Hello just a quick qustion. I wanting to get into crappie fishing but all of the gear I have is not suited for it. What type of rod reel and lin should I be using. I don’t know if it make a differnce but I will b fishing northern ontario waters. Thanks and tight lines

Crappie fishing can be really low tech. All that is really needed is a $4.00 (US) rigged cane pole from Wal-mart, and a bucket of minnows. You can catch crappie from now to Doomsday with this rig. Next step up is one of the specialy crappie rods from companies like B & M. Get one anywhere from 10′-15′ long, with a locking reel mount. They are modestly priced, starting at around $12.00 to over $50.00 for the Tournament rods. They are ideal for all-year crappie fishing, and are unbeatable in heavy cover. They work with jigs as well as minnows. Match it up with a good ultralite spinning, or underspin reel, and you have have the ultimate crappie set-up. 4 Lb. line is the best to use for general crappie fishing with minnows. The light line will allow the minnow to swim easier. 4 Lb. is also my choice for most jigging. If you are jigging in heavy cover, you might want to go up to 6 Lb. line to be able to haul the fish out of the brush. This is where spinning reels have the advantage. Always keep an extra spooI with the next size line handy for quick line changes on the water. I prefer Trilene XL line, because it has a thinner diameter for a given line weight than most other brands. Stren is a good second choice. For all-year crappie fishing, a depth-finder is almost a necesity. They run from $79.00 to over $1000.00. They come in portable hand-held models, to permanently mounted units with enough features on them to chase down enemy submarines. Most of my boat fishing is from my kayaks and canoe, so I prefer the portable units. They do everything you would need for most freshwater fishing. For fishing with live minnows, use a double-hook dropper rig with a 1/8 bell sinker on the bottom, and a pair of aberdeen #6 hooks. You want the smallest minnows you can find, under 2-1/2″ in length if possible. For jigs, I use a 1/8 oz. or smaller marabou jigs. They are cheap, and deadly on crappie. Best colors are chartruese, yellow and white, or any combination of these colors. Happy fishing!