Spider rigging can be a lot like work.

[Lance34]

I know live bait can be king here, but do artificials do any good?

I so do not need to think about adding another setup to my boat, but I can see me trying this in the coming years

I've only used minnows, but you can use different style of jigs. That's what I'm going to do with my Mr. Crappie rigs now is take off the hooks and put on jigs and to have different variations.

[J-Doc]

Yall are killin me...... Still working on getting set up better for trolling and now this. Guess I will be shopping for more rods

Think cheap. Long rod, (12ft min) and cheap reels under $20. I got the entire setup with Mr Crappie spider rig rod holder (up to four), rods, reels, and line for about $300. Rod holder is about $70ish, reels around $15, line around $10, rods about $25-30? It adds up quick. You can upgrade later if you like it.

[oldfella]

Do you think you would need such long rods if you tried this in a quiet kayak?

[kjackson]

Think cheap. Long rod, (12ft min) and cheap reels under $20. I got the entire setup with Mr Crappie spider rig rod holder (up to four), rods, reels, and line for about $300. Rod holder is about $70ish, reels around $15, line around $10, rods about $25-30? It adds up quick. You can upgrade later if you like it.

And what rod holder might that be?

[J-Doc]

Do you think you would need such long rods if you tried this in a quiet kayak?

Probably not but if you're paddling, at least 10ft. The shallower you fish, the longer the rod. That's the rule I've read anyway. I'm still learning myself.

And it's a Mr Crappie rod holder from Academy kjackson. It's removable. I have a mount on the bow.

[Lance34]

Here's what I use to get started last year.

Rod holders- Hi-Tek Stuff, for 3 holders on the T bar is $78 each. They are removable with just a flush mounting plate to the floor. My main reason to going with these is because they are metal and best bang for the buck.

Rods- 12 foot Pinnacle Limits. They are a medium action, graphite composite rod $17 each. They catch crappie enough said. 12 foot is the best length to use for getting started. I'm not that old yet, but fellas will also spray paint their tips to help them see a bite.

Reels- Hi-Tech fishing lazer spinning reel. $7 each. Pretty cheap reels, but good enough to hold line on and real up a crappie. Plan on upgrading at some point.

For side by side seating on the bow. I have a EZT pole perch double seat pedestal. To me this is the neatest part about spider rigging. You and your dad drinking peanuts and coke shooting the bull. $125

I have 8# Hi Viz line on the reels and I use BnM 1/2 oz weight double minnow crappie rigs.

The rigs seem to work alright if not deeper than 14 feet but, pushing it, They tend to go under the boat if I go any deeper. Thats even moving at a snails pace. Trolling motor set at one. Going at .5-.7. I plan on getting heavier weights for summer and see how that goes

I always try to go into the wind. Which slows me down even more which also helps keep the lines vertical.

I've have friends on Reelfoot that drag a 5 gallon bucket, or chains behind them to help slow them down even more. May just get a drift sock if comes to that point with this.

That's what I use and hope this help put you in the right direction if you are wanting to get started.

[J-Doc]

These are the rods I'm using with spinning reels. I'm pretty happy with them. I held them side by side to the Lews crappie poles and for the price difference, I couldn't justify the extra cost.

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/tournament-choice-premier-edition-12-freshwater-crappie-pole/pid-133435?color=Red&N=10001+4294724628+97010080&Ntt=tournament+choice+rod&Ntk=All

And don't let the plastic fool you......it's extremely durable and tough. I've had all 4 rods hung up and the rods/holder brought my 19ft boat to a hault from a .5-.7mph troll. So it's durable enough. I only went with this option because I felt it was easier/faster to remove. I also thought it would interchange with my existing rod holders. But it DOES NOT. You have to have rod holders or extensions that are by THAT manufacturer so there is this to be aware of.

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/mr-crappie-pro-series-rod-holder-system/pid-555301?N=387091155&Ntt=Mr.+Crappie+rod+holder&Ntk=All

These are not the greatest reels but for spider rigging, they are great. The drag is actually smoother than some of my Shimano reels. (More room for adjustment) I've had crappie and big fish on these so they hold up well. I've even taken one of these and put it on a 7ft spinning rod and thrown other baits on it and I grew to like it. For spider rigs, you typically don't need a super tough hi-end reel. Some people use the tiny crappie baitcasters but that seems like a mess waiting to happen. For me at least.

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/daiwa-strikeforce-b-spinning-reel-convertible/pid-1000755?N=933739031+10001&Ntt=diawa+spinning+reel&Ntk=All

So that's my exact setup. I would have posted a photo but I'd have to dig it up off an archived flash drive. :-)

[Lance34]

Got out again today and went back into Blue Springs. Instead of trolling the rip rap stretch. This time I went further back into the back. I caught 10 crappie and 1 white bass until I ran out of minnows. The size of the crappie where all mostly in the 10"-11" range except for 3 of them being shorts. I pretty much stayed in that area and didn't go past the last section of docks. The fish I caught up in there where in 8-12 feet of water. I would set my baits about two full cranks off the bottom and go from there.

After I ran out of minnows. I decided to go down to Friendship Creek and fish some lay downs and brush along the banks. I ended up catching 5 more until it was time for me to head back to the ramp. A couple of keepers and the rest where shorts. I was using bobby garland baby shad lights out color with a chartreuse head.

Except for the wind and two rods getting snagged at the same time. This trip went better compared to the last. Just wish the crappie where in the size range I like to keep.

[Feathers and Fins]

The rule is the lines should have 15 DEGREE angle to them when moving. You need to adjust your weight to match conditions, I was talking to a guy the other day who will go to 2oz weights to cover more water which is to much IMO.

When I find they want the jigs but a faster speed I have a second rod (s) holder in the back of the boat and put them out from there, Its more trolling than spidering at that point.

[Lance34]

Thanks for the tip, yeah don't know about 2oz weights either. Right now all I have is 1/2oz rigs. Sure wish I had some 1oz rigs yesterday. I think that would of helped with the way the wind was yesterday. Going to go ahead and order or find some 1oz rigs so I can handle the conditions better.