Setting the hook?

[SC Triton]

When spider rigging I actually just lift the rod due to the rod tip being so close to the boat. I've never found any more than that to be necessary in that instance.

If my float has been cast and is further away from the boat, I take up any line slack and give it a quick light flick of the wrist.
I actually got some practice in yesterday doing this with some bait stealing, hook swallowing little panstinkers. Their only redeeming quality is that they may grow up to be nice slabs one day.

[chaunc]

I will snap their heads around with my hooksets. As the oldtimers told me when i was a youngster, " Set the hook hard and cross their eyes ". Still works for me.

[kycreek]

Let them bury that slipcork then a flick of the wrist works for me. Really according to how finicky they are on the bite.

[GoodToGoGuy]

Has anyone tried the gapen crappie floats? How do waggler floats ride on the water

[deathb4disco]

Wagglers ride UNDER the water with only the tip showing. That's why they're both stable and sensitive.

[Hanr3]

I use traditional slip bobbers and set the hook one of two ways; either over my shoulder at a 10 o'clock or 2 o'clock angle, or a sweeping set to the 9 o'clock or 3 o'clock angle. Regardless of which angle I use I always take up the slack first. The angle I use is mostly dictated by the type of bite. If the hook suddenly disappeared, 10 or 2 o'clock set. If the hook is slowly going under, a 9 or 3 o'clock set.

10 or 2 o'clock set- If the bobber suddenly disappeared the fish came up to the bait, grabbed a hold of it, and turned to take it back down to the depth it was at before the strike. Set the hook almost straight up and you will catch it in the upper lip 90% of the time.

9 or 3 o'clock set- If the bobber is slowly going under, your bait is at their holding depth, or they are lethargic and in no hurry to eat. Crappie eat up, that is they look up to see and eat their food. So if you pull in the 10 -2 o'clock direction you pull the bait out of their mouth. So you need to set the hook to the side and catch them in the side of the mouth.

Which method is determined by how the bobber went under.

Now, when I have a slow bobber action, I will adjust my bobber stop so the bobber moves up in the water column about 1-2 feet. If I was fishing 8' down and the bobber was going under slowly, I will raise the bobber to 6'-7' depth. Remember, Crappie feed up. They swim up to get the food and swim back down to eat.

[GoodToGoGuy]

Thanks for the tip fellas. What is a good waggler style float for shallow water?

[deathb4disco]

Thanks for the tip fellas. What is a good waggler style float for shallow water?

See post 7.