New jig rod??

I’ve always just used a 7’ spinning rod and reel combo for my crappie fishing. Been watching some of the guys out there using 9’ plus rods. Looks like it would help having the longer rod while jigging timber.. what do you guys who target crappie all the time think?

Too me, I think it's important for you to look at the style of fishing you'll be doing the most, and base your decision on that. Personally, I'm guiding bridges, brush piles and docks, so I don't use anything over 8ft. If I focused on mostly timber, or targeting trophy fish on Livescope, I would is a 10'6" up to a 12' rod.

If you're looking for the best of the best, G Rods are the finest on the market. If you're looking for a more budget friendly option, ACC or ProAngler will do you right.

Thanks.. I hardly ever fish bridges except during the heat of the summer. I might give one a try,

Most of our fishing is brushpiles, and wife and I have always used 8 foot rods. I recently bought a 10 foot and donr see that much of a difference.
Each to his own, but the 8's catch fish, are sensitive, and are easy to carry on the boat.

You already have a seven, so it looks like a 10 would be your next step...JAT

ACC crappie sticks are by far the best. I think it was about a year ago Or so I posted I was still on the fence. Now after a year of using them they are the best to me. I also purchased the dock shooter and I love it. I’ve had a lot of rods and let me tell you these rods get thrown around as I am tuff on equipment and they have held up great. No bs. Most of the other rods are ok like a Huckabee I purchased but can’t flip the hogs like I catch in the boat like an ACC. Also the eyelets hold up well where the Huckabee doesn’t. Even B & M rods I’ve had don’t hold up to the ACC rods in my opinion. I prefer 10 footers on brush piles and timer so I’m not spooking my piles etc , 8 footers on pylons and 5.6 for shooting docks. The only 7 footers on my boat is for bait casting for them big ole hybrids in the summer or white bass for a little fun. JS

+ 1 on ACC

I'm using 7' to 8' rods probably 80-90% of the time because I'm usually fishing brush piles, deeper timber or occasionally bridges. I reach for the 10'+ rods when fishing standing timber or when vertically fishing very shallow water so I can keep a little further back.

I've used all those rods including Bonehead rods, and I have a severely different opinion ... ACC to me was a rod that had trouble flippin big ones in the boat. Huckabee was top notch. Bonehead was right up there as for flipping em in. ACC, not so much.

Just my experience.

I’m just giving my opinion sir. That’s all as I had a group on my boat yesterday and the new 8 foot Huckabee could not light a candle to the back bone my ACC sticks was doing. We literally cold not flip them hogs in the boat with the Huckabee as we could the ACC and in my opinion had no back bone like the ACC. I witness it as of yesterday.

I find that so odd. Well, I will take your word for it but I'll say I have experienced the complete opposite. I will say I have the Elite 9 foot rods and the bonehead 12 foot rods, 8 foot rods, etc. ACC I have is 10 foot rods.

Here are my favs.
#1- ACC I have 2- 8’ and broke the tip off both in my trolling mtr. I actually like them better with the first 3-4” missing.
#2- BoneHead I snapped it at the reel seat when I got hung up in a brush pile. That was strictly my fault.
I won’t rate the Pro Angler as I won’t use the ones I have. Buggy whip is how I would describe it.
Huckabey is same as Pro Angler to me. Way to soft for my liking.
This is just my opinion. You really need to try all and decide for yourself.
Good luck and tight lines.
RODS454

Just a suggestion ,I’d listen to what RODS454 stayed. Try different ones because everybody on here has there favorite and it’s for one reason or another. I like others on here have some of every brand mentioned thus far . I caught my PB using my 10’ ACC. I recently purchased the dipping stick which is one of the TODD HUCKABEE rods and love it. Anyone who has fished lake Somerville know there’s a lot of Car Tags in that lake,lol. All were hoisted in with my ACC and dipping stick which I call Dipper,lol! Wish you were close to me,I’d let you try out the different rods I have and let you make a decision from that. Good luck either way!!!!

2nd for G rods. Cadillacs

You had a problem slinging in Hogs with an ACC 10' rod? Seriously?

Wow that just blows me away.

Opinions and Experiences vary no doubt.

My experience:

I'll sling hogs in all day long with a 10' ACC. Zero problem.

What this really boils down to is personal preference like anything with fishing.

Fish with whatever rod works best for you.

On a side note, I have a 12’ Bonehead (black) I’m wanting to trade for an ACC 12’.
Lake Fork area.

I love my G Rods.

I wasn’t trying to start a brand debate.. was really just wondering about the pro’s and cons of using a longer rod fishing timber. The ability to reach out a little more without having to position the boat..

Yeah I scratched my head on that one too


Yeah I said the same thing as everyone has their opinions. I’m a very honest person and I’m telling you I purchased a huck and Sunday it couldn’t light a candle to an ACC and I’m no sponsor etc. I’m telling it like it is. The huck will get used on piles with smaller fish.

Yes sir and what I would use is a 10 footer. Get you a 10 footer so you can be off the pile and still reach both edges and the back sides on some. I’m not saying you won’t have to re position once you learn they are on the edge of the back side of the pile or wind changes especially if it’s a huge pile etc. But a longer rod will take some of the stress out. I would go with ACC. JS

Just something else to consider about a 10 ft. or longer rod. I was using a couple 10 footers when I started having elbow pains to the point it hurt trying to bring a fish in the boat. I went back to my 7 footers and have not had anymore problems in the last couple years. This is probably just a problem for me. Don't know your age but if you're long in the tooth like me, you might want to consider this.

No brand debating here, and I take everyone on this boards word depending on what it is. Hard to "fake it" with what rods sling em in or not. If you guys say your ACC slings em in, they sling em in. I need to reuse mine and see.

I’d have to agree with this. You not beating a huckabee on backbone.

Longer rods come in handy when boat fishing for sure.

As for rods. It’s all personal preference. The craze nowadays is to flip fish in the boat with little fight on broomstick rods like huckabee rods or H and h rods. This isn’t fun to me.

Acc rods are better but still too stiff for me.

I prefer noodle rods that make a 10 in fish feel like a 14 incher. I prefer sniper rods that my buddy makes or bnm. Just because a rod is noodle does not mean you can’t swing fish in the boat either.

It really just comes down to what you prefer.

I've always wanted to stay as far away from the structure I am fishing as comfortably as I can. My shortest rods for fishing BPs or timber is 8ft. However, I use a 10 ft about 75% of the time. If you haven't noticed, almost everyone using livescope has gone to 12 ft rods. Must be a reason. One friend of mine who guides said after watching the fish spook so many times, he wondered how he ever caught fish with an 8 ft rod.
I'd get a good 10 fter which is light enough to fish for 5-6 hours without hurting your shoulder or elbow. Not all rods are made the same.
I've been fishing ProAnglers for about 10 years and am very well pleased, good materials, light, sensitive, good backbone and won't break the bank.

+1

got 2 8ft&1 10ft P.A. x3 lol

The longer rods work well to vertical fish heavy cover either from the bank or the boat. I mainly use 9' and 10 rods'. However, In the spring I will fish a 12' using a B'n'M Bucks Mini reel. That light reel allows me to fish the longer rod without it being too heavy. A 12' rod paired with a spinning reel or baitcaster gets a little heavy for me.

A good tip for fishing the longer rod is to find the ballance point. You find the ballance point by finding the spot where the rod ballances on one finger.

I use a half dozen different brand rods depending on what I’m doing but since your asking about longer rods I like the Jenko 10-11’ KR series. I like the 8’ Pro Angers for brush but didn’t care for any of their longer rods. Didn’t like the older huckabees or boneheaded either cause they were too heavy and I’m not a fan of ceramic guides! Never tried an ACC but they don’t float like the PAs or the Jenkos! Buddy dropped a 10’ one in the lake and it sank like a rock! To be fair it had a big reel on it. I’ve never fished the new huckabees but I liked the Phantom 13 and the 9’ ones at the crappie expo. If money wasn’t a problem I might use a G Rod but I’m hard on stuff. I Love swimming jigs with my 7’r though. Go somewhere like lakeside tacke. Or wet rooster or Thumpers and get your paws on as many as you can and decide. Like said above hold it where it balances and you won’t get tired. I use the cheap abu Garcia black max baitcasters and hold them upside down with one hand above the reel and they balance perfect and i can fish them all day. I reel upside down when I get a fish if I need too no problem. Works for me anyhow.

Slew

I run 10’ Pro Anglers for standing timber, 8’ Pro Anglers for casting and a short little All Star for shooting. Haven’t had any problems with any of them. I broke the tip off of several Academy H2O’s before buying Pro Angler rods. A whole bunch of folks make great rods. Just depends on what you’re doing and how much you want to spend.

Thanks guys!

I also use 10" Pro Anglers. About $60 shipped IIRC. Caught a few pretty heavy catfish and have not had one break yet.

Wayne

Dude, I've caught with cheap Zebco medium rods that had no design intent for crappie, to BnM and ACC. BnM are soft and whippy. Great rods still. ACC have a great feel and light bite detection ability with more backbone. Between the 3 types, I just know I don't need something more expensive. There are days where one type will be more successful for you, like the days where you're lucky to detect a bite. But I still think you can have success with any rod that is $60 or less. I would not pay more, personallly

Well I bought a 9’ rod and it feels really well balanced with my Shimano spinning reel. Cant wait to get on the water with it next weekend and give it a try.

I have a rear seat 12ft ACC, used a half dozen times, or so...that I will trade for that Bonehead black. If interested, PM me.

Well I’m going to report in on the new 9’ rod.. I ended up buying a Lew’s pro model 9’ jigging rod. It’s nice and light. I could feel the lightest taps on the jig. I use mono, trilene XL 8 lb. with a shimano spinning reel. I really like the extra 2’ on the rod. I even caught a big drum. Like 3lbs, it handled it well. I was hoping I had the Sam Rayburn lake record crappie.. lol I think for the way I crappie fish the 9’ is the longest I want to go. My 7’ regular spinning rods will handle every thing else. I bought another one today to replace a rod I broke a while back. I decided it would be nice to have a backup 9’ rod. I figured I would post my feelings since rods seam to get a lot of talk on here.

I brought 12 home .. caught twice that many.

I run ACC and have them from 6.5 ft to 12 ft. When trolling a bridge or dock shooting I go with the smaller ones. When jigging, especially when they are shallower and spooky the 10-12 foot makes a huge difference as I do not have to get as close. The comment was madeabout not being able to boat flip with an ACC 10 ft. I use the 12 ft and boat flip all the time. In fact in the past few months that ACC has been a sponsor I have caught (Accidentally) a 12 pound Channel Cat and a 6.5 striper on the 12 ft ACC. NOW, I did not boat flip them, but it handled well. There are other rods and everyone has an opinion, but what it boils down to is try and find someone that has one and try and fish with it. I went from BoneHead which had a very stiff backbone, Med/Heavy to ACC that gives more flex. At first I had a hard time boat flipping them in simply because the bend was more than I was used to so I was having a hard time catching the line once it cleared the water and headed in towards the boat. Just fished with it a few days and all good. I hope this helps in your decision.

Is g rod g loomis?

x2

Nice catch cool. I usally take my 7 & 8 ft .P.A. to fish heavy brush or timber. What most guys are concerned about is feel/ backbone..Which is good point, butwhat some overlook is, Geometry. BIG word. Think about how far you move say, 61/2 or 7ft rod , Versus a 8 or 10ft. Its is about the angle.A quick twitch of 8ft vs a 6/12 . moves the hook a whole lot more.{ geometry] . Just my 2 cents. You definetly started a big debate.

G rod is G ROD int. glenn miller ,[glenn you ok] Light sensitive & pricey. unbelieveable good.