Best Crappie Rods for Next Fishing Season

Action

Action is important because it determines the way a fishing rod will bend and can often affect the sensitivity of it. For crappie fishing, it is advised to use medium or light-action rods.

Crappie fish have a softer mouth that can easily get caught in the hook so having a good sensitive rod to detect even the lightest bites is essential. It is also advised to use slow action rods for catching crappie.

Power of the Rod

Power refers to the amount of force a rod needs in order to bend. Having a powerful rod helps you catch bigger and heavier fish. If you are after crappie then using a light or ultralight power rod is best because crappie are smaller fish and you will need a lighter rod to easily detect the light strikes.

Length

The length of the rod is very important if you are fishing for crappie because they tend to live and nest in difficult-to-reach spots and are easily spooked. Having a longer rod provides you with a wider casting range that can reach these difficult spots and also at the same time it is more subtle for casting. For crappie anglers, the best length of the rod is around 7 feet.

Line and Lure Weight

First of all the weight of the line determines how easily a lure can be cast and how fast it can be retrieved. The line weight also affects the sensitivity and is a crucial factor in whether anglers can feel small bites or not.

Many anglers use light lines or ultralight monofilament or fluorocarbon lines because they provide both sensitivity and strength. Fluorocarbon fishing line is the most popular choice because it is hard to see even in clear waters and it does not reflect light.

The weight of the lure depends on the type of water you are fishing in. Rougher and deeper water require heavier lures, while calmer water requires lighter ones. The most popular crappie bait fish lures are crankbaits or plastic jigs. Anglers tend to use light jig lures that weigh around 1/16 ounces.

Guides

Guides are important because they affect the sensitivity and durability of the rod. A good pole for crappie fishing is one that has adequate guides, with proper space between to prevent the line from tangling.

Material

It is essential a rod is made of high quality materials for durability, weight, and sensitivity. Most crappie rods are usually made out of graphite or fiberglass or sometimes a mix of both. Graphite rods tend to be more sensitive and lightweight, while fiberglass rods are more durable and suitable for fishing bigger fish.

All in all, what is the ideal crappie rod depends on your preference and what type of rod you feel most comfortable with.

Handle

Fishing is an activity that requires a lot of patience. Crappie fishing takes a lot of time so having a comfortable handle is important. Handles are usually made out of either EVA foam or cork. What type of handle you are going to choose also depends on your preference. Test out the rod before buying it and see what works best for you.

Reel Selection

A good reel seat is important because it provides anglers with the sensitivity to feel smaller bites and movements while reeling in the line. A good reel seat is important for crappie fishing because this type of fish tends to be smaller in size and can be finicky biters thus bites are more difficult to detect. Usually, the best crappie fishing rods have a size 16 reel seat.

Sensitivity

Crappie fish are smaller and have a soft mouth making it a lot more difficult for anglers to detect bites. This is why having a sensitive rod is important. Crappie fish also tend to move around and can be found in different depths of water at different times of the year. A sensitive crappie rod helps anglers to more easily place the lure at the desired depth.

Durability

Because crappie is smaller and more delicate fish, they can easily be damaged and ripped when you set the hook and retrieve it. Anglers need to reel in the fish fast and carefully and avoid putting too much stress on the rod. A less durable rod will surely break during the battle with the fish.

Crappie fishing usually happens around submerged trees or other underwater construction since. These are the usual sports where crappie fish decide to nest. The rod has to be strong to handle the toll of fishing in this type of environment.