The Best Rod, Reel, Line and Lure for Crappie Fishing

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Ethan Smith
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Editor’s Note: Bob Judkins, an experienced crappie fisherman and member of the Oregon Bass & Panfish Club, offers his favorite equipment and tackle choices as well as some tips about where to catch local crappie, especially in the spring.

Recommended Crappie Rod: Cascade Pro Series

5′-6″ light-action spinning1/8 – 1/4 ounce lure, 2 – 6 pound line

This rod is really light, so you can fish all day without much arm fatigue. That’s a great plus for older anglers like me.

My other rod is a Wally Marshall Signature Series WM80CP-2, 8′ light-action, 1/16 – 1/4 ounce lure weight, 2 – 6 pound line. That rod is good for fishing brush piles because it has a longer reach and a good backbone for lifting big slab crappie out of the nastiest brush pile.

Ultra-lights and micro-lights are fun rods for crappie fishing. I don’t use them anymore. I’ve lost too many big fish such as bass and channel cats while fishing for crappie with those rods, and you will probably hook one of these monsters while crappie fishing.

If you are a first-time crappie angler, you don’t have to go out and buy a dedicated crappie rod. The rod that you may have been using for trout fishing will work just fine.

Recommended Crappie Reel: Wally Marshall Pro WP30 Spinning Reel

Weight: 7.6 ounces; 6 bearingsLine capacity: 160 yards / 6-pound line

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This reel has a larger spool than most small reels. The larger spool helps reduce line twist, a common occurrence when using monofilament line and light jigs. The drag of this reel is really smooth and it will handle the largest of fish.

Recommended Crappie Line: Bass Pro Shop Premium Excel Monofilament Line

6-pound test, clear blue fluorescent (for high visibility)This is the fishing line I always end up using. It’s easy to see and “line watching” is important when you fish for crappie. Also, the memory of this line is not bad at all.

As far as super lines are concerned, I have used the Fireline Crystal in 6-pound test. It handles great and casts a long distance with no line twist, but I recommend that you tie on a clear monofilament leader.

The reason is as follows: A few years ago, I was fishing for crappie at Brownlee Reservoir with a friend. We were fishing the same depth, using identical jigs and bobbers, but we had on different fishing lines – mine was monofilament and his was a “superline.”

I was catching fish on every cast, but my friend was not. We then switched rods to see if that would make a difference. It did – no fish for me, but a fish on every cast for my friend. The conclusion was very clear to us: If you use a “superline,” tie on a clear leader.

Recommended Crappie Bobber: Weighted Torpedo Foam

Length: 1 ½” or 2”

There are so many types of floats to choose from – balsa, plastic, foam – and they all work well. I prefer the weighted torpedo foam for a longer cast.

Recommended Crappie Lure: Northland Fire-Fly Feather Jig

Sizes: 1/16, 1/32 and 1/64 ouncesColor: Parakeet.

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This Northland jig is my favorite “go to” jig in color and size. I like its slow fall and small profile. It is a good jig for all panfish. My second “go to” jig is a Northland Gypsi Jig with crystal-flash in chartreuse and in 1/16 to 1/32-ounce sizes.

I use this jig in late summer and fall. It has a bigger profile with lots of flash. Soft plastic crappie jigs of different shapes and colors work well, too. If that’s what you have, use them.

COLOR?I’ve asked lots of crappie anglers, “What color is your favorite?” Their answers covered so many different colors. It may be that when crappie are on the bite, color may not be that important. But, when the fishing is tough, I “go to” the small Fire-Fly and white Crappie Nibble.

Recommended Crappie Bait: Berkley Crappie Nibbles

Color: White.

Crappie Nibbles come in other colors – pink, chartreuse, glow-in-the-dark. I’ve used them all. But WHITE nibbles are the ones to use and “I don’t leave home without them!”

Crappie Nibbles are really soft. If you take them out of the jar, spread them out and let them air-dry for 24 hours, they will firm up a bit and stay on your jig longer when used. But, if you dry them too long, they will become rock hard and you would not want that to happen. I keep two jars of “cured” nibbles ready to go.

When and Where to Catch Crappie in Oregon

For the beginner, the best time to fish for crappie is during spawning time in the spring. This is one of the easiest times to catch crappie. Spawning takes place when the water temperature is 62 – 65 degrees. Around Portland, this may be in May and June (give or take a couple of weeks). Small shallow ponds and lakes warm first.

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[Click Here to Shop .257 Roberts Ammo]What we can do is provide a framework to understand what average conditions might look like, and whether those are reasonably viable for a shot from the average shooter to harvest a elk in the fewest number of shots possible, i.e., ethically. Let’s dive right in. In the question of “Is the .257 Roberts within the ideal range of suitable calibers for elk hunting?” our answer is: No, the .257 Roberts is UNDERKILL for elk hunting, under average conditions, from a mid-range distance, with a medium grain expanding bullet, and with correct shot placement.Let’s look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. Assumption Value Caliber .257 Roberts Animal Species Elk Muzzle Energy 2040 foot-pounds Animal Weight 720 lbs Shot Distance 200 yardsWhat is the average muzzle energy for a .257 Roberts? In this case, we have assumed the average muzzle energy for a .257 Roberts round is approximately 2040 foot-pounds. What is the average weight of an adult male elk? Here we have leaned conservative by taking the average weight of a male individual of the species, since females generally weigh less and require less stopping power. In this case, the average weight of an adult male elk is approximately 720 lbs. [Click Here to Shop .257 Roberts Ammo]What is the distance this species is typically hunted from? Distance, of course, plays an important role in the viability of a given caliber in elk hunting. The kinetic energy of the projectile drops dramatically the further downrange it travels primarily due to energy lost in the form of heat generated by friction against the air itself. This phenonemon is known as drag or air resistance. Thus, a caliber that is effective from 50 yards may not have enough stopping power from 200 yards. With that said, we have assumed the average hunting distance for elk to be approximately 200 yards. What about the other assumptions? We have three other primary assumptions being made here. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .257 Roberts. The second important assumption is ‘slightly-suboptimal’ to ‘optimal’ shot placement. That is to say, we assume the elk being harvested is shot directly or nearly directly in the vitals (heart and/or lungs). The third assumption is that a projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet.Various calibersA common thread you may encounter in online forums is anecdote after anecdote of large animals being brought down by small caliber bullets, or small animals surviving large caliber bullets. Of course those stories exist, and they are not disputed here. A 22LR cartridge can fell a bull elephant under the right conditions, and a newborn squirrel can survive a 50 BMG round under other specific conditions. Again, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether .257 Roberts is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest elk - and to this question, the response again is no, the .257 Roberts is UNDERKILL for elk hunting. [Click Here to Shop .257 Roberts Ammo]This article does not serve as the final say, but simply as a starting point for beginner hunters, as well as a venue for further discussion. Please feel free to agree, disagree, and share stories from your own experience in the comments section below. Disclaimer: the information above is purely for illustrative purposes and should not be taken as permission to use a particular caliber, a statement of the legality or safety of using certain calibers, or legal advice in any way. You must read and understand your own local laws before hunting elk to know whether your caliber of choice is a legal option.Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online.We offer cheap ammo and bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers. We have a variety of deals on Rifle Ammo, Handgun Ammo, Shotgun Ammo & Rimfire Ammo, as well as ammo for target practice, plinking, hunting, or shooting competitions. Our website lists special deals on 9mm Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 45-70 Ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, 300 Blackout Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 5.56 Ammo, Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo and more special deals on bulk ammo.We offer a 100% Authenticity Guarantee on all products sold on our website. Please email us if you have questions about any of our product listings. Leave a commentComments have to be approved before showing up Your Name * Your Email * Your Comment * Post Comment

My favorite small body of water is Vernonia Lake, located just south of the town of Vernonia, Oregon. To get there, take Highway 26 west to Highway 47; turn right; follow Highway 47 to Vernonia. Continue driving through town and you will find the lake to your right.

The travel distance from downtown Portland is about 50 miles. This lake is very people friendly. It has wheelchair accessibility, a small gravel boat ramp (boats with electric motors are allowed). Special Regulation: The limit is 10 crappie per day; no minimum length.

When I fish Vernonia, I go to the left of the parking lot and down to the wheelchair dock.

Most anglers will be fishing for trout in the main lake. I turn around and fish back toward the bank. I also fish the shade under the dock.

Use a 1/64 ounce Fire-Fly with Crappie Nibbles, a bobber, and jig it 2-3 feet down. This is a good place to start. If you don’t catch fish here, just move around the lake and try different spots.

In the Portland area, Swan Island Lagoon (on the lower Willamette River) can be a good spot. It’s a popular place and if your timing is right, you will have lots of company! It has good bank access.

Fish the west side of the Lagoon. Look for logs, pilings, docks and shade. They are all good spots to fish.

The Oregon Bass & Panfish Club is involved in a variety of angler education and fisheries enhancement activities. See their club page on this website.

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