Northern spider rigging?

Just joined today hoping to learn about my favorite hobbie. My buddy & I go to Weiss every other year for a week and get whipped by the locals that are spider rigging. We long line troll with only 3 rods. I built a rod holder rail and purchased 2-10' & 2-12' rods. I've never seen anybody try this method up here in Michigan. I've done some testing and after catching crappie long line trolling and pitching jigs in this one area I ran through the same area with the spider set up, NOTHING!! I believe the water clarity of this lake could be the reason. The fish are suspended @ 8'. Is there anybody that spider rigs in these northern clearer lakes? I was using the same color and size of jigs on both set-ups. Thanks

I spider rig most of the time. The wife is a one pole fisher person, so I can drop up to five rods off the boat. I usually run (4) off the front using 12 and 14' rods. I usually don't have the same baits on any one pole and run two baits per pole. Some plastics, some hair, and usually live minners as well. I will switch up to whatever they are liking. The water clarity does make a diff in my opinion. Since crappie are a bit spooky, the clearer the water and the higher they are suspended may cause them to refuse the bite. I have a buddy that primarily long lines and he will do better than me in this case. You have to be able to switch approaches if one isn't working for you. Panfish assassins in the Tomato seed, Pearl baby shad, and Orange flake work well for me. Roadrunners in chart. tipped w/ minner also do well. Usually finding a samller jig works better up here. I learned a lesson this past spring down on Sardis about upsizing jigs for those bigger slabs. Lost many due to that. Hope this helps.

BTW what part of the state you from? Don't forget to check out the MI forum for other opinions/ideas. Welcome aboard!

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Originally Posted by cdub

Is there anybody that spider rigs in these northern clearer lakes?

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You might try asking this question on the state boards. Here's the Michigan board:

Michigan

There are also boards for other northern states.

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

You might try asking this question on the state boards. Here's the Michigan board:

Michigan

There are also boards for other northern states.

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+1 and welcome from Florida

Hey from Alabama.

Thanks Blackhawk and all of the other military vets for your service to our nation. Wouldn't be able to do what we love without ya!

Welcome from Louisiana.

No point in even trying to spider rig here in Minnesota, one line per fisherman and one hook or consolidated lure per line is all that is allowed. Spider rigging is pretty much ruled out. That doesn't stop us catching our share though... :)

Start out offering as big a set of choices as you can, and then concentrate on the ones that click. If you have the depth targeted, you know where in the water column you want your offerings and that is one big question solved right off the bat. What doesn't click you change out to another choice. That includes sizes of jig heads, too.

Personally I would hang a dead stick set to drift just at or just over 8' and creep over what you are marking. Any wave action at all will be enough movement below. Then augment that by casting a spinner or twister and retrieving through that layer.

I normally only troll or drift to find em and then I hover with the electric to work them over.

If clarity is a real big problem, then fish early and late in the day so the rays of the sun do not strike the water so directly. Enough breeze to ripple the surface also helps.

Welcome from Indiana
:)

Welcome from NC..