All,

I'm building a crappie rod for my brother and have never built a crappie specific rod. If anyone could give me advice on length, guide size, # of guides, etc.. I would greatly appreciate it. He will be primarily flipping 1/16 & 1/32oz jigs with light line into brush. If you know where I can purchase a reel seat with the palm contour on it would also be a help.

Thanks in advance
Ed

With something like this, it's a bit tough to make a species specific rod. Where there are crappie there are usually also cats, bass, walleye or pike, that hit on the same lures/baits. I fish for cats and catch as much if not more crappie than cats.

If I had to pick something, I'd go with an ultralight rigin the 5 1/2 to 6' length. I'm rather partial to St. Croix. If he takes care of his stuff, an SCV would be great. If he is a bit rough, I'd go with a SCIII or even an SCII (one of my favorites). Guide size.. small. Go with single foot ceramic fly guides, say size 5 maxing up to no larger than a 10 for the first size, which may even be on the big size.

For casting seats, I like fuji and pacbay. On really small diameter rods, I don't think you will find an exposed blank model. If anybody knows where I can find one, please let me know.

Which Rainshadow blank or blanks would you use for crappie?

You will also see guys using rods that are 7 foot long or more depending how they are fishing for the crappie. Alot of times if they are just flipping the jigs into cover, they are using the longer rods. They are not actually casting the lures that much, most of the line is hanging down and it is just a simple pitch into the cover so the longer rod works for this and makes it easier to pull the fish out of cover quickly. The longer rod will pick up more line quickly than a shorter rod and get the fish out of the cover. I have seen some of these rods go as much as 12 foot long and in 3-4 pieces.

Just depends. If you are wading or fishing brush long (8 to 16 ft.) rods are nice. Here in Texas we shoot dock alot. We use 4 1/2 footers. The top half a a fly rod is excellent. We hold the jig, pull it back like a bow and shoot the jig up to 20' under docks or overhangs. If you want to get a wide assortment of opinions go to Texasfishingformum.com then down to the crappie section and ask your question.

All good suggestions. So you see that you probably have to analyze his technique.

But, I have built crappie rods for people who fish like you describe. They flip or almost "reach" into the reeds and brush with a light jig or jig-n-float. For these guys I usually build longer rods. I have used St.Croix's 10'-6" noodle blank (2S106ULS2) or the SCII fly rod blanks either 8 or 8'-6", 4 or 5 weight.

All,

Good suggestions, Thanks

Tom, I am not familiar at all with Rainshadow so I'd just look at the specs and get something that looks right. Like the others guys mention, it depends on how you fish too.

Should have mentioned that myself. Too often I forget that there are lots of other methods to fish than my own!

Tom, I am not familiar at all with Rainshadow so I'd just look at the specs and get something that looks right. Like the others guys mention, it depends on how you fish too.

Should have mentioned that myself. Too often I forget that there are lots of other methods to fish than my own!

Rainshadow I would go with IS660 RX7 or SP720 RX6 Look under spinning on there web page