Thread: Now I need 4 12' trolling poles

Really? I am by no means a crappie pro but i absolutely love it and as long as ihave ever used is 12'. This year during the spawn i target fish in water from 4' to 8' in Barnett while everybody else was beating the bank. My philosophy(like i really know what I'm talking about) was to catch the fish that were coming and going from and to the shallows. I did pretty good. Do yall think a 14' rod will make a big difference? My only reservation is that the 14' pole are 3 sections. It just so easy to breakdown a 10' or 12' pole when relocating. I know that sounds lazy but it can be aggrvating getting all those poles realed in just to let them back out.

Originally Posted by ATM

Be careful with those 12' poles. If your just drifting you might catch one every once on a while. But as soon as you turn the trolling motor you won't get a bite fishing that close to the boat. Best to go with a 14' rod.

Correct me If I am wrong but for 60 bucks you can buy PSTs or Ozarks I think. I cant understand the breaking of the PSTs, me and Feesh have some that are 4 or 5 yrs old and have never broken a tip, now If you have a habit of grabbing the pole on down from the shaft and pulling on it anything will break with that much leverage on the tip.

And no smart alleck comebacks Slabin, just sayin!

Originally Posted by GitDaGrease

And no smart alleck comebacks Slabin, just sayin!

im not going to touch this with a 14' pole

Originally Posted by macpappy

Really? I am by no means a crappie pro but i absolutely love it and as long as ihave ever used is 12'. This year during the spawn i target fish in water from 4' to 8' in Barnett while everybody else was beating the bank. My philosophy(like i really know what I'm talking about) was to catch the fish that were coming and going from and to the shallows. I did pretty good. Do yall think a 14' rod will make a big difference? My only reservation is that the 14' pole are 3 sections. It just so easy to breakdown a 10' or 12' pole when relocating. I know that sounds lazy but it can be aggrvating getting all those poles realed in just to let them back out.

14' make all the difference in my opinion

Here's my take. You need 12's ,14's, & 16's. deeper the fish the shorter the pole you can get away with.... But if they're real deep it's sometimes easier to have the longer pole... But if the fish are shallow I want my 16's. i have seen them extremely shallow in CLEAR water where i wish i would have had some 20's!! It takes a little practice catching fish shallow on long poles and its work till you get it down pat, but once you realize how many fish you've been spooking trying to get on top of them you'll never look back.
That's my 2 cents

If your on a budget get the Pinnacals. I have a set of them a set 12 pst' and a set of 14 southern crappie rods. Have never broken a tip on any of them. Have caught lots of big Arkabutla fish on them Pinnacals with no problems and fish them right by the trolling motor that is rarely turned off. Just depends on how they are biting as to which pole I prefer.

I have 14 and 16 foot rods. Some of the tops have been broke off or sections have broke. Not sure of the length of some of them anymore. I keep a box of tops and guides when camping.
A 16 foot rod with 2 oz. sinker at 12 ft deep will put the baits just at the front of the boat with trolling motor on speed one. Speed 2 will put them under the trolling motor. I can pick them up on the fish finder mounted on the trolling motor. With this set up, no reeling in line, fish are at your face when swung in.