Thread: Spider rigging

My basic set up is a 1 oz. bell sinker on the bottom with either two hooks or jigs or combo of each tied on loop knots spaced about 18" apart per pole. Alot of people vary the weight used but I just stick with the 1 oz. weight. It works for me. I do plan on using floats when the crappie go shallow so I'm hoping to use 1/4th oz. jig heads for this....but I dunno, havent tried it yet.:o

This Is What I Think I Know About Spider Rigging First You Are Pushing Your Jigs Or Minnow Tiped Jigs Or Just A Minnow Your Jig Wight Only Matters To The Fish If It Wants 1/16 Or 1/32 Or So On Its Allin What The Fish Want To Keep Small Jigs Down In The Strike Zone You May Need As Much As 1/oz Of Wight I Do That' A Carolina Rig For This You Just Have To Work At It To Perfect Ityou Know The Realpros Like Stump Hunter And Ga Bowman Will Fill You In The Right Way To Do It

If you are fishing deep, jig size doesn't matter. You are going to have a weight on the line holding it vertical. You also want your speed to stay slow, don't move so fast that your bait will be above where the fish are holding.

When the crappie move shallow I will use a 1/32 or 1/16 jig head and use a float. I like the jig to be 3 to 5' deep. I don't use added weight, you want the jig to move freely. As you more your boat around the jig will rise and fall. Most the time the crappie will hit the jig on the fall and this is where the 1/32 come in. If I am using minnows I will use the 1/16 jig head because of the bigger hook. The 1/32 head comes with a #4 or #6 and you can find the 1/16 head with a #2 hook.
The main thing to remember is (keep it slow) when you think you are moving slow enough slow down a little more!!!!
Good luck, spider rigging is a great way to catch big crappie.

The reason I use so much weight is because I fish out of a skiff that sits on top of the water bobbing around like an empty coke bottle. Even the slightest breezes moves me around causing the jigs/hooks to not stay vertical (pulling the hook out of the crappie's face). There's days when it's perfectly still with no wind or boat traffic where I could lighten up ALOT on the weight....but unfortunately those days are few and far in-between.:o Also, with heavier weiights you can move around a bit faster and still keep your lines mostly verticle.

See Told You You Could Count On Them Them Two Spider Men Bowman I Like The 8 Rods In To 16 Trick And The Weight On The Bottom Thanks

Got to keep the weight on the bottom for me too. I like using a 1oz weight but when they are biting lite crappie will steal your minnows before your rod will more. When the bites are lite I will use a 1/2oz but you do lose the speed, and if the wind is high your line will more around too, just have to watch closer.
I use 6lb and will use 10lb if a lot of brush is around where I'm fishing.

Originally Posted by jimmy swanson

See Told You You Could Count On Them Them Two Spider Men Bowman I Like The 8 Rods In To 16 Trick And The Weight On The Bottom Thanks

jimmy...that's what we're all here for buddy...to share information and help others. Heck, I wouldnt be spider rigging, longlining, or nightstalking had it not been for Crappie.com. I'd probably still be running my catfish jugs and still swearing that catfish were the best tasting fish in the lake.:D:D

Heck....this site has cost me a small FORTUNE!

Originally Posted by gabowman

Heck....this site has cost me a small FORTUNE!

"Crappie.com where membership is free but you'll go broke buying new tackle all the time!" :D