Author Topic: Favorite crappie rod and reel combo (Read 15265 times)

Gopher on Ice · « **on:** Oct 11, 2012, 08:21 PM »

I am looking at investing in one or two rod and reel combos for crappie fishing. What is your favorite combo. And also it would be great if you could tell me a combo that also has great value.

ULking · « **Reply #1 on:** Oct 11, 2012, 08:27 PM »

13 fishing wicked rod or combo! I felt the black betty and its too stiff for me but I like the idea

Skipper · « **Reply #2 on:** Oct 11, 2012, 08:37 PM »

I will tell you the same thing I tell everyone...

First, you will need to determine whether you want to see the bite (springbobber, noodle rod, ect.) or feel the bite (graphite, carbon solids, composites). It's not always an easy choice, it is highly dependent on personal preference and angling style. You may like it both ways for different tactics.

Don't buy combos, the reels are almost always of the lowest quality. Don't look at brand names or price tags when you pick the rod, the perfect rod seldom seems to be the most expensive.

Don't buy a rod unless you can hold it in your hands. Buying a rod online is kin to buying shoes online, you will almost never get what you thought you were. Make the selection with your own two eyes and hands.

Avoid the hype, none of them are magic wands. Really, there is allot of stupid hype with rods....

Kevin23 · « **Reply #3 on:** Oct 13, 2012, 12:27 AM »

I'm really fond of the set-up I did a couple years ago. It is a gander mtn 25" UL which is more like a L action, pretty stiff. Graphite rod. It was the $39.99 one that I bought at 50% off. I added the smallest pflueger trion ($30). It makes a nice combo for crappies, and I do use it for gills sometimes if the crappies arent biting. I use a spring bobber on it when jigging small plastics and light spoons, then I can take it off and jig small jiggin raps and heavier spoons perfectly. The rod has great feel when jigging with the heavier stuff, I can feel the taps very easily.

I'm going to experiment more in the noodle category this year, I want to tangle with a big crappie on one.. it looks like fun.

Swift · « **Reply #4 on:** Oct 13, 2012, 12:58 AM »

Quote from: Skipper on Oct 11, 2012, 08:37 PM

I will tell you the same thing I tell everyone...

First, you will need to determine whether you want to see the bite (springbobber, noodle rod, ect.) or feel the bite (graphite, carbon solids, composites). It's not always an easy choice, it is highly dependent on personal preference and angling style. You may like it both ways for different tactics.

Don't buy combos, the reels are almost always of the lowest quality. Don't look at brand names or price tags when you pick the rod, the perfect rod seldom seems to be the most expensive.

Don't buy a rod unless you can hold it in your hands. Buying a rod online is kin to buying shoes online, you will almost never get what you thought you were. Make the selection with your own two eyes and hands.

Avoid the hype, none of them are magic wands. Really, there is allot of stupid hype with rods....

If it feels right and fits your needs buy it. Personally catch flak for using Ice Blues and old Bill Dance Crappie reels, $25 max. Pretty and expensive rods and reels look good above the ice, fish'll never know the difference. Find something that feels balanced for your needs and learn it. Your line, bait choice and its presentation is much more important in catching fish than holding a status symbol in your hands........that is if you actually want to catch fish instead of impressing others. Have caught many Crappies on a $5 Schooley, still do, spend your $$$ on what goes under the ice, that's all the fish will come in contact with

panfishman13 · « **Reply #5 on:** Nov 12, 2012, 12:14 PM »

i'm with Skipper and Swift. i would never buy a rod if i didn't get to feel what it was like first, and i do better with a 20$ shimano 500 than my brother has done with his 40$ Pfleuger reels and his are starting to break down, too. mine still run as if they were new.
ice blues are usually very good rods, especially for the price tag, but don't be afraid to sift through the bargain bin. my dad's favorite rod was a 30" eagle claw (it was stolen 2 years ago). it cost him 5 bucks plus a reel, and it outperformed all of his other rods, and most of mine as far as sensitivity, backbone, and eyelet size.

always feel your rods and test your reels. if you don't like a certain thing about them, pick up a different rod from the same people. the quality of the blank can change everything about an individual rod. my go-to rod is marked as medium-light, but it's closer to ultra-light.

RapidsJigger24 · « **Reply #6 on:** Nov 12, 2012, 08:22 PM »

I have really become fond of my Frabill 22" Ice Hunter Quick Tip. It is specifically designed by Scott Glorvigen for fishing crappies and I really enjoy using it. Really sensitive tip but still enough backbone to set the hook. I personally like the shorter rod as well.

I also recently purchased a 21" Micro Bite rod mad by T7 Custom Rods. The rod has a built in fiberglass springbobber-ish tip and I'm thinking it will really shine.

Like others have said though...personal preference trumps all!

icejunky · « **Reply #7 on:** Nov 14, 2012, 11:34 AM »

I usually use the 1-2 punch of a St Croix Legend for the lighter bite/smaller bait, then a Frabill Quick tip for slightly larger bait (small jiggin raps). I have been using a couple strsighline rods as well, but it all depends on depth, not fun dropping those in 20ft or more

NITE-BITE · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 14, 2012, 12:47 AM »

Have been using the Jason Mitchell Meatsticks last couple of years.
Hard to beat for the money.

Never catch fish by feel.
Always watching rod tip and line.

Prefer the 20 inch, less dwell time.
Newer reels on the combos are just fine.

slipperybob · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 15, 2012, 02:14 PM »

My favorite combo is mine and mine alone...

A TB 32" panfish sweatheart, Shimano Chronarch 50Mg, 4# Gamma ESP ice line.

GillMaster · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 16, 2012, 06:45 PM »

A custom UL with a Shimano or Schooley's (Depends on bait and depth). 3 lb line, don't have a single go-to line, but use P-Line and Vicious most the time.

ddubs3 · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 30, 2012, 07:19 PM »

I love the Frabill Panfish Popper and it is cheap.

Townie · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 09, 2013, 07:33 PM »

Fenwick's Elite Tech UL has a soft tip & great components for the $...

Van_Cleaver · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 11, 2013, 01:35 PM »

My favorite combo is a Jason Mitchell Meat stick, 28" med. with a Garcia Cardinal reel(400). I fish almost exclusively plastic on that. I usually dead stick a cheap Schooley rig with a jig and minnow, too. The reel has a better drag than you'd think and I've landed some pretty big fish on it with patience. Here's some of the fish I took on a slow day, almost all on those set ups.

MSU AGGIE · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 13, 2013, 08:21 PM »

I find myself having to replace a meat stick. Which rods do you guys feel are better for feeling the bite?

fiesty · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 14, 2013, 07:02 PM »

Make all our own rods....40" solid ultra light glass....no reels unless fishing over twenty feet......always feel the bite....

JigChaser08 · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 09:10 PM »

jason mitchell meatstick UL

JigChaser08 · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 16, 2013, 10:03 PM »

Quote from: NITE-BITE on Dec 14, 2012, 12:47 AM

Have been using the Jason Mitchell Meatsticks last couple of years.
Hard to beat for the money.

Never catch fish by feel.
Always watching rod tip and line.

Prefer the 20 inch, less dwell time.
Newer reels on the combos are just fine.

love my jason mitchel MS...only problem is they break easy..pulled in a 23' pickeral and it broke where the rod and handle connect. i have 3 of them still though...absolute best crappie rods out there IMHO!

johnnieb71 · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 21, 2013, 03:15 PM »

I love my Jason Mitchell 24" spring bobber rod. The spring bobber is great with a huge eye and glow bead and the rod has tons of backbone. If I feel like fishing a heavy lure I just don't put the line through the spring bobber. I just use a Pflueger Trion reel on it and it does well for me.

slamer58 · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 21, 2013, 03:33 PM »

My favourite crappie rod is a 28"med. light st.croix premier with a sc strike indicator .....I use a sienna 500 loaded with 2lb floroice.

esox_magnum · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 21, 2013, 03:36 PM »

All mycrappie fishings done in the shallows, 19" 13 Wicked with a Okuma SLV 2/3 fly reel....

WIhoundguy · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 29, 2013, 01:12 PM »

I use a 13 Wicked rod with a black betty reel. It's by far the most sensitive setup i've ever fished.

quivira kid · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 29, 2013, 10:34 PM »

St. Croix Legend light action and smallest size Pflueger President. I recently just got a longer (32") fiberglass rod that I paired with a fly reel for a sight bite rod, and really like it so far. The tip loads up with a #10 Diamond Jig and a small swedish pimple..... exactly what I was looking for.

CrappieVermonter · « **Reply #23 on:** Jan 31, 2013, 05:46 PM »

I just got the new true blue rod with a micro bite tip combo and I must say I like it alot havent had a chance to try it a lot but the day i did it worked great. The onley prob is the place I bought it from dident have any floro ice line left so it has mono on it fore now. The rod looks just like the jason mitchell micro tip rod but its cheaper and you get a nice reel with it fore around the same price

bart · « **Reply #24 on:** Jan 31, 2013, 05:51 PM »

St criox legend rod with a Clam spooler reel.

captain54 · « **Reply #25 on:** Jan 31, 2013, 05:56 PM »

24 in. St.Croix Legend UL with Pflueger President,got 4 of them,love them. You can also land a large fish on this set up. I got a 32 in. pike 10.6 lb on 2 lb test and a number 12 Gill Pill.

NB7314 · « **Reply #26 on:** Jan 31, 2013, 10:12 PM »

Quiverstick with a tica reel

codewordcs1 · « **Reply #27 on:** Jan 31, 2013, 10:34 PM »

I got a quiverstick at the beginning of the season to try a feel rod cause I've always used a spring bobber or noodle type rod and to be honest I've really had a hard time not fishing with it. When you don't have to take your eyes off the flasher and feel that fish suck it up. I also love my ht blue ul $10 rod and st. Croix legend 17" I think whatever you have confidence in will be the best choice.

News:

Author Topic: Favorite crappie rod and reel combo (Read 15265 times)