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Longliners

rsimms

rsimms

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For you folks (like me) who like longlining for pre-spawn crappie, it's time to start looking. I headed out on Chickamauga today on my first foray of the season. I honestly had low expectations. I fished about two hours with two keepers and two shorts. Then I made a dramatic change in location, moving out the creek I was in, closer to the main channel where I hoped crappie might be more likely to "stage" in preparation for moving up the creek. It was a surprisingly good call. I put my remaining 13 keeper crappie for a limit in the livewell in a mere 45 minutes! They all went home and are resting quite comfortably in the freezer. When I'm guiding, I don't get to keep crappie. So it's a treat for me and the wife when I actually get to bring some home. :)

FYI, I was zig-zagging along a pretty sharp creek channel ledge, 12-14 feet on top of the ledge, 20-22 feet at the bottom of the ledge. Crappie were stacked. I was trolling 1/16th oz. Crappie Magnet jigs on 6# test at 0.7 mph. That was the ticket.
2022_Febh.jpg


2022_Feba.jpg
2022_Febc.jpg
 
What is the advantage or reason to long line versus spider rigging? I'm assuming you control your lure depth with boat speed, but how do you know how deep your bait is? When I'm spider rigging and I see them stacked up at a certain depth I can put it right in their faces. I've always been curious about long lining and side pulling.
 
Spurhunter said:
What is the advantage or reason to long line versus spider rigging? I'm assuming you control your lure depth with boat speed, but how do you know how deep your bait is? When I'm spider rigging and I see them stacked up at a certain depth I can put it right in their faces. I've always been curious about long lining and side pulling.
Click to expand...
It wasn't really the case today because the fish I found did seem to be oriented on structure (creek channel ledge). Spider-rigging likely would have worked just as well, maybe. But during the pre-spawn I frequently find crappie that aren't orienting to structure. They are roaming, suspended, often following bait schools. When longlining I feel I can simply cover a lot more water increasing my odds of finding active fish. I don't do it anymore, but I used to keep statistics on how many fish I caught "per lure mile." I.E. trolling six jigs one mile = six lure miles.

And I also believe sometimes longlining is simply the "presentation" they want. On NUMEROUS occasions I have marked crappie while trolling and hook up one or two. Troll back over the same spot and catch more. Do that two or three times and you're prone to think, "I can just stop and cast the those fish and catch 'em." Do it and spend 30 minutes casting without a bump. Start trolling over the area again and immediately start catching. I don't know what it is but I strongly believe that there are often times when a trolled lure is simply the presentation they want.

There are lots of trolling depth charts that show you lure depths in various configurations (see below). But I've never used one. I've just done it so long I sort of know. It is critical that you are consistent in line and jig size... and understanding how distance lure is from boat varies the depth.

I also HATE using minnows. I have not bought minnows for crappie fishing for 20 years. I just don't want to pay for them or fool with them. I know you can spider-rig with jigs only, but in my experience most spider-riggers are using minnows either alone, or tipping a jig.

But, in the end, the true difference in longlining and spider-rigging is probably just a matter of personal preference.

6_depth_guide.png
 
This thread really exposes my lack of knowledge when it comes to freshwater fishing! I read the title on the previous page and thought it was going to be about commercial longlining for swordfish.

I feel your pain on buying bait. It's something I've never liked to do. Luckily the creek that's 10 steps out my back door provides an unlimited supply of bait for my son's fishing escapades.

Congrats on a great day!
 
I still have all the equipment to long line and pull cranks but did not do it one time last year once I got proficient with the livescope. I do still enjoy it and honestly miss my tritoon that I had rigged up for it!! That setup was a cadillac especially during the hot part of summer and having friends family on board!!!!
 
rsimms said:
It wasn't really the case today because the fish I found did seem to be oriented on structure (creek channel ledge). Spider-rigging likely would have worked just as well, maybe. But during the pre-spawn I frequently find crappie that aren't orienting to structure. They are roaming, suspended, often following bait schools. When longlining I feel I can simply cover a lot more water increasing my odds of finding active fish. I don't do it anymore, but I used to keep statistics on how many fish I caught "per lure mile." I.E. trolling six jigs one mile = six lure miles.

And I also believe sometimes longlining is simply the "presentation" they want. On NUMEROUS occasions I have marked crappie while trolling and hook up one or two. Troll back over the same spot and catch more. Do that two or three times and you're prone to think, "I can just stop and cast the those fish and catch 'em." Do it and spend 30 minutes casting without a bump. Start trolling over the area again and immediately start catching. I don't know what it is but I strongly believe that there are often times when a trolled lure is simply the presentation they want.

There are lots of trolling depth charts that show you lure depths in various configurations (see below). But I've never used one. I've just done it so long I sort of know. It is critical that you are consistent in line and jig size... and understanding how distance lure is from boat varies the depth.

I also HATE using minnows. I have not bought minnows for crappie fishing for 20 years. I just don't want to pay for them or fool with them. I know you can spider-rig with jigs only, but in my experience most spider-riggers are using minnows either alone, or tipping a jig.

But, in the end, the true difference in longlining and spider-rigging is probably just a matter of personal preference.

View attachment 128334
Click to expand...
What's the line length for this chart? I see the lure size and boat speed based on a 6lb test, but nothing about how long the line is to get to the published depths.
 
rsimms said:
It wasn't really the case today because the fish I found did seem to be oriented on structure (creek channel ledge). Spider-rigging likely would have worked just as well, maybe. But during the pre-spawn I frequently find crappie that aren't orienting to structure. They are roaming, suspended, often following bait schools. When longlining I feel I can simply cover a lot more water increasing my odds of finding active fish. I don't do it anymore, but I used to keep statistics on how many fish I caught "per lure mile." I.E. trolling six jigs one mile = six lure miles.

And I also believe sometimes longlining is simply the "presentation" they want. On NUMEROUS occasions I have marked crappie while trolling and hook up one or two. Troll back over the same spot and catch more. Do that two or three times and you're prone to think, "I can just stop and cast the those fish and catch 'em." Do it and spend 30 minutes casting without a bump. Start trolling over the area again and immediately start catching. I don't know what it is but I strongly believe that there are often times when a trolled lure is simply the presentation they want.

There are lots of trolling depth charts that show you lure depths in various configurations (see below). But I've never used one. I've just done it so long I sort of know. It is critical that you are consistent in line and jig size... and understanding how distance lure is from boat varies the depth.

I also HATE using minnows. I have not bought minnows for crappie fishing for 20 years. I just don't want to pay for them or fool with them. I know you can spider-rig with jigs only, but in my experience most spider-riggers are using minnows either alone, or tipping a jig.

But, in the end, the true difference in longlining and spider-rigging is probably just a matter of personal preference.

View attachment 128334
Click to expand...
Thanks Richard! I agree about presentation. I can see how a jig longlined would have a different presentation than one on a 2" leader on a spider rig. I'm a spider rigger but I might have to experiment with the long line method.
 
Spurhunter said:
What is the advantage or reason to long line versus spider rigging? I'm assuming you control your lure depth with boat speed, but how do you know how deep your bait is? When I'm spider rigging and I see them stacked up at a certain depth I can put it right in their faces. I've always been curious about long lining and side pulling.
Click to expand...
I should add one other reason for my preference for longlining vs spider-rigging.
dbierman said:
What's the line length for this chart? I see the lure size and boat speed based on a 6lb test, but nothing about how long the line is to get to the published depths.
Click to expand...
Good catch... that charts lacks line length. Others you can Google do include it... as WTM said, normally calculating at 55-65 feet of line out. I don't measure line.... my measurement is, "One good long cast, and then rip off an extra ten feet of line." I know from getting hundreds of jigs snagged that at that distance, a single 1/16th oz. jig trolled at 0.8 mph on #6 test gets about 8 feet deep. Slow to 0.6 and it drops 2-3 feet, speed up to 1.0 and it comes up to about six feet. And don't be fooled.... I have OFTEN caught crappie six feet deep fishing in 25 feet of water. That is especially true early in the season when the schools are on the move and following bait.
 
rsimms said:
If your freezer ain't full of filets you ain't fishing either. Or some might say, "If you're using LiveScope, you ain't fishin'!" ;)
Click to expand...
LOL just reading this thread and it reminded me of ole Stretch aka Larry, he believes the only real way to crappie fish is with a minner, under a cork. :D

Bad thing about his logic is around here you get MAYBE two weeks a year to do that with any success. :D
 

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