Paddlin’ with Madalyn: Targeting Postspawn Crappie from a Kayak
Photos and Story By Madalyn Roberts
As crappie head to deeper water after the spring spawn, that’s the most opportune time for a new kayak angler to determine their preferred technique of fishing. During this postspawn period, anglers can fish just about any way they prefer and have a productive day on the water. Casting to open-water fish is always an option, and my preferred rod for that application is the Leland’s TCB by B’n’M Poles.
The 75 Series rod is my go-to all-purpose rod for several different techniques. With a little more stiffness to its backbone, the 75 Series is an excellent option for pulling planer boards, all the way to pitching a jig under a slip float. I generally have several of these on my kayak—one with a slip float and two more to pull planer boards.
The 75 Series is an absolute utility player, and what’s great about pulling planer boards with them is pulling boards works in varying depths of water. I love the Corey Thomas Pro Series micro jig boards made by Bub’s Daddy Outdoors for pulling lighter jigs. For me, the color contrast helps to differentiate which rod is going off more quickly.
Off Shore Tackle also makes a great reversible mini planer board at a comparable price.
If you intend to pull planer boards, there’s no way around it. You’ll need to invest in rod holders. The rod holders I run are fabricated by Terry Barker, owner of Cumberland Crappie. I’ve had them for several years now and never had a single issue with them.
I will say that for a kayak setup, it makes the most sense for the rod holders to be in front for easy access. Mine didn’t start there, but that’s where they ended up.
The most versatile rods a kayak angler could have aboard when using forward-facing sonar are the Little Mighty or Ambush Telescopic Rod. The Little Mighty now comes in five different lengths ranging from 10 to 25 feet, whereas the maximum length of the Ambush rod is 24.5 feet long. Both made of graphite, they are light as a feather and can go from stretched from 20 down to 2 feet in a matter of seconds.
Catching crappie on a telescopic rod is a different kind of obsession for me. But at the end of the day, it’s a small part of a much bigger obsession I’ve found in fishing.
I recommend the try-before-you-buy option when purchasing any type of rod whenever possible. Find someone who will let you test their rod; otherwise, you’ll end up with a corner of the garage overtaken by outcast rods that no longer make the cut. Ask me how I know.
(Madalyn Roberts is from Kansas City, Missouri although she considers herself a southern transplant, having lived in Kentucky for 17 years. She serves her Louisville community by working for a non-profit organization facilitating free home repairs for elderly and disabled homeowners. In her spare time, she enjoys being in the outdoors in all capacities, most especially fishing, hiking and camping.)
