Not going to go to Millwood like I want to this weekend. Not going to cedar creek either. Decided Im going to still take of Monday but im going to fish Texoma all weekend. Im going to try my hand at spider rigging and long line trolling. Does anyone have any helpfull hints of what to look for. Do I want to fish near brush piles, road beds, creek channels, points? Any help anyone has will be really great. I plan on using 6 10ft proanglers w/ minnows/jigs, and I do have bee readys.

Duck/Jerry/Wes i need HELP!!!

For spider rigging...I would recommend starting in water that is fairly free of brush, or just keep your baits shallow enough that you are in no danger. Really work on boat control and rod placement/control. When you feel that you have that under control, then you can drop baits lower and learn to really slow down and watch your tips in case you hang up. This is where a lot of people really start getting frustrated with it. Start with just 2 poles, and work your way up.

As far as long lining. I do it with 2 of the 1/16 jigs about 2' apart. I would definitely recommend starting with just 2 rods in open deep water. Work on speed and turning. When you are comfortable with that, go up into about 10-12' of water that you feel is fairly open with little brush. Work on what speed you need to be going to keep those jigs just off the bottom, and make note of it. Biggest deal with this kind of fishing is knowing what depth you are running in, and if you hang up, just keep going and break off, so don't use any jigs that you wanna keep

Ok so 2 poles. That actually makes me feel a little better. The first time I tried I had six out and had a striper get me bad. So am I just looking for bait? I have read that caps and colman have one tournaments trolling a single area all day long. What are these fish relating to? Everything about crappie fishing I have ever done has been on structure .This is definatly new to me. When your talking about depth if I know im catching em on brush in 10 ft is that the depth I need to spider rig in?

Brian I don't know Texoma, but if the water has cooled some long line trolling will work and work well. My problem is what I look for is Hydrilla to troll over and around.

However I use to have a spot in a cove that split off into two fingers. The one on the left had a lay down right on the edge of the bank and the water dropped off pretty good. I would just troll my 1/32 Road Runners just past it and catch the heck out of them.

Also last Spring late they crappie here moved out to deeper water sooner than expected. I had been trolling water like 4'-8' deep around some scattered Hydrilla (our Hydrilla dies off a few years ago and just now coming back)and did well. They then moved off the banks to water that was 11'-13' deep and still I was long line trolling the little Road Runners. Well after a couple weeks at most they moved off again. I found a spot right next to a big flat that dropped off to 20'-22' and I just for kicks started trolling that with the 1/32 Oz. Road Runners and started catching fish in that 20' of water. They were suspended and would come up to hit the RR's.

Now if you want to try Long line trolling just follow this set up. Use one or two poles and if you have a partner I would take one side and let them have the other. The person in front needs to take the side the wind is blowing into if it's coming from the side at all. Helps keep your line out of your prop.

I use a variable speed TM and set it on 3 to start and adjust for the wind (if blowing from in front a little more or if pushing from the back maybe a little less. Also adjust for the fish depth, slow down the deeper they are.

You may find more from me on my How To Page, but I don't remember right now how much I said there.

Anyway just take you jig and cast is out to the side and let the boat pull it back behind you.

I would try creek edges if no Hydrilla beds with good drop offs. Try to keep just above any brush down there to keep from hanging up, but it will happen some anyway.

If the wind is more than light and blowing from the side I usually do more of a spider rig thing because I go to a heavy jig like 1/8 or 1/4 and just troll with my jig right down beside me. I use this especially in water 12'-15' or more if the wind is kicking up. I do like the smaller jigs for sure if they are being picky at all.

When you come here next spring I will show you more for sure.

Hope this helps,

Skip
PS if you want to or need to give me a call.
409-579-3310 house phone or
cell 936-275-7838

I would not worry so much about what you are looking for on your first excursion into trolling. I'd be concentrating more on boat control, depth of baits vs depth of what is showing on your front graph, etc. When you catch a fish (any fish), take a look at your graph, and see what it looks like.
We troll right in, over, and under brush. You will get hung up, that's why we go slow around obstructions.
Yep, Wes and I have sat there and watched C&C do their thing, and we have stayed in very small areas for a loooong time...catching big fish.
Trolling is not something you are going to master in one trip out. Like anythin else in this game, you just have to spend time on the water with this technique. Once you have a good feel of it, add a partner to the front of the boat...put 8 rods out...hang 16 minnows off there, and get after it.

Or...better yet...come out to Lavon in the early winter...help me hang 16 rods off my boat...drag 32 minnows around...and try to keep up with the crappie

I got no problem doing that. That would be great, I'd pitch in or pay whatever.

I cant believe you are not going to CC. Good luck this weekend!

Well there's a chance for rain Monday. Plus we have a lot nicer lakehouse on Texoma for free than I can rent at cc.

True, True, never thought about that.

Brian, why driver to lavon? Go to CC and troll along the dam. You'll kill them...

Right now you'll do better fishing brush piles with jigs IMO. Once they leave the brush later this month then go troll points,humps, and ledges.

Find the depth the bait is holding and you'll find the fish. On Lavon I generally start about 19' water in early November.

I know it's still early. Thats why im just trying to get the technique down a little bit. Im still going to fish bp's.

I really appreciate the info Ive gotten and hopefully I can scare a few into hitting my poles.

Another tip is troll with the wind. When you slow-troll you go into the wind. I can't really tell you a speed because boats will troll different. The best advice is find a flat with consistant depth and use all the same wgt jigs like 1/32 or 1/16 and find want depth jigs are running at what speed. A hand held gps is handy. Places I like to run is any type of ledges. Its also a great way to find other brush piles. Hope this helps! Brad

I agree with Jerry it's still a little early. If you have to I would look shallow and move deeper until you find them. Boat controll is the key. You can start out in water as shallow as 5 to 10ft. Try to find a area that has a bunch of shad shallow there may be some fish around the schools of shad.
GoodLuck
Scott Solis
CrappieMaster

I usually start at Fork around Thanksgiving, with 2 shiners above 3/4oz bell weights. Look for baitfish along the bottom and troll through em, go slow enough the lines stay down on the bottom and dont angle back under the boat. When its right you can usually troll around, see baitfish on the graph and watch rod tips start going down. Alls fine and well till you go through a school of white bass or barfish with a buncha rods out...

I appreciate the info fellas. I just want to be a well rounded crappie fisherman and this is the next step. I know it's early but I dont want to be "learning" when it's on fire. I prefer to use minnows for this. I dont know why. Cahnge my mind cause jigs would be easier! And I have a thousand or so I could spare.

Brian,

If you want to troll cover. Start with a rod in your hand and fish your B/P like you normally do while at the same time place another rod in the holder. Any fish caught on the trolling rod is just an extra for the live well. Over time, add more rods and you will be spider rigging.

It is easier to learn to troll cover by fishing areas you already know. For instance, if your fishing a pile 10' deep and you know the top of the pile comes to 7' deep, set your trolling rod at 7'and fish right above the cover to avoid snags. Don't set all four rods at 10' or it won't be pretty.

That makes good sense. Ill try that.

Brian- Pick you up a copy of Crappie World. They have some good info on trolling in the new issue. Good luck on Texoma this weekend! Brad

Yeah I have all those issues. They spend a lot of time talking about trolling. Hope to put it to task this weekend.