Help: Casting jigs for crappie

Help with setup; I want to be able to cast jigs. Probably hard to cast lower weight than 1/16th? Can you recommend a setup. I don't think I care for the ultralight setups I have seen, they seem a bit too short and light and whippy to me. I'd rather have something a notch above that. I guess medium-light? What length/type rod? Reel? Any particular models you love?

This could be open water in some lakes but I fish a lot around Cypress tree lakes and fish around the trees. There are millions of them.

Retrieve -- how? If I am jigging tightline on pole, I just do it vertical or flip it out the length of the line so I can monitor the fall. With a reel, I can cast longer and then reel it back in. Would you reel it steady or raise your rod off and on?

What line and lb. test? Any particular jig type you like for casting?

I'm able to spend within reason to get good equipment. I hate to mention how much I just spent on a 7.5' medium-heavy bass rig, lol. Whatever works. I also recently bought a Berkeley Lightning Rod Shock, 7' medium with Pfleuger President 6940 reel for bass and I like it but it's not quite light enough for this. It cost about $100, not counting line, seemed a good deal. I could spend more if necessary. Getting serious into fishing again and previously lost some gear to a thief!

That's a lot, thanks for any comments.

I've posted this before, but it's worth repeating. This is the best "how to" I know of:

Charlie Brewer's Slider Company - ******* Weedless Crappie Slider "Why&How"

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

As for tackle, I wouldn't go heavier than "light" action. They don't have to be "whippy", but a light tip helps for casting jigs.

I've used many different rods/reels, in several different lengths/sizes over the years to cast jigs in the 1/32 & 1/16oz size. What I'm currently using is a 6'6" Norsemen Outdoors ESP PowerLite rod & a Aero 1000 Shimano reel. One of the main reasons is because the rod has a very fast action tip, rather than the parabolic bend of previous rods used. I'm spooled with 6lb Vicious Panfish hi-vis copolymer line, which I really like ... and is a upgrade (IMHO) from the 4-6lb test mono's I've used in the past (Stren Gold, Mr Crappie, Trilene XL & XT, BPS Excel, and others)

99% of the time I'm reeling the jig back with a slow & steady retrieve. On those 1% rare occasions, I may add a slight "bounce" to the jig with a slight flick of the wrist, but usually no more than 2-3 times during the entire retrieve. Both movements are within the natural range of movements of a "minnow", with the slow/steady retrieve being the normal swimming speed of the minnow & the little jerks of the rod tip creating the movement of a startled or agitated minnow.

I use weedless jig heads (ball head shape) because I cast the jig around & into a lot of heavy wood cover, like standing trees, fallen trees, brush piles, and around docks (which may have cables, cross supports, wooden posts, and suspended or submerged wood cover under them).

I get my weedless jig heads custom made w/#2 Aberdeen hooks (on both the 1/32 & 1/16oz size) by the site member known as Grousefly.
My rod was a freebee from the Marketing VP of Norsemen Outdoors, when I field tested for them.
The reel is a used reel, bought from the consignment counter of my local bait store.

This is the rod/reel ... showing the graphite Tenn style handle, poodle tail extension, & built-in hook retainer. What is not shown is the micro guides/tip on the upper half of the rod.
Attachment 200918

These are the two styles of custom made weedless jig head that I use :
(top is the fiber "brush" style - bottom is the plastic "Y" shaped weedguard)
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42...y/jigheads.jpg

(NOTE: the rods are available from Grizzly Jig Co. at a lower cost than from the Norsemen Outdoors website, but are not shown on Grizzly Jig website. They are, however, shown in the Grizzly Jig catalog)

... cp :kewl

CP, do you favor brush or Y type weedless guard?

What is the purpose of micro guides? Thanks.

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Originally Posted by livemusic

CP, do you favor brush or Y type weedless guard?

What is the purpose of micro guides? Thanks.

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Personally I favor the Y guard style weedless jig ... but that may be a holdover of many years of not trusting weedless (fiber brush) style jigs, likely in part from the misinformation I'd heard that those style jigs would cause you to miss/lose fish. I've used them both with equal good results.

The main purposes of micro guides are to reduce overall weight & to lengthen the casting distance (by keeping the line "straighter" than guides with larger openings, as it shoots thru them). The ESP rods have a large "gathering guide" as the first guide from the reel, then progressively smaller micro guides to the tip. The "gathering guide" is large so that the spiraling line going on the reel will not be confined to a small outlet hole, creating constant friction ... or restricting the loose coils of line coming off the reel, when you cast.

... cp :kewl

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Originally Posted by livemusic

Help with setup; I want to be able to cast jigs. Probably hard to cast lower weight than 1/16th? Can you recommend a setup. I don't think I care for the ultralight setups I have seen, they seem a bit too short and light and whippy to me. I'd rather have something a notch above that. I guess medium-light? What length/type rod? Reel? Any particular models you love?

This could be open water in some lakes but I fish a lot around Cypress tree lakes and fish around the trees. There are millions of them.

Retrieve -- how? If I am jigging tightline on pole, I just do it vertical or flip it out the length of the line so I can monitor the fall. With a reel, I can cast longer and then reel it back in. Would you reel it steady or raise your rod off and on?

What line and lb. test? Any particular jig type you like for casting?

I'm able to spend within reason to get good equipment. I hate to mention how much I just spent on a 7.5' medium-heavy bass rig, lol. Whatever works. I also recently bought a Berkeley Lightning Rod Shock, 7' medium with Pfleuger President 6940 reel for bass and I like it but it's not quite light enough for this. It cost about $100, not counting line, seemed a good deal. I could spend more if necessary. Getting serious into fishing again and previously lost some gear to a thief!

That's a lot, thanks for any comments.

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livemusic. One quick comment . The lighter the line the better it will cast. I use Pfluger Presidents. I believe they are 6920. (-A 6940 is better suited for bass fishing).I like the Berkley Cherrywood Hd, 5 and one half feet(Grizzly Jig Co.). They do a good job and shoot docks well. I use Vicious Panfish 2 pound test(tougest line I have used) hi- visibility.I cast 1/32 and 1/16 crappie gigs, These are not the only combinations out there .Some cheaper reels can be just as good The line is the secret, liter line =longer cast, Hope you have good luck and a lot of fun.....crappie1133

Check out the St Croix Panfish 7ft light, ex. fast action. Rod is very light in weight and the ex. fast action should provide some back bone without being to whippy.

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Originally Posted by crappie1133

livemusic. One quick comment . The lighter the line the better it will cast. I use Pfluger Presidents. I believe they are 6920. (-A 6940 is better suited for bass fishing).I like the Berkley Cherrywood Hd, 5 and one half feet(Grizzly Jig Co.). They do a good job and shoot docks well. I use Vicious Panfish 2 pound test(tougest line I have used) hi- visibility.I cast 1/32 and 1/16 crappie gigs, These are not the only combinations out there .Some cheaper reels can be just as good The line is the secret, liter line =longer cast, Hope you have good luck and a lot of fun.....crappie1133

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I've had people laugh at 2lb test line, but it sure casts nice. I use 2 or 4 for casting and then 6 or 8 for other methods of fishing. Rarely break off a fish if you just pay attention to the condition of the line.

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Originally Posted by CatFan

I've had people laugh at 2lb test line, but it sure casts nice. I use 2 or 4 for casting and then 6 or 8 for other methods of fishing. Rarely break off a fish if you just pay attention to the condition of the line.

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Catfan, Thanks for the backup. It's hard to break 2 pound test if the drag is set properly. I have caught some big cats using small diameter line. It cast great and is more than adequate to do the job. Thanks again.....crappie1133