Understand that crappie rise to the bait and see nothing that is below them, because their eyes are on the top of their head.  You have to present your bait above them as a result.

Especially if you are just a beginner, you need to use ultra light rigs to catch crappie. Crappie are notorious for just sucking the bait in, barely causing a twitch on the line.  On heavy tackle, you really just can not feel the hits easily, and you will miss your fish as a result.

Finally, if you use from a two to a four pound test line, you should be about right.  Be sure to use a loop to tie on your hook.  The hook should move easily and freely, so the bait will be able to move about.  Crappie are finicky, and the more real and natural your bait looks to them, the more likely they are to take what it is you are offering them.

To get the full "A Beginners Guide For Locating Crappie" article you'll need to download it here.