other professional crappie pros, Dannemueller likes to tie his rigs he uses for spider rigs in the winter time.
For his main line, Dannemueller uses Lake Fork Trophy Lures Fluorotex Panfish line. It’s a high visible fluorocarbon fishing line that’s orange in color making it easy to see above the water; in addition to low stretch that increases its sensitive.
His leader material is made out of Seaguar Fluorocarbon fishing line. It’s a clear line with low visibility and no stretch. Just like his main line so he can tell if a crappie is biting his bait.
Similar to any crappie fishing technique lure rigging and selection can make the difference of having a mess of crappie in the livewell or not catching any. When spider rigging, Dannemueller has a special way to tie his rigs.
He begins by tying a snap to his main line running from the reel. From there he snaps on a three-way swivel. On one of the ends, he ties a short leader with a #1 or #2 Bleeding Bait Tru-Turn Hook. Usually, he will put a lively minnow on that hook.
On the other open end, Dannemueller will tie a longer length of line from the snap to a jig head that is rigged with an artificial lure and tip it with a lively minnow. In between the snap and lure, Dannemueller puts a slip-sinker that is rigged to stay in place above the bottom lure.
What artificial lure he uses on the bottom jig depends on the attitude of the crappie that day. “I use Mo-Glo Glow-in-the-dark jigheads. They come in five different crappie catching colors. Then I will rig them with a Bobby Garland 2-inch Baby Shad, Minnow Mind’R or Stroll’R. I use the Stroll’r when I want it to look livelier or have more action,” acknowledged Dannemueller.
Dannemueller had two tips for anglers new to spider rigging. First, make sure to use lively minnows. Once a minnow isn’t moving Dannemueller will replace it with a fresh one. “Minnows that aren’t moving get fewer bites then with lively minnows,” insisted Dannemueller.
His second tip to spider rigging had to do with rod spacing. Obviously, an angler with that many rods out with lures will get tangled, but to minimize that from happening Dannemueller will do a couple of things. “I always make sure to have all eight rods evenly spaced apart; in addition to paying close attention to the rods all the time. If a rod gets hung up or a crappie gets on a bait, I get it in fast. You don’t want a crappie swimming around getting tangled with the other rods,” advised Dannemueller.
When done correctly spider rigging is one of the most effective techniques for putting numbers of big crappie in the livewell. Just remember that presentation and speed are key to getting bites.
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