New favorite crappie rig.

I’ve always used red or gold Tru turn, Aberdeen hooks or jigs for minnow crappie fishing. Usually a little too big to accommodate my sausage fingers. Minnows swim like they are dragging a bowling ball, and tire out or die quickly.
My new set up under a weighted foam bobber. Is two spaced very small split shot. Then a #10 octopus hook. The octopus hook doesn’t snag as easy. The minnow swims natural as can be. When you hook a crappie. 90% of the time it gets the heavy cartlage of the lip. Rather than the paper thin side of the mouth. And out of over 50 crappies this week. No gut hooked fish. With larger minnows I may bump up one size. For easier handling. My next switch is back to mono or floro from braid.

Tried out the new 7ul rod Monday with 4# mono and quite delighted with it as far as fish to the boat goes. Have braid on my other setup but would pop some fish loose here and there, but was concerned with the stretchy mono on a spongy rod.

I’ve got a new panfish rod being built and I’ve been debating going with braid. But I think I will stick with mono. Never really had problems with it. Just like the sensitivity of braid.

Seems like since I ordered the rod every time I go out I see big bluegill now that I’m waiting for it.

Won’t use any line but braid with light jigs and soft plastics.