If I were just starting, I'd go to Walmart and buy a couple ultralights, slip bobbers, a few jig heads, weights, swivels etc. Go buy some minnows and check the posts to see how deep people are catching crappie around the area. Find some brush and tree tops and drop your minnows by them. Vary your depth until you find them. They will almost always take a minnow! Most of all have fun with it.