| If you've never fished for crappie with a fly | | | | |
| rod, then you've really missed something. In | | | | All you need is a single action reel, and it |
| my opinion, crappies, and other panfish, are | | | | does not have to be an expensive one. Next, |
| the ideal fly rod quarry for the following | | | | you will need a WF2F, or WF3F, or ST fly |
| reasons; | | | | line, or maybe a DT5S for summer. Top it off |
| | | | with a 5 tapered leader (crappie are not |
| There are plenty of them. | | | | line-shy, so a long leader is not necessary) |
| | | | and a 4X or 5X tippet, and your almost ready |
| They are almost everywhere. | | | | to go. |
| | | | |
| They are scrumptious! | | | | If you need to learn how to fly fish, I'd |
| | | | like to recommend the premier website for all |
| They are incredibly willing to smash your fly | | | | things fly fishing FlyAnglersOnline. Here you |
| (most of the time) and do battle. | | | | will find all the information you need, and |
| | | | then some, for learning how to properly fly |
| Unless you live in Alaska or Hawaii, chances | | | | fish, find your quarry, and make and maintain |
| are good that you live within one or two | | | | your equipment. There are thousands of proven |
| hours from a body of water than has crappie | | | | fly patterns there, with complete directions |
| in it. Crappies are seasonal migratory | | | | and step-by step instructions for tying them. |
| predators. I won't go into their seasonal | | | | There is also a forum where you can ask us |
| habits here because that is a subject unto | | | | any questions you want. |
| itself. Suffice to say it helps to know your | | | | |
| quarry. | | | | A few accessories are nice to have. If you |
| | | | fish from a boat, and plan to crappie fish |
| It's pretty simple for most of the year. If | | | | all year, a good depth finder is a necessity. |
| you find em..you'll catch em. The notable | | | | You'll want a landing net, because crappies |
| exception is summertime, when crappies get | | | | have very tender mouths and can tear-off |
| moody, sulk and suspend in open water. They | | | | easily. For the same reason, a floating fish |
| frequently get lock-jaw at this time and will | | | | basket or live well is good to have, because |
| even refuse a live minnow dangled right under | | | | crappie can tear off of a stringer easily. |
| their nose! | | | | |
| | | | You'll need a lantern for night-fishing. If |
| You don't need a $1000.00 fly rod to catch | | | | you don't have a boat, you might want to look |
| crappie (or in my experience, any other | | | | at the various models of Belly Boats, or |
| freshwater fish). A $19.99 Wal-Mart special | | | | Float Tubes. They are great for crappie |
| will catch just as many crappies as an | | | | fishing in still waters. |
| $850.00 outfit from G. Loomis. For crappie, | | | | |
| you want to go light. A 6-1/2 to 8-1/2 2 or 3 | | | | Now, for the most fun part of flyfishing |
| weight fly rod is perfect for crappie. If you | | | | selecting your flies. You have two options: |
| want to chase crappie during the summer, you | | | | You can look for a supplier that ties the |
| may want to move up to a 5 weight rod with a | | | | patterns you want, or you can do what the |
| sinking line, to get your fly to the depths | | | | rest of us do, and tie your own. This is as |
| quicker. | | | | much fun as fishing! |