Great Crappie Rigs

Are you interested in learning how to catch crappie like a pro? If so, then read on to learn about some great crappie rigs, and crappie fishing techniques.

There’s bound to be nearby fishing hole where you can catch crappie! Crappie are plentiful, enjoyable to catch, and are delicious! It’s no wonder they’re so popular with anglers.

Crappie Rigs that Work Great:

Carolina Rig

The Carolina rig is an extremely popular fishing setup for getting this delectable game fish.
The Carolina rig, like the Texas rig, is great for fishing plastic baits along the bottom of deep water where crappie like to gather. With a Carolina rig, the weight is positioned up from the hook, by a length of leader.
To make a Carolina rig, put an egg, or bullet sinker on your main fishing line.
Next add a bead, then tie on a barrel swivel. Tie 6 to 18 inches of flourocarbon leader onto the other end of the barrel swivel. Finally tie a hook to the leader’s terminal end.

Texas Rig

The Texas rig has been widely used for crappie fishing for a very long time. Texas Rigs work great with soft plastic baits.
A Texas rig, when correctly tied and used, is almost certain to assist you in landing those crappie!
The Texas rig is made up of three basic parts: a hook, a plastic bait, and a bullet-sinker (or egg sinker).
The sinker should be located on the line slightly above your hook so that it stays in place and helps drag the baited hook cleanly through any heavy vegetation.
When fishing near dense cover or behind brush piles, crappie fishermen frequently employ the Texas rig.

Drop Shot Rig

The drop shot rig is another incredibly efficient crappie fishing rig.
The goal with this setup is to have your bait hang just above the seabed, right where the crappie are.

How to Tie a Drop Shot Rig:

1. Thread the line through the eye of the hook. The point of the hook must face up toward the rod and reel ( away from the sinker end of the line).

2. Pull about 7″ to 10″ of line through the toward the sinker end of the rig.

3. Pass the line over itself to form a loop above the hook.

4. Pass the hook through the loop 5 times. When you’ve done this, there should be 5 twists on each side of the hook.

5. Pull both ends of the line until everything tightens up.

6. Attach your drop shot weight to the rig’s tag end and start fishing!

See Drop Shot Rig Guide for Beginners, for more details, and a on how to tie this rig, including a drop shot knot tying video.

Slip Bobber Rig

The slip float setup is another great crappie fishing strategy. Slip bobbers are easier to cast than the fixed type.
A slip float will lie just above your jig or weight when casting. After casting, the float will then slide up the line until it strikes a rubber stopper that you’ve attached at a certain way up the line from the hook, or jig. The length of the line from hook to rubber stopper should be correspond to the depth where you think crappie are congregating.

Follow these instructions to rig up a slip bobber:

1. Thread your line through a rubber stopper and move it a few feet up the line to the chosen stop distance.
2. Thread your line through a bead and then the slip bobber.
3. Tie on a jig head or hook, and attach a split shot if you are using one.
4. Move the stopper knot up. or down the line as needed to change the length between the hook and the float.

For more details, and instructions, see How to Make a Slip Bobber Crappie Rig .

Splitshot Rig

Veterans crappie anglers prefer to try out different rigs to see what works best for them. The splitshot rig is another tried and true option to bring in a cooler full of crappie.
In a splitshot rig a splitshot sinker is attached to your line right above a swivel. Then you’ll need a leader, a lure, or bait of your choosing, preferably minnows, which crappie attack readily!
You may need to try different strength of line, various weights, or change up your baits, when using this setup depending on where you’re fishing for crappie.
In deeper water, for example, the distance between your split shot and the crappie hook may need to be longer. If you’re fishing in shallower water with less depth, you’ll need to shorten the length to get your bait to where the crappie are.

Float Rig for Crappie

The float rig is simple, and basic.
First, select a float, and attach it 2 to 4 feet from the terminal end of your line. Tie a hook with bait, or a jig to the terminal end of you line. If the bait is too light to sink properly, add a split shot.

Final Thoughts

Finally, while these are all excellent crappie fishing tactics, keep in mind that no one kind of rigging or technique will guarantee you catch crappie every time. As a result, it’s advisable to try out various tactics and rig changes to see what works best for you.
Spider rigging, which involves setting up 5 or more rods and rod holders on a single boat, is a great method to try out a variety of crappie rigs and see which ones work best in the waters you’re fishing.