Guy, does 10 lb line do ok shooting docks? Wondered if the heavier line made it harder to get way back deep in shadows or if there's not much difference.

Just goes to show you that you can catch crappie on most any equipment. Even 12# line and long stiff rods. Picking the "right" equipment is like picking your wife; sometimes the logic is difficult for others to see.

Good info,that I will practice on,if I can locate the crappie.
One thing I don't understand and I'm sure there is a good explantion for it is why some put a leader on of a different diameter and type.

Probably used to doing it on saltwater crappie around 4 ft lights

nice great info. right to the point. thank you

I have to agree with Guy on the line. He converted me to 10# braid this past year and I love it. No memory! None!
Just received two new PA dock shooters and planning to load one with braid and the other with mono hi vis...a necessity for docks in my opinion. Haven't trid shooting docks with the braid yet so can't comment on the above question.

Thanks Guy.

Regarding the various comments to my post on here:
Line is a perference, and when you get good enough to know the difference in lines, you can then decide what fits your style of fishing. My comments was directed toward the newbies. I see no sense in buying 4# line and a light rod and expecting that you will be able to master brush pile fishing in a couple of trips. Because all you will master is the art of breaking off a bunch of jigs. Makes the guys that sell jigs happy but just ticks the newbies off. When you're experienced enough to be able to catch crappie out of a mud puddle...none of what I said applies. Now let me think for a minute.....how many of the top tournament crappie anglers use light rods and light line??? Oh, that's right...none.

Guy for once you are deadddddddd on.Braid sure has made fishin more fun.Darrell

Do you think the fishermen using Dacron line had similar feelings about monofilament in the 1940's? Now they are making braided lines out of plastic and getting darn good about giving it the same properties of mono while retaining high strength and small diameters.

i never liked braid till i saw some posts Ernest put up about usin it ......
i have learned to really really like it .....
seems to translate everyting goin on down there right to my hand like a telegraph ....probably due to the lack of line stretch
and then there is the being able to mark depths on it
the fact i cant seem to break it .....
and no memory .....
many thanks to Ernest for the tip .....

+ 1

Good post. Like Ernest said, always learning.

Personally, I like the top down approach. Crappie see upward and strike upward. Bigger fish are typically higher in the water column.

I learned to use jigs when I finally left without buying minnows.

I still prefer mono. 6 lb on my little kid poles and 10 lb on my 8 and 10 ft rods. I tried braid last spring and didn't like it. I may try it again on a day I am catching a lot. The max depth I have ever fished for crappie was 39 ft deep in dead of winter. Most of tome 10-15 ft down. On 10lb mono there's not that much line stretch at that depth to me, but do what works for you.

I no longer use shakespear bait casters for my 8 ft jig poles. The side of that reel opens up. No big deal. A lot of brands do. For God knows what reason, sometimes on. Hook set, my other hand would hit the side of that reel and knock the cover off sending the spool flying out across the boat. I did this 5 times and lost the fish. I know this is my issue and example of do what works for you.

I think my biggest hurdle as a beginner was real estate - location, location,location. Over 10 years I now have 200 waypoints on my home lake and know what time of year to go to which ones, but I still learn and not always 100% right so I continue to learn. I love it. When I fish, I am not stressed about work, home, or anything. I'm thankful to have a passion for something that gets me away from it all.

Thanks I am soaking all of this up

So Guy, what do you think of braid for dock shooting...curious minds inquire!

Say, okiebob...word has it that your boat buddy could provide that info!!!!