Page 11 - Crappie NOW - June 2018

CRAPPIE SUMMER SUCCESS

always cast jigs for crappies, I was taken feet up the line. Then it is securely wrapped
back during my first southern trip to in place by threading the tag end of line
Kentucky Lake in the late 1980s when I through the sinker three times.
saw all those spider-rigging rods sticking “About 18 inches from the egg sinker,
out the bow of each boat! I quickly received I tie on a lightweight jighead to which I attach
an education on the effectiveness of this a plastic body. My most frequently used
multi-rod technique.” bodies are the 2-inch Bobby Garland Baby
Ken was determined to apply some Shad and the 1.25-inch Bobby Garland Itty
of what he learned to his home waters. Bit Swim’R – although I do experiment with
However at the time, Pennsylvania anglers other baits from time to time. The weight of
were limited to just two rods per angler. the jighead is determined to some degree
Furthermore, his V-hull aluminum boat by how deep I am fishing.”
didn’t have room on the front deck for two
anglers sitting side by side.
“So I eventually figured out my own
system of slow-troll/slow-drift presentation
which allowed me to hover over specific
deep cover as well as working open
flats to search for scattered crappies. By
positioning all rods on the left gunnel, as
I maneuver the boat with the bow trolling
motor, all anglers in the boat had equal
opportunity to catch fish.”

As any crappie angler knows,
getting your bait close to cover
without snapping is imperative.”

One day following a successful
outing, a fishing buddy asked Ken what
he called this technique. Ken thought for a
moment and then answered “Hang Gliding”
and with that the homegrown PA crappie
technique received a name!
Over the years Ken has tried different
B’n’M rods, but he has settled on the
CW122 – Richard Williams signature 12-
foot jig pole. “This rod has the necessary
sensitive tip but is strong enough to battle
big crappies, catfish, bass and even the
occasional musky which inhales the small
bait. They are very durable,” notes Ken.
His spinning reel is spooled with
6-pound Gamma Polyflex Line. To keep
lines vertical, a 1/2-ounce egg sinker is
threaded on the line and slid a little over 2

11 Crappie NOW June 2018