If you had only one rod for crappies what would it be???

[gspman]

If you had only one rod for crappies what would it be? Specify length, power, taper. What is your primary tactic for crappies? I'm looking at getting one "do it all" rod for crappies and am thinking of getting a 6'6" L or ML with a Fast taper. Am I on the right track here?

gspman

[CrappieJohn]

I am going to assume you are a skilled angler. The longer rod will work well for a person who has been on the operator's end for a while. A six footer is a good all-round rod length. Personally I have slipped into the 6'6" rods just for the casting distance you will get.

I make all of my own rods and use St.Croix Avid blanks for the bulk of them. Thet are one piece as well. These blanks are rated for a lure of 1/32 to 3/16, lines of 1-4 pound test and feel quite soft, almost slow in action. They do load well for the cast and I have taken fish of 18 pounds on these sticks.

St.Croix has these rods available factory made and if I were going to go out and buy a rod, this would be the one I'd be coming home with, hands down. Cost will be somewhere in the 120-140 range, but this cost is well worth what you will get.

[gspman]

Thanks CT,

I am a fairly skilled fisherman but by no means an expert. Being a tall person the 6'6"-7' rod length seems to "fit" me better. Sounds like you are recommending a 6'6" UL rod with fast taper. Not sure I want to spend $120+ for a crappie rod but I should be able to find something that approximates that action for less dough albeit not quite as nice or as light. If you have recommendations in the $50-$90 range I'd appreciate it. Thanks again.

gspman

[markkstanley]

Try the St Croix Premier line then. I use a 6'6" St Croix Premier ML fast tip for both crappies and walleyes. I have landed a 40lb flathead and a 38" musky on the rod so it can handle just about anything. If you're using a fixed float you can throw 1/32oz jigheads with this rod. I will admit my go to rod for Crappies is a 6ft G Loomis UL but the St Croix is a great compromise for $$$ spent and versitility. Crappie Tom is spot on about the Avids though if you don't mind the cost. Great rods.

[delmuts]

i love my 6' st croix UL. ( although it is only 5'9" now!) and yes i could send it in for a replacement; i'm not ready to part with it yet!

[CrappieJohn]

All this chit-chat about rods.....darn you gys . lol I went down to the shop today and came home with the fixin's for two more....both Avids in 6 foot. To justify this aquistition I told Ma it was an investment.

[Matt Johnson]

I'd have to go with a St. Croix fast action graphite 6 foot Ultra-Lite. A person can get by just fine with the Premier and they are outstanding rods, but if you can spend the extra money then the Avid is the way to go. St. Croix doesn't make a 6 foot Ultra-Lite Legend Elite, only a 5'9", but they do make a 6 foot Light action Legend Elite that could very well be used for pannies. Both the Premier and Avid are both outstanding rods though and will be more than adequate for pannies.

I think a 6 foot rod is a good all-round length and I can whip tiny jigs a good distance. My mainstay is usually a 1/32oz jig and I have no problem pitching a jig that size (when coupled with 4 pound test) and tipped with a plastic as far as I need it to go. Also maintains excellent sensitivity, hook-setting power and play for when fighting a fish. Fast tip but a solid enough backbone.

CrappieTom makes a panfish rod to die for! He takes what awesome performance that St. Croix has already developed in their blanks and pushes it to a whole new level by fine tuning and tweaking them to fit exactly what he wants out of a rod. Hand-crafted is an understatement, these babies are polished for perfection!

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[tonyjor]

Matt or Tom-

If I were to try my hand at rod building for something to do when I can't get out, what would the basic necessary supplies cost and what do I need? I'm talking about everything to build one rod, including specialized tools and moderately priced blanks. Thanks for any info!

[CrappieJohn]

Tony.....

Hit the public library and fimd as many books on rod building as you can. Go to places where rods are custom made. Ask questions and take lots of notes. That is a starter to get familiar with the lingo and basic understanding of the components and how they work together or fight each other. Then sign up for a class. Lots of the classes are community ed type things and many sports shops will offer some building classes too....Thorne Bros?

I can tell you from first hand experience that there is nothing as satisfying as setting the hook into a huge slab or big bull sunnie using something you have made yourself.

Diligent component shopping can get you into a quality rod for about 50% of the factory rod. Yhe savings are but one aspect of rod building that will allow you to reap rewards. Your custom made rods will make ideal presents and selling your wares is also a way to pay for a new hobby.

You can get some very good direction right off the internet should you do a search. You are right in your thinking that building rods is a good way to stay connected when the weather tosses you a curve ball. I have two rods going right now. As a matter of fact, I just came up to take a break from them and to see what the fishing has been like today.

[Matt Johnson]

Tony,

Yep, Thorne Bros in Fridley right off of University can help you with building a rod and will even offer hands-on classes. The rod builders at Thorne Bros have an incredible amount of knowledge and experience at rod building and they can get you started. Everything you need to build a rod is available at Thorne Bros as well.

I don't have a lot of experience with building rods, I know Tom does and I would someday like to sit down with Tom and build a rod of my own. I've seen several different rods that Tom has made and all seem to be nothing less than phenomenal.

I would guess that it just takes some time and practice in order to become good at building rods. And once you get the rythem down I'm sure a person could have a lot of fun doing so. The options would almost be endless and you would be able to customize a rod for any situation.

A great hobby to take up when fishing is slow or the weather turns dismal. And like Tom said, a very rewarding result.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Dan Thiem]

I also have a rod that was hand built by Crappie Tom. He knows the specifics about guide placement and backbones and such. He even adds an extra guide where others don't.

I can also cast long enough with a 1/32 oz. with a 1 3/4" padddle tail. Strung with 4 pound test I landed a 14 pound carp while crappie fishing. That rod was literaly bent in a U.

I call it my best pannie weapon in my arsenal.

[Pops']

I just took up rod building this winter here in Arizona. We have one experienced builder for a group of 8 guys (retirees') I spend the summers on Clearwater lake and mainly fish Crappies with jigs. My first two were built with Forecast

E-glass Spinning & Casting Rod Blanks

SPG781 Gloss Black 6'6" 1-piece

line- 4-8lb.

lure- 1/16-1/4oz.

butt diam- 0.473

tip diam- 5.5

action- Mod

power- Xtra/Lt

with a "spiral" wrap. The blanks cost less $10; the handles, reel seats, guides, thread, epoxys' and misc (decals, hook keeper etc) another $40.00. You may be able to get a video (Doc "Ski" Labanowski for example)or book (Dale Clemens)from the library but taking a class would be better. Most of the bigger sporting goods stores (Cabelas, Thorne Bros etc) sell complete kits but pay attention to the specs. Well worth the effort and someday maybe I will try working with a better grade graphite blank (St Croix, Loomis etc) but for a stater it doesn't have to be that expensive. Just my humble opinion won't be back until June but sure enjoy reading the posts' until then.

[CrappieJohn]

Kits can be spendy regardless of the blank maker and the accesories. If you are looking to get into rod building, you will find it much less expensive to shop and capitalize on the best prices to keep the rod you want to build truely affordable. As an example, Cabelas sells a St.Croix SCiii kit to make a rod that I often build for walleye fishermen. Cost for the kit: $90.00. I can buy the identical #1 grade blank and all of the components, including a one-time epoxy kid for less than $63.00. And many times you end up with a handful of stuff that you don't need or won't ever use when you purchase a kit.

And to note. The epoxy can be a spendy part of this operation. I buy my epoxy in one pint units and buy a half dozen farm syringes to measure it with for about thirty bucks. This will do a hundred rods with ease.

A kit might be an attractive way to start this hobby, but if you are serious about continuing it you will not have the kit mentality for long.

[lars0926]

I have not seen anyone mention a 15' cane pole outfited with dental floss?

[gspman]

Thanks boys,

Good info. Gives me some options to think about. CT, I like the investment angle. My long suffering bride wouldn't buy that one for a second. She knows me too well.

gspman

[ROSCO]

My brother showed up with a 7' guide series "Crappie" rod that he got from Gander, I believe it was IM8 graphite and the thing was sweet!!! I believe he said under $40.00, I'll be heading there this week to get one for myself I liked it so much.