# Spider Rigging or Side Pulling for Crappie



## papaperch

Been expeirmenting the last two years 2005 , 2006 with spider rigging. Although slip bobbers still is my favorite method this side pullin is starting to win me over. Give me a stump field that I don't know and I found out that side pulling is the way to find them. Only lake I have seen others doing this is Mosquito. I'm sure others are using this southern technique but it sure isn't as popular here as the southern states.

Went so far as to mount my electric trolling motor on the side of the boat an old bow mount. This year am going to mount my minn-kota auto-pilot to further the ease of fishing this style. Here are some observations on this style.

1. Crappies tend to be larger overall as opposed to other styles of fishing with the exception of trolling crankbaits.
2. Tendency to catch non-target species greater using this method especially walleyes and larger perch.
3. After fishing an area anchored with slip bobbers and almost ready to give up , saved the day by using this method and at least boated enough to make the trip worthwhile.
4. Calmer days seem to be the most productive but have done good on choppy days.
5. Real stiff winds makes me go back to the anchor as boat control becomes a nightmare. ( auto-pilot may help this )
6. Usually use jigs tipped with minnows but twister tails and real small crank baits such as Yo-Zuri snap beans and pins minnows , have shown a lot of promise. 
7. Two rod limit ( Ohio fishing regulation ) puts a little crimp in this style. Noticed when with a partner finding the magic depth is easier and faster. 
8. The 10' to 22' range is the most productive overall for this style of fishing. Rule of thumb darker the day they are up higher brighter the day the deeper. But you have to try all at start of day because fish don't always do what they are supposed to. As my one friend likes to say " they must not read that book you have."
9. Long limber rods are needed as are quality rod holders. Noodle rods are excellent choices.
10. Along with depth , speed is also important, sometimes they want it crawling and other times they want it moving at a pretty good clip.
11. Use at least two hooks per rod about 12-18" apart. Take note which hook is catching the most fish and you will have the magic depth. 
12. Surveying the area with quality fish finder prior to actually fishing it helps in locating the best area to pull in. I usually look for marks real close to stumps. Seems the tighter they are to the stumps the more active they are.
13. I like to use markers to lay out an area but only if boat traffic is really light. Too many beginner fishermen assume that you are laying the area out for them and promptly anchor in the middle of my four markers.

If any of you fish this method let me know what you have found out. If you would like to learn drop me a pm and we can hook up starting after ice is off.


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## steelheadBob

the reason you havnt seen alot of people doing the spidar thing is because its against the law in ohio, you can only use two rods, with no more than three hooks per line. If watercraft or odnr see's you, youll be working another job to pay off the fine, which i do beleave they'll fine you for each rod in the water. My dad got busted a couple years ago at berlin using 4 rods crappie fishing and he had to pay a couple hundred bucks.


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## misfit

LOL papa.i guess we're both "late bloomers".
i also have been getting into this system the past couple years.though i've been drifting,trolling for crappies for years,my technique has changed the past couple years,since fishing reelfoot lake.those southern boys have made an art of it.and i'm sure many northern touny fishermen have gotten in on the act.
i bought a couple 10 foot zebco slabseeker combos for that trip and have aquired a couple 9-10 foot noodle rods since.
i've discovered much the same as you.though the water i fish is mostly void of stumps,the method works equally well in open water.
it makes a good search tool for roaming summer fish also.
during pre-spawn,i'll work staging areas at cove mouths,channels,etc.
same thing in fall.
though i don't have any(yet) a drift sock or two will help on those days with stronger winds.
jig/tt or tubes work great,as do minnies.many times i'll run both a foot or so apart on one rod.
sometimes dressing the tt or tube with a minnie makes a difference,i also add a crappie nibble to the plastics at times.rodrunners work well also when used at the bottom in place of a sinker.
speed does make a big difference at times.when fish are in a nuetral/negative mood and won't chase a bait even a few inches,they can sometimes be enticed by crawling that bait across their nose.


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## misfit

bob,i'm sure papa uses only 2 rods when solo,as do i.not as effective as multiples,but same principle.it does help to have more lines out,which gives you an excuse to fish with a buddy


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## joe01

Could you guys give more info about this? Let just say you have 2 people on the boat and four rods. Do you set all four rods up on the bow of the boat? And, then Set the rigs up with sinker on botton and 2 jigs or tubes above the sinker about 12inch apart? I fish 2 res with very clear water, and one has two stump fields in 20" of water. would you set one rod at 15" next at 10' 3rd at 8" and 4th at 4". do you back troll or drift?


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## misfit

the idea of spider rigging is to spread rods to cover as wide a swath as possible and different depths to locate fish.it's not as effective with only a couple rods,but the basics are the same.rods can be run off the bow,sides,rear or any combination.
i use a bell sinker(3/8 oz. or more,depending on speed,current,etc) or roadrunner(sometimes w/splitshot above) on end of line with 1 or 2 hooks/baits above,12-18 inches apart.
in 20 feet,if fish are in the stumps,i'd start a couple feet off bottom and work up till the right depth is found.a foot or two apart max,as the fish could be at any depth and moving 5 feet might take bait out of their range.especially if they're finicky.
drifting,trolling or backtrolling all work and the wind or lack of will dictate which works best.


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## joe01

thank you for your info. anymore would be great. I can't wait now to hit the res with my bro and get some slabs


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## crappiedude

Papaperch, as Misfit said on the windy days, try a driftsock. It's like putting the brakes on the boat in windy weather. If you set it just right, you can drift your boat perfectly sideways. In order to get it set you need to be able to tie off to the side of your boat. If you don't have many choices, use a c-clamp and move it forward or back as needed until you find that spot and then add a cleat at a later date.
Especially w/ 2 people in the boat you can cover alot of water in a fairly short time. Sometimes the windblown areas have the most active fish and you'll have the area all to yourself. Good luck, CD


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## pumper

great topic guys, would like to try this myself, i do a lot of drifting for walleye using a drift sock, great way to help control speed in the wind, do you guys watch your speed on a gps, if so about what speed would you guys recommend, any info appreciated, what weight jighead. thanks


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## papaperch

steelheadbob ; Perhaps I did not word observation # 7 very effective. I stated that a two rod limit put a crimp in the technique's effectiveness. Thats why I prefer to have a partner along then he can use two rods also.

I have never understood how a two rod limit enchances or protects anything but as long as it is a regulation I will adhere to it. I feel for your father who got hit with a heavy fine. Maybe a more enlightened ODNR will alter this regulation in the future. I fish to relax and escape ,having to constantly monitor for the lake patrol would ruin this for me. Henceforth I obey all laws and this allows me to fully concentrate on the task at hand.

Misfit and crappiedude : might try the drift sock if the auto-pilot idea fails me. As you all can probably tell I really like this technique and the fine tuning of it really makes for an interesting day.


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## misfit

pumper,i don't pay attention to the gps when fishing this way.i let the fish dictate what they want.and most of the time,the speed is too slow for the gps to register anyway.when the fish are nuetral or just plain picky,you can't go too slow in my opinion.the only time i normally will turn up the speed would be when trolling cranks,blades or spinners when fish are scattered in the heat of summer.they'll often slam a lure when changing speed or direction at those times.
as for jig size,it varies from 1/32 to 1/8 oz. for most fishing.

papa,i run trolling motors fore and aft and that helps for better control in windy conditions.two people make it a little easier though


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## crappiedude

Same as Misfit I don't pay attention to gps speed as it's too slow. Mostly, I prefer to use slip floats at various debths, but will also use bottom bouncing rigs of various types or jigs depending on what the finders show me. I use this method mostly in wide open areas of the lake where you just take a beating from the wind. I think the method is as much about debth control is it is about speed control. If your boats moving too fast you can't get your baits down to where the fish are.
As far as jigs go, I usually only use 1/32 or 1/16 oz heads. However, I will use a combination of these heads to get to the debth that starts to work. I'll start w/ 1 rod= 1/32 & 1 rod= 1/16. If nothing happens and I'm marking fish, then I change rod #1 to 1/32 & 1/16 rod #2 to 1/16 & 1/16 when I add the second jig, I also add a second color. 
As Misfit said, the fish will dictate what they want, you just have to figure out what it is. 
This method is effective when you're trying to locate fish and want to cover large wide open areas and it's just too rough to use a T/M. Good Luck


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## steelheadBob

Hey PAPA, i did not mean any harm, just posted that because i see alot of people see how they spider rig in kentucky and do it up here and get busted, alot of people(new comers to fishing) dont know you are only aloud to fish w/2 rods in ohio, so please dont take what i said to the heart. Thanks..


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## joe01

I just read in the reg you able to use 3 hooks per-rod. So I guess i would use a 1/16 on bottom,small tube in the middle, and a 1/32 on top. is there anyway you could set it up like thiswith it still looking natural, and not getting a bunch knots and line tangles?


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## papaperch

Ok , got a good conversation going here. I usually use line angle as an approximate speed indicator. At rest your line would hang down 90 degrees perpendicular to boat side. As you increase speed your line rises, normally about a 15 degree angle from the side of the boat. If plenty of fish are observed on the finder and your getting no takers play with the speed.

If I see a lot of bottom huggers I might replace sinker on one rod and use an 1/8 oz jig head with either 1/2 a crawler or larger minnow to see if they are walleyes. On my pulling rods I tie my own rigs using shears. They are the twisted wire things you see on what are called " crappie rigs ". I use the 31/2 inch ones from Netcraft.These help to hold the tangles down. I personally do not like the commercial crappie rigs as they use too heavy of a line.

From the shear out to the jig heads I tie 4 # test that way if I snag I lose only the jig head. Another couple of things when removing rod form holder keep tip high my friend had a little trouble adjusting to this. Dropping the rod tip when removing to catch the fish often results in fish getting off. When using the long rods do not reel too far up. ( course watching your five foot six pal trying to catch a fish 8 foot in the air is amusing ). I kinda " cane pole " em into the boat. Real big slabbers get the net treatment.


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## misfit

i like a very short dropper or loop for the upper jigs instead of tying straight to the line.less tangles and a little better presentation imo.
drop shot style for hooks.i bought some standout hooks to try this year.they should work for minnies and even plastics without a jighead.
as papa,i just lift the fish in the boat if i don't have too much line out.i use the reel when i can't stretch that far.and like he said,it's a real circus trying to grab a fish that's swinging around at the end of 8 feet of line on one of those limber poles,LOL.another thing,is i don't set the hook,just kinda let the fish pull the rod down,and just lift it up.doesn't take much to set it on them.


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## crappiedude

For drift fishing I tie a short drop line using 17# clear Stren. It's stiff enough to hold the hook out from the main line if you keep it short, maybe 6"-8" long. Normally I use a #214EL Eagle Hook which is light enough it will straighten out with a constant steady pull. For bait, either a tube or minnow or a combo of the two.
For longline trolling, I will leave about 24" of line off the first jig and attach the 2nd jig to that. I used to think the line would interfere with the first jig but I've caught enough fish on the first jig or even doubles that it seems to work okay.
For speed, since I'm usually going too slow for GPS to pick up. I'm kind of just guessing and using line angle as an indicator. Some one used to make a speed indicator for (slow) trolling which mounted to the side of the boat and was fairly accurate. I've read about them but have never seen or found one but would love to own one.


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## joe01

I started to set-up some of my noodle rods for spring. Does anyone have a picture of what the set up looks like. I just want to see if I did it right.... Now I have to go buy a small drift sock-or make my own. I have my home made rod holders all ready set at a 90. I can't wait to try this system. Big slabs are my fav. I never understood why, I love to crappie fish. I like that tip on the eyes, A few of the lakes I fish have eyes in them too. Thank you eveyone.....


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## crappiedude

Try Cabela's for the drift sock. There's a size for every boat. If money is an issue a couple of 5 gallon buckets on a rope over the side will slow you down. Can't help with the pics, my 'puter skill are lacking, been fishing too much. One day I'll take the time to figure the pic's out this spring.


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## papaperch

Weather gets a little nicer I will post some pics on how I got my boat and rods setup for this. Meanwhile I want to take advantage of ice while its here.


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## pumper

Thanks Papaperch And All Others Great Conversation Going On Here, Cant Wait To See The Pictures Of This Set Up Papaperch, I Do Alot Of Walleye And Saugeye Fishing On Lake Erie And Indian Lake If Any Of You Guys Would Like To Trade A Trip And Show Me This Presentation I Would Be All For It. Thanks Pumper


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## crittergitter

Fish this site's open tourney or any crappie tourney and you'll see lots of variartions of spider riggin/side pullin. It's the ticket for putting fish in the boat. 

CG


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## Rob

Guys

The newer GPS (Hummingbird) units measure sreed in tenths of a MPH so that might help. Also I try to move into the wind , as this really helps with boat control in windy conditions. Man, all this is really getting me ready for a day on the water!

Rob


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## snag

we used those methods at mosquito a few yrs back and it was great,my nephew even put a blk steelhead fly on the top line with a waxxie and was killin the slabs until he lost it on a snag,the lake went flat that day and we slowed trolled with the elec- and still got them when guys still fishin wern,t getting anything,even got a few eyes and a small pike that way iy was a riot on a twelve ft crappie rod.


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