Ultra Light Rigs for Crappie

Does anyone fish for crappie using small 1/32 oz jigs? I met a guy who does this all the time and he catches lots of crappie at Bluegrass.

The trick is to go ultra light. Line is 2 lb stren, with a Fluegar ultra light open faced spinning reel. A short rod is used. I like the 5 ft long St Croix Triump Rod. For the jig head I'd use any 1/32 lead jig but those with eyes that look realistic would probably work best. I'd add a Bass Pro Shop White Lighting plastic jig to the lead head.

You want the weight to be very light so that when you let the bait sink it will sink slow and give the crappie time to see it and hit it. I need to buy one of those shirts at Gander Mountain where it shows a couple of bass looking at a crank bait passing by and the bubble caption reads. "I'd hit that" :cool:

The key is to count the bait down to different depths until you start catching fish. When the bait reaches the desired depth reel it back in REEEEELLLLL SLOOOOOOW. You want to keep the bait at the same depth. It should not rise up or sink in the water column but remain at the depth where the fish are suspended.

Crappie like to suspend out in the open water near drops and they will swim back and forth along the drops looking for food.

I've seen Dave catch one crappie right after another. He has the feel for a bit and knows how and when to set the hook.

I've fished the same spots he fished and didn't catch anything at all. But I was using a 1/16 oz jig and it was falling too fast and maybe going too deep. I may have reeled the bait in too fast and got it up too shallow. I'm not sure what I did wrong but I know he caught fish there and I didn't. Some times the fish just are not there.

You need to have patience and confidence in your fishing method and be in the right place at the right time.

But speed control and depth control are both critical to catching suspended crappie.

Any one can catch crappie in the spring during the spawn when there are super agressive and will hit almost anything. And during the spawn they are in the shallow water where it's easier for fishermen to get to them from the banks or boat.

During the post spawn and summer and winter the crappie will be deeper or suspend during the day time. They will go into the shallows to feed at various times and if you are there at that time you can get a boat load of big crappie. I've done that a few times. It not happening fore me everytime but enough that it keeps me coming back for them.