Vertical Casting

[CrappiePappy]

knappy & brucec .... here's what Vertical Casting is : Crappie Pappy Article

... cp

[tahoe 50]

Great article you wrote. Some questions. How do yo position a boat so as both people can vertical fish a brush pile. How close do one need the boat for this kind of presentation. Do you bring up the bait right up through the brush piles? As I have tried this and "Snagged " everytime.

[CrappiePappy]

Great article you wrote. Some questions. How do yo position a boat so as both people can vertical fish a brush pile. How close do one need the boat for this kind of presentation. Do you bring up the bait right up through the brush piles? As I have tried this and "Snagged " everytime.

Tahoe ... I've done this technique mostly around dock poles, bridge pillars, standing timber, and downed trees ... not so much in "brush piles". And I don't anchor, and only tie up when absolutely necessary ... but, yes, you do need to be close, as the length of your rod determines where & how much of the cover you can reach. Yes, I bring the jig right up through the branches, as most times I'm using a weedless jighead. But those times I didn't have a weedless jighead on, I would watch the tip of my rod and when it would start bending down at the same rate I was reeling in, I'd stop reeling ... and if the rod continued to bend, I'd set the hook, but if the rod stopped bending I would lower the rod tip to allow the jig to drop free from the branch. I might have to jiggle it sometimes, but if it didn't come loose I would just break the line with a quick snap (line wrapped around hand).

I reel in so slow that I can see the line tighten and rod tip start to bend and feel the tension in the rod when the jig comes into contact with the branch. Very seldom has a "bite" occurred that felt like a small branch, a leaf snagged on the hook, or that mushy weight feeling like you're dragging a wet rag or piece of plastic along. Most bites are either a very noticeable single "thump" or the line goes slack ... both being very obvious Crappie bites.

A lot of people think weedless jigs cause you to miss fish or lose fish ... but, I've lost/missed WAY less fish Vertical Casting with a weedless jig, than with a plain hook/sinker rig or an open hook jig. I've been using the technique for over 40yrs, and don't really remember having lost a fish more than a couple of times after the hookset.

I wrote the article some 12-14yrs ago, because I was successful in using that technique and wanted to share the technique, but just didn't know what to call it ... so I made up a name for it, and explained how "I" do it in the article.

... cp

[deathb4disco]

I wrote the article some 12-14yrs ago, because I was successful in using that technique and wanted to share the technique, but just didn't know what to call it ... so I made up a name for it ...

Alternate name: "Herrington Style".

[crappies nightmare]

Great article and technique. Can't wait to try it!

[CrappiePappy]

Alternate name: "Herrington Style".

That would have worked, seeing as that's where I learned it

... cp

[Countryboy N.C.]

Been doing that for years, just didn't call it that.

[Tom 513]

I used Berkeys nanofil super line on a Berkeys lightning rod pole when I cast for Crappie, I can feel every branch and limb I hit, its amazing the feel of the line compared to the 4# Hi vis mono I use on other poles, only problem is re rigging, tieing a double palomar with a frayed line is a challenge especially if You dont have your reader glasses with You.
CP I will contact the man who does Your weedless jigs, the double prong version seems like it would work best, also I might add by using the single prong weedless jig heads Ive had great hook sets, top of the mouth every time, well I should say the times I wasnt getting hung up I did, lol.

[Tom 513]

Tom, I use two versions of weedless jig heads :



The top one is a 1/16oz ballhead with the fiber "brush" style weedguard .... the bottom one is the same jig head with a plastic Y guard (my personal favorite). Both have a #2 Aberdeen hook (which I also have put on my 1/32oz versions).

I have them custom made by Grousefly. (Paul Mullins- P&S Custom Baits) I've used them both, very successfully, for nearly 15yrs.

Contact info:

PM - Grousefly;
Phone - 1606 642 3167
Email - [email protected]

Check with Paul on available colors of weedguards & hooks, hook sizes available for whatever head weights you want, etc. And let him know that you're a Crappie.com member, and ask him about member discounts.

... cp

Thanks once again CP I put My order in today, hopefully they come soon Ive been through 30 or so single prongs in the past week!