Recommended rod and reel combo suggestions for crappie, bluegil, etc.

[hondarider550]

I'm sure that this has been asked a million times before but here I go... lol.

What type of rod and reel do you recommend for fishing for crappies, bluegil, etc. for open water?

How heavy of line and anything else special needs for this type of fishing...

Thanks

[carpmanjake]

i just bought a new RAPALA extreme ultra light ($30). i paired it with an abu garcia cardinal ($30) and trilene sensation in 6lb test ($7)

the sensitivity is amazing! and strength of the rod makes it the best rod out there for the price IMO. i could feel carp sucking on the bait with it! and i cant even feel a carp until it actually takes my bait with my st croix or my pflueger rods! and the rod can bend just like an ugly stik against the runs from a carp and not even come close to snapping!

entire combo for ONLY $67. perfect set up for jig fishing for bass, crappie, sunnies, AND walleye!

(btw i do guage my walleye and crappie rods by testing them on carp)

[PerchPounder]

It really depends on you want to fish them.

If you are planning on using it primarily for bobber fishing out of a boat I like an 8'6" ML with a mid size reel spooled with 6lb mono of your choice. This setup also makes a very nice walleye and small mouth bobber fishing rod.

If your pitching jigs and relying on feel I prefer a short 5'6" or 6' light or ultralight rod with a small reel and either 4 or 6lb mono or flouro line.

BTW the last time I was in FFO they had Berkley Amp rods for $15 or $20. If they are out of those you can also find something decent in the Reconditioned racks just make sure you look for the ones with reconditioned cork and not shortened. They had a good selection of small and midsize mitchell and Abu reels in the reconditioned table as well. If you end up buying everything there you should be able to get a pretty decent setup including line for under $50 thats if you can resist the other "good deals" they have in there.

[hondarider550]

Thats not a bad deal!! I might have to make a trip over there and see what they have. I have a few combos but should probably have at least one set up for the finer fishing methods... Thanks.

[PerchJerker]

I have an UL rod that is 5'6", I think it's a Gander rod. It's got an UL Okuma reel with 4 lb line. I like it, although the rod is so short and whippy it can be tough to get good distance and accuracy with my casts.

I also have a 7' light action rod, that one's a Setyr. Great rod and I use it more and more for panfish, I like it for casting light baits and the feel is really good with it. I have 6 lb line and a Stradic on that rod.

[Quetico]

I completely agree with Perch Jerker. I love my 5'6" ultra light with an old Quantum micro for really light jigs and tiny cranks. Its great fun taking big fish on a tiny rod. I've always been hasten to go lighter than 6 lbs fluoro for open water fishing.

For bobber fishing and light jigs you can't beat a long 7'+ medium light. It allows you to throw light jigs far but gives you great backbone for bringing in bigger fish. My go to spring panfish set-up is a bit flashy. Its a 7' ml St.Croix Legend Elite. I've got a Stradic 2000 with 6lbs flouro. This also makes a great set-up for slip bobber fishing trout.

[Charley]

I have a 7' + rod from St.Croix ul you need longer for casting than 5'6".

[Drewski]

A 6'6" L is a very versatile rod.

[goblueM]

i almost bought a 7 foot light action compre at Thorne Bros a few weeks ago - seemed very awesome, adn they have a lifetime warranty

I definitely like longer, light action rods with a moderate to fast action

[CJH]

I have a ML 5'6" setup for a slip bobber and Light 6'6" for casting small jigs/cranks/spinners. I usually use 4-6 lb test. I am moving more to 4lb test with today's lines.

[gman2002]

if you want to have some real fun , put a spinning reel on a fly rod, with light line you'll be able to cast small jigs a mile plus its a great fight

[Charley]

What weight fly rod gman? I like that idea.

[goblueM]

2 or a 3 weight is your best bet. Actually the real way to go is order the longest 2 or 3 weight blank you can find and put spinning guides and cork handle on it. Presto! Your own custom UL spinning outfit

[Charley]

I like it.

[hondarider550]

That is a great idea!! It's like a souped up ultra lite...

[Scott M]

Good suggestions here. Longer rods for casting and shorter rods for jigging, UL to M. I like ML for casting, L or UL for jigging. The fly rod suggestions is really catching on...I've heard a lot more people are using fly rods with spinning gear because you can huck small baits for miles with them and get great leverage because we all know pound for pound gills and crappies are some of the best fighters out there. Don't go too whippy on the rod, like a 3 or even 4 weight should get the job done.

You can usually get away with a little larger weight lines in the summer. Fish aren't as picky and you'll need some beef if you are pulling fish off weedlines, in slop or rush beds, or near timber.

Lots of great reels out there. It's all a matter of personal preference. I believe in the KISS philosophy, so I generally tell people the more ball bearings the better...you'll have less play in the reel that way. Check the drag, check the anti-reverse, and make sure you have an arbor size that does the job you need it to. Make sure the handle length is comfortable, things turn freely and feel ergonomic, and you should be good to go. Buy the best you can afford.

I've been trying to stretch the budget a little further by disconnecting a few winter ice combos and putting the reel to work in the summer. I usually change out the line and add a little Quantum hot sauce to the reel to keep it ready to dance.

[MinnesotaMongo]

A fun choice when working the shore with crowds is the European Match Rod from Cabela's. I'm not sure if they make them anymore, but Mick Thill introduced them in an Infisherman article several yrs ago and they were popular for awhile. It's about a 10 ft rod that handles light baits - you can cast them a mile. I used to be able to fish further away from the crowds and still stick my bait into the right area - and they are light enough to really be enjoyable to fish (it's not just a big old fiberglass cane pole).

[blackdog1101]

I generally use either a Fenwick HMG ultra light, or a 9'0" 4 wt rod with a spinning reel. I like to fly fish for pannies too, so one rod and two reels allows me to switch up if I want to.

[hondarider550]

I just purchased a pflueger 5'6" light today to try to use... It was on sale and it breaks down to fit in the trunk of my car Thought I would try it anyway...

[gn83tm]

I picked up a B'n'M graphite crappie rod this year and so far I really like it. It's 10' long and feels a lot like a fly rod. I have a Zebco 11T Triggerspin reel on it. It's not the world's most sophisticated reel, for sure, but I've always kind of liked having an underspin setup around for when I get lazy and just want to fish with one hand! I wish Abu had a little smaller model than the 276Ui since I think that's a little higher quality reel than the Zebco. It's 10.1 oz vs. the Zebco at 5.7 oz.

[rodmaker]

I like the ultra lights in the 6 1/2 ft to 7 ft. I'm sold and build on G. Loomis.

Especially if you are fishing deeper water for Crappies. I to, love the Shimano Stradic 1000 with 4-6 lb test

[hondarider550]

My pflueger has a nice sized underspin trigger reel. I have not been able to try it out yet but it looks like it really could be a nice setup.

[Tyler23]

for sunnies and small crappies i run a quantium 5,6 ultralight with there reel. there only like $30. with 4 lb test. for bigger crappies i got a 6,0 fish eagle2 with a shimano sahara reel. i really like it and it works good for jiggin walleyes also.